Today was my six week appointment! In the lineup to register this morning I was behind a fellow carrying a book for children called "Heaven is for real. For children". I have read the "adult" version in the last couple of years. Anyway it was a good opportunity for me to spark up a conversation with the man. He was coming in for his 6 month appointment. He had AML and had his transplant in Hamilton because he had an international match. He had a rough go of it but was doing pretty good now. We had a nice conversation about facing cancer and transplant as Christians.
My visit with the doctor was a little disappointing. My blood numbers were flat to a little down. WBC went from 2.1 to 1.8 and neutrophils 1.1 from 1.6 I was quite surprised and nervous about that number. That is the count I needed to achieve to be released from hospital, and 2.5 weeks later am still there. My hemoglobin dropped from 97 to 93, so no transfusion needed but a slot booked again next week. My platelets went up to 31 from 28.
The numbers led to a significant discussion with my doctor. Engraftment is taking place, otherwise I would still be needing constant transfusions, it is just uncommonly slow. Instead of taking weeks he is now expecting it to take months for me to reach normal counts, with the inevitable ups and downs in the graph line. There is nothing we/he can do about it. If I were to get an infection and end up in hospital then he would give me Neupogen again to assist in WBC production but that is a temporary solution as we have seen. I asked if we needed more stem cells from the donor. No, we are getting engraftment just slow, it is not engraftment failure. So we wait.
My liver enzymes and bilirubin numbers were decent! Creatinine, the marker for kidney function was up, so the encouragement to keep consuming fluid, 3 litres a day by mouth would be good. That is a lot of fluid, so good thing I like milk and juices too. No sign of GVHD to this point, which we are very thankful for. I did start with a cold sore this morning, but no cold, go figure. Doctor prescribed an anti fungal for 5 days.
Some of you may have been surprised to see me in church a few times in the last couple of weeks. Barb and I have been coming in late, sitting in chairs behind the congregation, and leaving early. I am masked and have no close contact with people during this time. It is a wonderful thing to be part of worship together, and we deem it to be a reasonable solution. We sure miss the after service fellowship too, but our true fellowship of course is in the Word. With this weeks drop in neutrophils I will not be going. I will wait until a 1.5 count before I go back. We were able last Friday to witness the wedding of my nephew Jeff and his new bride Christy!! I had not expected to be able to go, and certainly missed going to the reception with family and friends, but happy to have witnessed the wedding nonetheless.
Our expectation of a new grandchild last week went unfulfilled. We hope soon, especially for the parent's sake!
With "superstorm Sandy" we have seen God's power in His creation, and we have talked about that same God as our Father who knows our smallest need and loves us for Jesus sake. How good to be under our Father's protection.
Psalm 140:6,7 ESV
I say to the LORD, You are my God;
give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD!
O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
Prayer Requests
1. Thanks for a good week of no GVHD
2. Thanks for no infection or other challenges.
3. Asking that engraftment may strengthen and speed up.
4. Asking for the daily knowledge of His Fatherly love for us.
5. Thanking Him for His faithfulness.
5 comments:
Thank You for the update Richard.
Praising God for how far you are thus far....even if it is slow.
God does what He does in His Own time.
For this we are Thankful and I do know that He hears
Your/our prayers.
Blessings to Your Family
Love Henry and Mona
Psalms 27:4-5 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.
Dear Richard and Barb and family, we have been following your blog for quite a while, and we are very thankful to read about how the Lord has blessed the work of the doctors and nurses, and the measure of health He has given you. We pray that you may continue to be restored and strengthened in every way. It is so encouraging to hear you confess how richly the Lord has blessed you, and that that is the heritage you also pass on to your children and grandchildren. in Christ, Dick and Charlene Wynia
In life we are not always patient,(largely speaking about myself here) We live in a fast-paced world and God works with us, each individually and differently. Yet God loves us and does not change, God's love is constant and enduring. God is reliable, trustworthy and involved in our lives. The evidence of God's involvement in yours is wonderful to see. Thank you ... cousin from Ottawa
Congratulations with your new grandson! We give thanks to our Heavenly Father for this blessing and the blessings of a good report from the doctor. We continue to pray for patience and complete healing.
the Guelph Toets
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