Rest and relaxation

After being released to go home after my second stem cell transplant, I suffered a set-back and had to return to Little Rock UAMS Hospital. It seems that my immune system was over reactive to my transplanted stem cells and I developed GVHD(graft versus host disease). I suffered from an overall body rash, fever and had to spend a week in the hospital. This occurs in 1-3% of the auto transplants.

It cut my time at home to about 9 days so I was in much need of some time off when I recovered sufficiently. I asked to go home after 2 weeks in Little Rock. I was able to be home for my 53 rd birthday.

I can't begin to tell you how good it felt to be home this time. The weather was getting Spring and I was able to see friends and visit with all of my family. I am so thankful for my family and friends. My brother in law and his wife drove us all the way to Little Rock since I wasn't able to drive. They stayed for a week until I was out of the woods. They are selfless people who helped us out. It is really hard for me to ask anyone for something but I am realizing that I can't always rely on myself and that there are people who really care!

I was able to go with my buddy Paul on the annual Illinois Department of Natural Resources Wildlife route in Coles county where we use spotlights to count deer, raccoons, possums etc on a 25 mile route that starts at dark and ends about 2 in the morning. It was a great evening. I took some timed light painting pictures at the midway point when we stopped for coffee. It was a lot of fun!

I will receive my final consolidation chemo April 9-12 and hopefully be home in 3 weeks. I'll see you all then.

Half time is over, now back to the game.

We had a great Christmas break at home. We were blessed to see so many people who have been praying for us. The time at home was restful and rewarding. The prayers and support that so many friends and family have offered up, have brought hope to us on this new trail that we are on. We are headed for the second stem cell transplant this week . If all goes well we will be back at home again in a few weeks for a bit again before the final consolidation phase.

Thanks to all !

My Ivy girl

We just got back to Little Rock after 10 days off from treatment. We had a great visit with our family and friends. It was so good to see everyone! Time flew by but we knew that if we didn't get back we wouldn't be able to be home for Christmas.

Carla, Amy and I were able to attend Ivy's awards ceremony at Eastern Illinois University. WOW! What a talented kid(actually a young adult now). Ivy was awarded as outstanding senior in her field of study. Only one student was chosen from each concentration. Ivy was also awarded an academic scholarship.

We had resigned ourselves that we would not be able to attend this. God gives us gifts that we don't expect. We were so grateful to be able to share this day with Ivy.

We are so proud of our all of our kids.

Oooooh it's Halloweeeeen

Sara Palin and mask face braved Halloween at the Myeloma clinic. As in "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" I was ripe with stem cells and sent to the juicing room to harvest, just like ole Violet Beuregard.

It went well and I should collect the remaining cells for storage for my stem cell replacements before my tour of duty is over here. I am in heaven the last couple of days with marathon runs of Horror Classics on TCM(doctor's orders to take it easy).

Thank you all for your prayers , support and well wishes. It is by God's hand that I am feeling so well and doing so well. Thank you all!

Love
Don and Carla

I have a cool story. Tuesday night after dark, Don and i left to go get our mail. When we opened the door at the bottom of our stairs, resting on the rail, under the canopy, 2 feet from us, was a white dove. It just looked at us and didn't move. Don went to get his camera and took a couple pics, didn't move. We had to go past it to get to the car and we were sure it would get spooked, didn't move, just looked at us, followed us with it's eyes. We were gone about 1/2 hour, dove still there, walked past it, opened door, didn't budge. I said to Don, is it injured? About that time it stood up, ruffled it's wings, to show us it was not injured. Of course, the song Wings of a Snow White Dove came to mind. Neither of us knew the lyrics and I kept thinking it was a John Denver love song. Later that night I texted Amy and told her about the dove. She texted me back and said, "I just sang that song today at the hospital." So I called her, and she told me the lyrics,

On the wings of a snow-white dove
He sends His pure sweet love
A sign from above (sign from above)
On the wings of a dove (wings of a dove)

When troubles surround us, when evils come
The body grows weak (body grows weak)
The spirit grows numb (spirit grows numb)
When these things beset us, He doesn't forget us
He sends down His love (sends down His love)
On the wings of a dove (wings of a dove)

On the wings of a snow-white dove
He sends His pure sweet love
A sign from above (sign from above)
On the wings of a dove (wings of a dove)

When Noah had drifted on the flood many days
He searched for land (he searched for land)
In various ways (various ways)
Troubles, he had some but wasn't forgotten
He sent him His love (sent him His love)
On the wings of a dove (wings of a dove)

On the wings of a snow-white dove
He sends His pure sweet love
A sign from above (sign from above)
On the wings of a dove (wings of a dove)

On the wings of a snow-white dove
He sends His pure sweet love
A sign from above (sign from above)
On the wings of a dove (wings of a dove)

On the wings of a dove (wings of a dove)
On the wings of a dove (wings of a dove)
On the wings of a dove (wings of a dove)

The white dove was still there the next morning.

We are encouraged and believe that God has allowed us to witness a really beautiful thing. We've never seen a white dove. We didn't know Amy ever sang it and that she sang it yesterday was pretty cool, that she knew the lyrics to tell us last night. God is good and meets us right where we are.

cool, huh?

Enjoy the ride!

I am newly diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma cancer. After the initial shock of being so young , I realized that if I let it, MM can be a huge cloud over my life.

The joy of living must Not be kept under a bushel. We must experience the good as well as the bad.

With treatment we are able to extend our lives. I am now focused on not missing the journey of meeting new people and caring about people other than myself. I always said to my kids"we don't always get what we want, we get what we need". Now I am happily learning to experience what I preached.

Someone said to me today,"if you take every ones problems and trials and weighed them, they would weigh the same even though they are different problems than our own".

I must continue to realize this truism and carry on. My background in maintenance and repair says to me that this is just another broke thing. This time I have to depend on someone else for help. This is something that I am not used to so I have to learn to trust that my care is directed to a result that I must accept.

I must trust and "enjoy the ride" as much as possible.

Accelerate The Cure!

Hi. This post is from Michelle. I ordered 30 of the Accelerate The Cure wristbands from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. As soon as they arrive in the mail, I will get them to everyone. Carla and Don, I will mail a package to you. Love, Michelle

P.S. - The order should arrive sometime around October 19th.