News About the Transplant in Nutshell

Cancer is complicated and it can't really be put into a Nutshell, but I'm going to try! At times there is too much information to keep track of and too much to take in. I haven't been very good at explaining it to others, because there is much I don't understand myself and I'm just beginning to learn. So please forgive me for not keeping you up on things to the extent you may like, especially as you pray.

If you would like to follow me through the transplant process, hopefully this will help a little bit.

THINGS ALREADY DONE:

ü  Four months of chemo already completed to prepare for the transplant

 

ü  Cancer nearly in remission (Prayers heard – thank you all for praying!)

God did this and we are so grateful for the month reprieve from chemo in December to enjoy Christmas with family and friends. I feel good and healthy going into the transplant!
 

THINGS COMING UP:

      Dates we know:

 ·         Tuesday, January 7 - Transplant process begins in Omaha at Lied Transplant Center UNMC
·         Wednesday, January 8 – Procedure to get a port put in. This is good.  It means less pokes and I’ve had enough needles for a while!
·         Thursday, January 9 – Spend the entire day getting chemo (return home that evening)
·         Monday, January 13 – Start giving myself Growth Factor injections (it helps me produce more stem cells and fattens them up for collection)
·         Sunday, January 19 – Back to Omaha to begin the stem cell collection process

 

      Dates from here on out are unknown for the high dose chemo, transplant and recovery

      I will miss my family, friends, coworkers, my church, my favorite chair and my dog a lot!

      February 14^th - Tentative date for returning home to recover

 

That’s everything in a nutshell - plus one Minion! (ok three Minions!)

 

 

 

A few things you may be wondering about –

If the cancer is in remission, why have the transplant?

The reason is basically that the cancer, although nearly in remission now, is sure to come back fairly soon. There is no cure for multiple myeloma, but extending a person’s longevity is possible with treatment. Stem cell transplants have been giving patients about a year longer than they would normally have.

 

Whose stem cells will be used in the transplant?

My own stem cells will be used for the transplant. Since I’ve already been through four months of chemo, the cancer is minimal and my own cells can be used for the transplant. Hopefully enough of my cells for two transplants can be harvested during the collection process. After that, I’ll need a donor match for a third transplant. It is not uncommon for myeloma patients to need several transplants.

What’s up with the Minions?

The Minions are joining me on this journey as my mascots. I’m not sure whose idea it was, but I’ve adopted them to come along for the ride, or should I say, they’ve adopted me! They do have certain demands like being in photo ops, special parking spots and other things I won’t get into at this point. But overall, they’ve been fun to have around. You may see them from time to time, showing up in various places and cheering us on!  

 

 

We'll try to keep you posted along the way. Thank you everyone for your prayers!

A Little Coffee With Some Grace

Right now I stand at a threshold, waiting to cross into unknown places and experiences as I look ahead toward the transplant in Omaha. It’s impossible to prepare for this. So much is out of my control and soon, I will be relinquishing even more control.  It’s not an easy place to be.

Yet with the loss of control and the many challenges these past five months, the cancer has not yet entirely consumed my body, my thoughts, my emotions or my spirit.  It’s staying back for now and I attribute this to faithful prayers, quality healthcare and caring support from family and friends.  I also attribute it to Grace.

At every challenge faced, I can honestly and DEFINITELY say that God has provided and continues to provide the Grace I need when I need it. I find it speaking into the pain, the fears, the small victories, unexpected blessings and the enormous unknowns.   On good days, Grace is there whispering the Father’s love. And on bad days it’s there, shouting the Father’s love!

I’m learning to listen to it. And to me personally, Grace continues to speak into each and every situation I encounter:

In the mornings, Grace says,

“Get up and live your life! Even if you don’t feel like it, TRY. And if you can’t get up, that’s ok – live your life anyway, in some way - even if it’s from your bed. Amy Carmichael was and still is a blessing to many people, and she ministered in part, from her sick bed!”  Yet on most days, my feet do find the floor and soon after I’m feeding the dog, and then making coffee in kitchen. I like to have a little coffee with some Grace every morning!

Throughout the day, Grace says,

“Don’t forget there are many people hurting much worse than you - and this life, this struggle, is NOT about you. Look for the hurting and reach out with the Father’s love. That’s what I created you for.”

In the darkness, Grace says,

“Don’t forget to hope. And most of all, don’t forget WHO to hope in. And this is not the kind of hope that puts on a Pollyanna face in hard trials and pretends not to struggle. This kind of hope looks at suffering right in its miserable, ugly and at times evil face and chooses to see what is still good and WHO is still good. Practice your hope at all times.”

In the times of blessing, Grace says,

“Take time to be in the moment - embrace it, treasure it, enjoy it. It is a gift and if you do these things, you will remember it when you need to remember it. Cherish the moments, but above all, cherish the people in the moments and God who provides both the people and the moments.”

In the evening, Grace says,

“Breathe . . . be still and let yourself be weary and rest. Yes, rest your body, but rest your spirit most of all. You don’t have to fight every moment, all day, every day. Pursue instead the One who created rest, and in Him you will find tender healing, renewed strength and the greatest rest.”

When I am overwhelmed, Grace says,

“There is a lot you can’t control. You can’t fix this. You can’t change it. There is a lot you don’t know and there is a lot you can’t even imagine.  You can’t prepare for what’s coming and you can’t prevent it.

But instead, you’ve been called to trust HIM with the knowing, HIM with the planning, HIM with the fixing, HIM with everything. Oh yeah, and you also need HIM for the ability to TRUST HIM. HE does it all, everything. That’s it. And don’t try to wrap your brain around any of it, because you can’t do that either! 

Just remember that His love for you, took His Son to the cross – to die! You can trust HIM.”

Grace says a lot, if I just learn to listen.

So moving forward, I continue to watch, listen and pray for Grace. The Father knows best how desperately I need His Grace. And not just to walk through the journey of cancer, but even more, to live in a way that is God- honoring and courageous so that others can experience His grace.

Because it is in this way, Grace says the most of all.