I just awoke from my second nap of the day. I’m not sure the first nap counts, since it was from about 8-9 this morning. I’ll take credit for the second one, though.
Today I’m in the ITA for my last dose of IVIG, at least for now. My trained eye tells me that I have about an hour and a half to go. I think I’m becoming increasingly tolerant of benadryl, since it hasn’t put me to sleep the last couple of doses like it used to do. Anyway, today’s labs look halfway decent, and are similar to last Wednesday’s results. Friday’s results took a slight dip. Here are today’s:
WBC: 2.1
ANC: 0.8
HCT: 30.3
PLTS: 185k
My kidney function is also good, which means that I’m tolerating the higher dose of foscarnet. One of the blood vials today was for another CMV test, and I’ll get those results on Thursday. Hopefully the increased dose has been effective.
In other news, I’ve been given a reprieve from the 3x/week ITA visits. This week, I only have to come today (almost done) and Thursday morning. The IV treatments at home have been pretty simple. It was nice to have the whole weekend off. Jen came down on Thursday night and spent Friday with me in the ITA.
Speaking of the weekend, some of you in Nebraska aren’t doing a good job of guessing my activities. Grandpa and I have taken a six-game lead in the euchre tournament. We don’t know the actual score, but we’re well in command. Jen and I did enjoy each other’s company. However, I’m not much of a sports guy. I don’t really care who won or lost or tied. The small bit of sports I do watch on TV includes:
-major golf tournaments, if for no other reason than to see Lefty’s inconsistent play
-an occasional baseball game, especially if a player is close to a milestone event (that’s vague enough, right?)
-mountain stages and time trial stages in the Tour de France (these have the best crashes)
-men’s indoor volleyball (who am I kidding, this is never on TV!)
-Denver Broncos games
-Sportscenter, though after last night’s episode, I may boycott on principle.
I could write quite a bit more of my thoughts on the state of sports today, but that’s a whole nother subject. I could also wax philosophical on politics and how to be a registered Republican and work as an environmental professional in California. Does anyone care?
Pictures……I only have a couple of newer ones. We look the same, though I’ve lost 25 lbs since I’ve been here. Jen says I’m skinny, but I don’t think 6′3″, 215-220 lbs is skinny. I’m using a weight range because it really depends on what I’ve eaten lately and…other factors. My hair is getting longer, and I’m due for a haircut. I temporarily grew the flav-r-sav-r/stinger. I call it my beard because that’s just about all I can grow. It’s gone now.
Here’s a partial setup for the home IV. Sorry it’s a little blurry. That’s my new cell phone on the right…
Here’s Jen helping me get set up.
Here’s me eating my first ice cream in over two months.
Finally, here’s a picture Jen took of us yesterday afternoon.
Hey great pix of Grandpa doing dishes in the background. We are all relieved to see he is not totally spoiled by the pool! Glad for the reprieve this week from the clinic, that always helps the spirit. Love the new “cell phone” Looks about the size of some of the original dinosaurs we carried………Ty survived day one of football with some pain in the bone, which is to be expected………….but he is up and walking and ready for day two. We did have to go over and watch for a few minutes from the upper parking lot. Must say it felt pretty good to see him back out there. May not feel the same when they start full contact…..Good to see all the smiles in your pix.
Love to all,
Peace,
Aunt Dianne
Hey Todd,
We had a going away pizza party for Natan Bello at lunch today; so I thought I’d check in on ya and share the scoop. He’s leaving the valley for cooler digs in the Bay Area (San Francisco hopefully -he’s got 2 weeks to find a place).
So glad to hear about the reprieve from the 3x/week ITA visits! Also thought I’d let you know that there a few folks out here that would love to read your philisophical musings about being a registered Republican and an environmental professional in California
Love Yah!
-Sabrina
Actually, judging from your face you are looking like the boy I knew in high school. Minus the floppy boyfriend hair of course. You both look good. You’ll have to come out here for a real Denver Bronco game someday. That’d be fun.
Jen – I love your glasses! Your hair reminds me of when we’d jump in the car and head to Manhattan beach…
Love,
Traci
Is it just me, or are you and Jen starting to look alike? Isn’t that supposed to happen after years and years of marriage? You both must just be so mature and advanced and got it down early
. I love seeing your smiling faces together…and your Fisher Price Cell phone rocks. Praying that the next test results reflect hard core butt kickin’ infection protection kicking in. So was the ice cream as good as you remember? You look like you are doing some intense studying of where your next spoonful was going to come from. You know that aiming thing we do for the next perfect bite…especially if there are little yummy trinkets like cookie dough chunks or nuts in there. I see it involved brownies 
. Blessing to you! Love Patty
Hey Todd – thanks for the new post. I had to jump on the comment section of the blog so that people did not think that Aunt Dianne was going to start setting unmatchable records for the number of comments, although she hasdone 4-5 in the last two days! Good to see the lab numbers holding pretty solid, especially the kidney tests. You sound a lot better in your email — sleep is really a good thing. I canot imagine how you survived those 2X a day trips when you had to do them. That did not allow enough sleep for a relatively healthy person much less someone whose body is a walking chemical warehouse! Really glad that you can do most of your IV stuff at the house now. It makes for a much more sane schedule.
On to other stuff – we could pontificate ad infinitum regarding the state of professional sports but we will avoid that black hole. However, I would favor some sort of national boycott that is tied to player salaries, ticket prices, number of players with criminal records and illegitimate children, and now the big one — can the players construct a proper sentence using all major parts of speech and spell the words in the sentence?. If I was a democrat, I would favor legislation in connection with the problems in professional sports but since my political bent does not favor the government getting bigger and more intrusive we will continue to hope for the general population learning to manage itself by developing old fashioned character qualities. In full agreement with the list of viewable options on TV sports– I can do professional golf, any type of volleyball, a playoff game in baseball or football IF I have some vested interest in the team, the Tour De France highlights, a good college game of something 2-3X a year, national track meets, and most Olympic sports.
Good to see you enjoying some ice cream. That reminds me that even with my lap swimming, I must have eaten alot more fun stuff than I thought when I was there. I gained one pound per day for a total of 11 pounds. Well, back to a more health conscious approach to meals. If you continue to feel physically and mentally stronger from good B and J nourishment, I could always use some technical guidance on the interface between my PDA and my computer. If your first idea does not work, I will have to contact you again.
Regarding the movie comment — yes, see if you can get ahold of Freedom Writers before Uncle Paul arrives on July 24. It really is a good one in many respects. By the way, the picture of you and Jen facing the camera gives the impression that her hair is alot more blond. Good color for her!
Well, back to work. Have to wrap up for the night and be ready for a 7:00 a.m. meeting. Will drift off to sleep with either the John Piper book or the John Grisham novel or both. Talk more later.
Love , Dad
Todd and Jen,
I must apologize for my absence, of late, from communicating. Despite my lack of communication, I and so many others at Sanctuary, have been doing my best to keep the most important communication (prayers) going on your behalf.
We all miss you guys. Wednesday, our Life Group is hosting a dodge ball game. I remember when you two assisted us in dominating the Sunday night Life Group in kickball. We could use you two this Wednesday. I may dedicate a swift throtteling of someone to you, Todd. I know that you both will be there in spirit.
-Kyle
Hi Jen – or should I say Jenny??? Love the hair cut!
Todd – I found a recipe for strawberry JAM today… thought of you.
I love & miss you both!!!
Stephanie
jonah and i loved looking at the pics together tonight. thanks for including those. good ice cream choice. love and prayers,
kacie
You two are twins-ies with your glasses how cute. Now if your hair was a bit longer…..and you were sportin a nice cute blouse then for sure.
Glad to read about the good news, good numbers etc. That cell phone is killer by the way.
Lena went for her 4mo. Dr. visit. She was off the charts with respect to length and weight. Basically she is like a nine month old. No boys are gonna mess with her, definately puttin the smack down. She actually rolled from her back, all by herself, onto her tummy, then did a push up. No help at all.
I have another MRI appointment next week….third times a charm I guess. They gave me more drugs for being a wuss.
I am not sure if I should be happy about taking them or happy that they are to help me get through it. Well its either that or a fishing expedition (biopsy). I will take the prior.
So hope to see you soon dude. Take it easy (take credit for both naps next time). Cheers partner.
Sean, Karen and Lena
Sounds like you have some good news this week. I’m glad to hear that. We continue to pray for your strength and perseverence. Since you brought up the Tour, which my husband likes to watch for hours every morning, did you happen to see the crash this morning that involved a dog? The dog looks ok, but the front tire was destroyed. It’s definitely good to see you both smiling, but who wouldn’t after eating that long-awaited, delicious ice cream!
Hi Guys!
So glad to see you both SMILING!!! And thank you for the updated stats…we’ll look forward to seeing Thursday’s results…
I am sure the Ben & Jerry’s will help significantly on reducing that ’skinny’ status …
About the Tour de France…you could always check in on the Floyd Landis lawsuit still in progress from last years’ Tour… were you aware that Floyd & Paul are old high school buddies???
Still praying… Much love…
A couple questions:
So, 2 naps/day is a tolerance to Benadryl?
Did you look for volleyball on the Ocho?
Why would you watch a Bronco game? Unless they are playing the 9ers, then of course its a 9er game.
Cut your hair, you hippy. (Sorry, that’s not a question)
Is that the new Polaroid camera phone?
Have a good week-
Im like, “Phone? What phone? Where phone? iPhone?” Then I realized…you were being funny! Unfortunately, until a few months ago, I carried a phone about that cumbersome!
So, any new news on when you get to come HOME?
–Darce
I wouldn’t sweat the weight loss until you start looking like you did in that college volleyball pic. I’m bummed that the 300 pound dream looks out of reach for the time being though.
I’ve got to agree with you about sports center lately. You mean you’re not interested in “who’s now”? Did you see the Tahoe celebrity golf tourney last weekend? It was awesome. Cheech and Barkley were spraying drives into crowds of families on every hole. It’s amazing nobody got killed.
Well, I’ll let you go. As always, thoughts and prayers coming your way. Cya.
Will
Glad we have have some supportive chatter coming in. Although I note pretending to be you sparked a rapid fire update…..but really we are so exciting around here there has to be something more interesting than the status of my pickles……which by the way are good so far. Please note the neighbors each got a few fresh cucumbers from the garden. Expect I will have to ring the bell and run after leaving them on the steps before long.
Ty is sore from football. He does see progress every day although he is frustrated with his lack of speed and side to side agility at this point. It too will come.
I had a wonderful crown done today at the dentist. My friend refers to it as a new sofa, just too tiny to sit on. The root canal option is called the new family room………must admit they are a bit pricey. Good thing there is dental insurance.
Weather has been warm but at least a chance for rain late tonight.
Tomorrow I need to finish my team captain planning for Relay for Life. I am sure you have these events for the American Cancer Society out there as well. Years ago when a friend of ours at church lost her cancer battle us gals formed a church relay team. Every year we spend the night walking the luminary lit stadium as we reflect on those loved ones who have lost, won and are engaged in the cancer battle. Once again we will stop and pray as we come to your luminaries. It was nice to see other people from here who are praying for you bought them in your honor. We “soul sisters” have a good evening together reflecting, praying, supporting and celebrating the lives of loved ones.
One of the items our team shares is a book mark we get from “Back to the Bible”.
Cancer is so Limited
“Cancer is so limited:
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot eat away peace.
It cannot destroy confidence.
It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot shut out memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot invade the soul.
It cannot reduce eternal life.
It cannot quench the Spirit.
It cannot lesson the power of the resurrection.”
Anonymous
I hope you find that uplifting and encouraging when you are looking at the path in front of you. It is always good to focus on what it cannot do and what God can.
Hugs to all,
Peace,
Aunt Dianne
Hello,
I found your website while researching The Hutch. My brother has AML and we will be going there for a consult with Dr. Applebaum. I see that you chose to do your transplant at Stanford, when all was said and done. How did you decide on Stanford over The Hutch? We’re also doing a consult at U of MN. Any advice would be welcome. My brother is only 35, newly married and a definite candidate for transplant asap…as his leukemia is acute.
Congrats on getting your transplant–Hang in there.
Mina
Being from the land of “orange and blue sunsets”, I am encouraged that watching Bronco games on TV is on your list of sports to watch. I was concerned that you may have been tempted to become a member of the notorious “Raider Nation”. Of course, that would mean having to dress in those lovely Halloween costumes every Sunday and root for Keith Richard”s adopted older brother, Al Davis. I, for one see a true resemblence in the 2. Now if I can persuade you to become an Ohio State fan (I know, Florida owns them). Keep Grandpa there for a while longer, I still need to borrow his pickup. Love and prayers to all.