12 Jan 2007

Hello all,

Sorry this has been so long in coming. I have been feeling really tired. It is from taking the steroids and now tapering to almost taking none.

We had a great Christmas. We stayed at the lighthouse on Lake Michigan. My parents were here. I wasn't feeling well Christmas Day so Mom and Gene fixed the turkey. Can you believe they did it without me? It is a hard lesson to learn, but I seem to need to learn it over and over again. Yes, things can get done without me, maybe not like I would do it but done just the same.

New Years we had a quiet night at home watching movies with the kids. New Year's day we headed to Minneapolis for one of the scheduled return visits. I was supposed to have a bone marrow biopsy but somehow didn't get scheduled so they did it the 3rd before we came home. Not an ideal situation since my plateletts have not recovered on their own. It was by far the worst biopsy I have had. She tried 3 times, bent one needle. Then tried 8 times for the aspirate, and bent another needle. OUCH! okay enough of the whining. The DR. called the next day and said the marrow looks good, no leukemia blasts! Praise the Lord!

Now the question is why hasn't my marrow started producing the blood? One theory is that I had so much chemo-therapy and it was so strong that it will take awhile to regenerate. Another theory is that it damaged some on the cell producing areas. Another theory is that it is producing the cells just my body is eating them up. The last is being tested, they give me gama-globulin- which takes 4 hours- and then my platelet count is supposed to go up. I had a reaction as they were giving it to me, so more drugs, and then they continued the infusion, but my platelet count didn't go up significantly. We are going to try again on Thurs. Jan.18th.

Meanwhile we are going to Madison two to three times a week for platelet infusions and about once every two weeks I get whole blood. Of course there is still the problem of getting the specially matched plateletts form the donors, they are working on ordering them ahead of time so the Red Cross had plenty of time to find donors. THANKS TO ALL WHO ARE DONORS! You are so vital to many people's health.

I am thankful for everyday that I have with my family but frankly I am tired of being sick and tired of being tired.

The Dr.s are contemplating giving me more stem cells, to help boost the production of blood cells. That means going to MN again. I don't know for how long it would be. My opinion is to just wait and let them have a chance to produce on their own. It isn't unusual for it to take 100 days. We are at day 73. I will do whatever it takes though.

For those amateurs in the group, believe me I know more about blood than I ever wanted to know, Plateletts are the part of the blood that makes it clot. So when they are low I bruise easily and I have nose bleeds, I have to be careful not to get cut anywhere.

We have to go back to MN for a 3 month check-up the end of the month or first part on next month, another biopsy is scheduled.

Prayer requests:
* Pray for blood production by my own bone marrow
* Pray for continued good biopsy reports
* Pray for the kids, as this wears on
* Pray for Gene as he tries to balance work, guards, and being the nurse
* Pray for safe travel to MN

To GOD be the Glory

Love

Cheryl

12 Dec 2006

To ALL:

I have been home a little over a week and it is great. I feel so much better just being home with my children!

Things are progressing as the doctors would want, they performed a DNA test last week to determine the percentage of my DNA versus my sisters (THE DONOR) DNA in my body. On Monday we got the test results back and the results were greater than 95% was my sisters DNA, praise God!! Even thought we have been here before, I am still excited about this result.

My body has not started producing it's own cells yet, as a result of all of the chemotherapy, and as such I go to Madison clinic three times a week for transfusions. I get platelets every time and about every third time blood. It seems that it is taking longer and longer for my body to recover. My immune system is still compromised and with low platelets I bruise easy and still get bloody noses. I just have to be very careful what I do at home and else where.

I am excited to be home with my family for Christmas!! I have started my own therapy by making holiday treats - candy, cookies ect. I am just thankful to be able to do this. I am also thankful to be able to get out and go to church on Sunday, even though I have to sit in the balcony and wear my mask. It is great to get to see all of you.

I am open to having visitors at the house, but I must ask that if you want to come over please call first and if you are sick or been around those who are sick please wait until all is well. My bodies resistance is still very low.

I know that there is no way I can truly thank all of you for the help and prayers that you have provided for me and my family, but I do want to express my deepest thank you. I would not be as far as I am today with out all of your wonderful assistance.

For those of you who are still praying for my family and I please continue with the following requests:
* Praise to God for letting me come home to be with my children!
* Praise to God for keeping me out of the hospital more than I have been!
* Praise to God for all of you who continue to support me in one form or another!
* Praise to God for the healing that has already taken place!
* Praise to God for the strength he provides me daily to continue on!
* Pray that my body would recover enough that I won't need to go to Madison as often, that I will begin to produce my own White, Red blood cells and platelets.
* Pray that God will continue to provide me with strength to face each day with a renewed will to continue the fight and believe in a cure.
* Pray for my family as I know it has been difficult for them as well.
* Pray that through all of this I can be the witness that God would desire no matter the outcome.

I hope and pray that all of you will have a glorious Christmas celebration, remembering the reason, Christ our Lord.
Love in Christ
Cheryl and Family

1 Dec 2006

To ALL;

Praise GOD!!! After 41 days of living in Minneapolis away from our family and friends, I GET TO COME HOME!!!!!!!

My visit to the clinic today was exciting. The doctor said that he personally looked at the Bone Marrow biopsy sample and liked what he saw, a lot of new cell growth. He said that he was confident that my body would start building blood cells / platelets on its own very soon.

My care is being transferred back to Madison for the daily / weekly clinic visits (timing still to be determined). My Minnesota doctor requires me to return on my two / three / six month and one year anniversary. As long as I get to live at home with my children I can handle coming back here on those times.

Saturday morning Gene and I are packing up and driving back to South Beloit to my children and friends.

Please pray for safe travel and continued healing. I look forward to seeing many of you again.

Love in Christ

Cheryl & Family

27 Nov 2006

TO ALL,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Ours was unique to say the least, it was the first time I have eaten my Thanksgiving dinner at Perkins Restaurant. It was very good - Gene and I both had the traditional Turkey dinner.

Well, I can tell you that we have a lot to praise God and give thanks;

1. On 20 Nov I received my first HLA Platelets - not much boost at first, but as of today, my platelets are at 30,000. Still a bit off of the normal 150,000 - 375,000, but significantly greater than the 2,000 that I had on the morning of the 20th.


2. Praise for the fact that I haven't had to go back into the hospital since the last time.


3. Praise for a wonderful family reunion with my children on Sunday, 26 NOV, thanks to friends from Church for brining them up. They will be returning on 28 NOV - please pray for safe travels.


4. Praise for all of you who have helped keep my children safe...what a relief you have provided me and Gene.


5. Praise for the fact that the rash that covered over 75% of my body is now in remission.

I believe that I am making progress in the healing department, but I do still get very tired. God willing I will be able to leave Minnesota somewhere around Saturday, 02 DEC and transfer the remainder of my clinic care back to Madison. Please pray for me in the following areas;

1. That my platelets and white blood cells continue to multiply.
   
2. That the bone marrow biopsy that I am scheduled for on Wednesday will go smoothly and produce the results to show healing.
   
3. That this weeks schedule continues as planned with out any unwanted surprises -
   
   • Tuesday - platelets - meet with the primary doctor to review my status
     
   • Wednesday - double infusion of platelets - bone marrow biopsy
     
   • Thursday - platelets.
     
   • Friday - meet with primary doctor review results and hear his decision if Gene and I come home as I mentioned above or need to remain for an unspecified period of time (not to exceed 100 days).

That is all I know at this point will post more as I know it.

Love in Christ

Cheryl and Family

19 Nov 2006

To ALL;

Wow what a week. First and foremost, thank you all for praying for me and my family. I can tell you that I know God is ever present and that you all are praying. This past week started out being a real downer, but turned around very quickly...at least for me, mentally.

A quick overview:

On Monday / Tuesday 13-14 Nov, I was experiencing fevers and still contending with low platelet's, white & red blood cells and voluntary bloody noses (about 15 - 20 / day). On Tuesday night, my fever peaked to 101.9 just under the 102 (where they would hospitalize me).

Wednesday (15 Nov) - at clinic, they found that I still had a low fever, a rash had returned to approx 75% of my body and I needed blood products (both whole blood and platelets).

• They identified the rash as the Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) that they were hoping to see
  
• They finally understood that I really did need HLA matched platelets (we knew this and informed them when we first arrived - only they thought I could use general pooled donor platelets)
  
• They put me in the hospital, around 10 AM, where they gave me two units of whole blood and by the next morning had given me four units of platelets (cross matched - a step above general pooled donors, but still not HLA matched).
  
  • On Wed my platelets were around 2,000 - normal people have between 150,000 - 450,000.
    
  • They started me on prednisone (a steroid) to help fight the GVHD - none of us wanted it to get worse, beyond the skin rash. I guess it gets very ugly past this point.
    
  • They had me put two different types of hydrocortisone creams on my body - a light one on my face and a heavy duty one for every thing below the neck - I called on Gene to help me get it on all the rash spots.
    
  • Late that night my fever broke....Yea - yahoo.
  
  
• Thursday they moved me from the room and floor I was in to another room and floor as they needed the room for a transplant patient. Gene was really upset over this, but surprisingly I was at peace (again the fact that you all were praying for me).
  
• My fevers stayed away, but they couldn't identify the cause of the fevers - they thought that the fevers may have been a precursor to GVHD.
  
  • They confirmed that I would need HLA matched platelets, but that Red Cross wouldn't be able to have them to me until Monday.
    
  • They would continue to give me the crossed matched platelets until the others come along.
  
  
• Friday - time for them to send me back to the apartment.
  
  • I have promised both the doctors and Gene to be extremely careful not to bump into anything or play with sharp objects. Gene promised to watch me like a hawk...what a dear.
  
  
• Saturday / Sunday I have gone to clinic both days for transfusions of platelets
  
  • On Saturday morning my platelet's were 4,000 pre-transfusion
    
  • 30,000 post transfusion
    
  • Sunday morning pre-transfusion they were 3,000 I don't know what they were post transfusion.
    
  • Still struggling with the bloody noses, but this should go away Monday or Tuesday if they can get me HLA matched platelets.
  
  
• Please pray for the following:
  
  • Praise God for all of you who have sent me e-mails, phone calls, cards and gifts and most of all your prayers - you may ask how I maintain my moral, a great deal of it is because of you.
    
  • Praise God for all of the people who have been helping our children in our absence - You will never know how much relief from stress just knowing that loving caring people are looking after the needs of our children.
    
  • Praise God that the GVHD came on as a rash only - I know it can still come on like gang busters in other forms for up to a year from now, but all I can do is know I am in God's hands - thus only the rash.
    
  • Pray that the the Red Cross up hear finds a donor that is an HLA match.
    
  • Pray for our Children as they head into one of their busiest weeks - culminating, Saturday, in the dual performance of the NutCracker.
    
  • Pray for safe travel Sunday, 26 NOV, for our children and the Knaul's as they travel to see us.
    
  • Praise God for the Knaul family for bring them up here.
    
  • Pray that this will all work and that when I come home I will be healed for life - if it be God's will.

I really miss, my children, my home, my church (and church family) and desire once more to serve the Lord as a God fearing / loving Mother, Wife and Servant of Christ.
Love in Christ

Cheryl and family

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

1 Nov 2006

Dear Friends and family,

The transfusion went well. I received the lukecytes about 8:00p.m. It took as long to process them as it did for Sandy to donate them.

I am at the apartment right now. It is so good to be out of the hospital. I feel like a free person. I feel good, tired but good.

Thanks to all who are praying for our family. Sandy decided to stay on over the weekend so that Gene could run home and see the kids. They will be thrilled. He should be there about 9:00 tonight.

I have to go to the clinic everyday for awhile, still beter than being in the hospital.

Sandy is doing well also, I guess since she didn't have to take the shots it went better, she was tired yesterday but is well today. We are contemplating doing some sewing. I brought my machine up here so I would have something to do. I love sewing and Sandy always cuts the patterns out-I don't have the stamina to stand that long but I can sit and sew.

Please pray:
For our kids both families as they are missing their moms
For safety on the road for Gene as he travels home and back
that the cells take and this the last of the procedures I have to deal with.
Safe flight home for Sandy

Thanks for praying,

Cheryl