13 Nov 2006

To All;

Hello from the land of 10,000 lakes. It has been a while since the last update. In my last update I had asked for prayer for Gene as he traveled back home to see the kids. The Lord blessed him with safe travel and I was in good hands spending time with my "Donor", my sister doing what I love, sewing.

Currently I go to clinic everyday, generally to get transfusions of platelets and sometimes whole blood. They were trying to have me go every other day, but my platelets were not coming around soon enough, so now everyday for a while.

When my platelets are low, I have spots all over my body, I bruise easy and I get bloody noses with out doing anything. The normal person has between 150,000 - 375,000 platelets at any point in time, currently mine are 5,000.

It would appear that we will be hear at least through the end of November and possibly the first week in December, I will find out more on Tuesday when I meet with my Main Doctor.

Yes I still have a rash on my body, but not as bad. Gene has been applying special cream on the areas of the rash twice a day and it has finally begun to subside. Thanks be to God, I must say the itching was driving my crazy.

The doctors are looking for me to exhibit "Graft Versus Host" (GVHD) disease symptoms, which can be as simple as a rash to major organ failure. This hasn't happened yet...I guess the rash I have had is a reaction to one of my Chemotherapy drugs.

Please pray for my family and I in the following areas:

1. Praise for those at Gene's work and our church family that continue to provide assistance looking after the needs of our children in our absence.
2. Praise for Sandy, "THE DONOR" (my Sister) and her family for the sacrifices they have made helping to save me.
3. Praise to God for providing me with the strength to continue to face the day with the desire to live and serve him.
4. Pray for Emily and Michael - now is one of their busiest and most stressful times - getting ready for and performing in the Nutcracker on top of all the other daily activities. Pray that God will give them peace of mind and heart and provide them with the needed rest.
5. Pray that my body will exhibit the GVHD symptoms and Lord willing that it will be in such a manner as to not cause me to much pain and/or stress.
6. Pray that our family remains strong during this long separation. I miss my children soooo very much.


Again, thank you all for your continued support and rest assured I am fight the good fight and will not give up.

Love in Christ

Cheryl and Family