SEPTEMBER AGAIN

Here we are at day 7 post transplant, that makes today Sept.3.  Our grandkids in Calgary are back in school.  I wore a sweater today and so it is Sept.

Bob is now in the hospital full time for the next while.  His platelet count is a .1 this morning.  That is it--now it should start to go up.  Today Bob received the hormone that will stimulate the stem cells to reproduce and make all of the different blood cells.  We were told days7-9 are the lowest and today, when I got to the hospital, was very different for Bob than yesterday was.  Yesterday he wanted his model, we went for a longish walk and sat in a lounge area.  He wanted his own pillow as he was: "tired of sleeping on first base".  Bob also wanted his computer.  I delivered it all and in all reality it didn't matter.  He hurts in a lot of different places, so he has now been given morphine.  He hasn't actually vomited but has a very queasy stomach.  No sores in his mouth but has a sore throat----normal---that makes it hard to swallow.  Bob was told that when it gets to bad the nurses will spray the throat with an anesthetic so he can swallow without it hurting.  He has to be able to swallow meds before he comes home.  I suppose without the anesthetic.  As the next days unfold apparently he will eat even less.  They do make a loaded milkshake that Bob says is very tasty.  The platelets being gone, well,transplant patients bleed from a number of sites and Bob is too.  Today we only took a very short walk and then back to bed.  He is so very sleepy.  Some folks say sleep cures most everything!!!!  Bob is still taking insulin but I truly believe that  the high blood sugar is from the mish mash of drugs.

Today is also the hardest day for me.  Watching Bob fight so hard to beat this cancer, takes me back to the horrors of 7 years ago when he began this fight.   Bob loves me and our family so much that he has endured so much.  He is truly my hero.  He is my inspiration to keep going and not give up.

God has walked and held our hands these long 7 years.  It is so tiring, this journey is.  Please pray very specifically that once all of this is over Bob will be in remission and stay in remission for 7 years or longer.  Pray that Bob will not be diabetic, from drugs or otherwise, once we are back on steady ground.  Pray that I will experience continuing grace and peace.  Pray that we, as a couple, will not be overwhelmed.