Things are well with me. I'm in the hospital getting my photopheresis treatment, which appears to be taking care of the Graft-vs-Host problems I've been having. They've trimmed my steroids down to a minimal amount, and as of yesterday they started dropping the amount on one of my immunosuppressive medications.
Since they're seeing me only twice a week, we drove home to Rose Creek Village this last weekend. On Sunday, I ran the quarter mile from town hall, where we hold our Sunday gatherings, to my parents' house. That was a milestone for me! I'm getting stronger quickly! Very exciting.
I've been reading blogs today, though, and that can be emotional. Tamara's donor came through, which was a "yippee" moment. She's got some great words about prayer there, too.
On the other side, I got an email from the daughter of a wonderful lady, Judy, who's been emailing me for months. The daughter wrote to tell me that Judy had died, but that she had spoken highly of me and my blog. I cried when I read the email. Judy was so encouraging and had such a great attitude. She had BPDCN (see tab above), but because she was in her 70's, she couldn't get the treatments I describe on my page on the disease. Apparently, it finally got her. It's an aggressive disease, and without a bone marrow transplant, which is usually not an option for someone in her 70's, life expectancy is not long.
Then I ran across a blog called The CLL Ranch. CLL stands for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Chronic leukemias are less aggressive than acute leukemias, but generally they are less curable as well. People with CLL, CML and various other forms of chronic leukemias live with it for the rest of their lives, needing expensive treatments. Barry, the author of the CLL Ranch, is having a rough go of it. Can you offer up a prayer for him?
Finally, I added Praise You in This Storm to my blog list. It's another really encouraging blog by a cancer patient with a wonderful, believing, inspiring attitude.
So great to hear of your run! How incredible! My last few days have been packed with PET and CT scans, another BMB (yippee), and other tests. We will be there this week Monday through Thursday, CVC going in on Tuesday. Please pray for my friend and business partner, Dave Kinler. He has had SLL (lymphoma) stage 4 since last spring. He just finished a 12 month trial of Revlimid and Rituxan. The first 6 mths were very encouraging, but the second 6 didn't do as much and his tumors have returned. :( They are going to start him on another type trial using a monoclonal antibody...something 47. He, too, is a believer and maintains an incredible attitude. Your prayers for him would be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost time for me to start my daily updates. I pray that I can be as composed and candid as you were in yours. Blessings, my friend!