Pre-Transplant Update

After all the waiting, the bone marrow transplant is upon us. I had a bone marrow biopsy on Dec. 30 which came back negative - yippee! So they ordered the cord blood from Australia and it will arrive next week. I'm being admitted into UCLA hospital on January 19, a holiday. On the 20th I begin radiation which is given twice a day for 4 days. Then I'll receive 3 days of chemo (10 times the dose given to me at Cottage). Then a day of rest (no treatments). Then they will give me the donor stem cells. Then I wait for them to begin the rebuilding process. Will you pray for me? Pray the side effects from the treatment will be nil. Pray that I won't get any infections while my numbers are zero. Pray I won't get chronic graft vs. host disease. Pray also for me to be a light and a witness to those around me of the power of God's love - for the nurses, doctors & other patients on the transplant floor. Pray that He would be glorified through this.

This Monday, the 12th, I am to go in for an appointment to get measured for the upcoming radiation. They'll do a simulation after meeting with the doctor. Then I go back up to the oncology dept. to get more blood work done and another bone marrow biopsy! Ouch! I really don't like these. Your prayers last time saw me through the painful process and it was the best one I ever had so I am asking for your prayers again! I have no idea what time it will be done because they are squeezing me in. Just pray.

To my delight, I am blessed to have the most amazing friends in all the world! Not only are our children going to be well taken care of the whole time while I'm away, but we had more families who were willing than I needed for the weeks ahead. And they seem genuinely excited about the responsibility of caring for our precious gifts. I was just floored by the response and want to thank each of you personally who are helping in this way. We are praying that our kids will be a blessing to you.

Those of you on our backup list are just as valued...I never expected that out of the small handful of families I asked, so many would jump at the chance to serve in this way. Thank you! You may be called upon when I get back and need someone to take the kids for the afternoon so I can rest.

We decided on our local friends caring for the children because we want to keep things as normal as possible for them. Also being around their friends will help to distract them from the loneliness of a quiet house without mom and dad! Adam showed the for the first time last night that he was going to miss me...he looked sad as we talked about what it was going to be like staying with others. When asked, he admitted he was going to miss me bigtime. I think he said he didn't want me to go. You can be praying for the kids adjustment and for peace and calm in their hearts.

My mother-in-law will be coming to stay with us after I return home so that I will be able to get the rest I need and she can help in our household. She's soooo good at that kind of care, and I will need it...just like a newborn babe needs to sleep a lot, my new immune system will require me to rest as it works on rebuilding all those new red, white and platelet cells. Even more so because I'm receiving stem cells from the umblical cord of a newborn infant. You know that means I'm having a birthday in January now!? I want cake and a birthday hat on the day I receive those cells!

Gotta go and get ready for the upcoming home away from home experience for all of us!