An Update

Everything has been going along swimmingly for us.  I go in once a week to the clinic at LDS hospital, which entails blood work (still taken from a central line so no poking involved), a visit with a PA with a quick check up, a visit with a doctor with another quick check up followed up with a chest x-ray since I am still on steroids.  At the end of the visit, the doctor usually just says, "Everthing looks good, see you next week."  Really the best words I can hear!

We have just been moving along with soccer practices, indoor games, planning an 80th birthday party for my in-laws (I am just helping - my fabulous brothers and sisters-in law are the driving force), etc.  I am absolutely enjoying being home.  Oh, I also got some eyelash extensions!  Never thought it would something I would do - had some great lashes before - but lost them along with the hair.  The lashes are actually attached to the lashes I had so they are still sparse and light (don't show up in a pic) but I love them!

Had a good time greeting my kids with my new wig last week as well.

Gotta love the dress up box!


The next big milestone for us will be the 100 day checkup.  I will go in on the 2nd to have a bunch of tests done including a bone marrow biopsy.  We will get the results on March 9th.  This will give a good indication about the leukemia and if it really is all gone and where we go from here.  This is one more time when I would appreciate any extra prayers you can say for me.  I know miracles have happened along the way because of your prayers.  Thank you.

What I have been up to - real life...

I never thought I would be so grateful for laundry and grocery shopping.  Now to be fair, I have never really minded laundry but grocery shopping/menu planning and I have a love/hate relationship...mostly hate.  But of late I go to the grocery store almost every day and I love making dinner.  I anticipate that at some point the novelty of this will wear off but for now, we are enjoying sitting down together and eating dinner and I mostly listen to our girls talk about their day.  I am enjoying and am grateful for the simple parts of life.

Other than that I can do whatever I feel up to each day.  That mostly entails running errand and attempting to put some new decor up in the house - it was really outdated.  I continue to heal and am being patient with the time frame.  I keep reminding myself that my body has been through alot over the past few months and it will take at least one year and maybe two to have the normal amount of energy.  I am however able to do what I want (mostly) as long as it doesn't involve crowds since my immune system is still in it's baby phase.  So no church on Sunday and no Costco on Saturday.  I do get out and walk each day or ride my bike on the trainer in the basement - my muscles are very weak due to muscle wasting that is a side effect of steroids I am taking. 

One of the funnest things was taking a hike with Loren below Snowbasin.  I catergorize it as a hike but it was probably more of a walk but we were outside in the sunshine and fresh air, walking on packed snow and just enjoying the great outdoors.  

I feel very lucky and blessed that I have felt so good since I have been home.  We have been healthy so far and the doctors have been pleased with the progress I have been making.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.  We feel blessed to have such great friends.

Finally an update.....

Yes, I have been ignoring my blog for a while.  Sorry.  Here is the latest.  I was released from the hospital on Dec 30 (our 22nd anniversary) and it was the best anniversary present - ever!  Our entire family was just giddy.  I didn't count days this time but it was over 6 weeks - I was admitted on Nov.17 so you can do the math.  Some people have asked what we did for our anniversary and the answer is nothing.  We ate something at some point and then our family proceeded to sit and snuggle on the couch and watch some show that I don't recall.  The most important and memorable thing was just being home and holding our kids.  As I walked in the door, Callie met me with a huge hug as Emily and Elizabeth held a banner made by our good friend, Heather, that said Welcome Home Wendi.  I ran thru the banner with lots of cheers.  Then we knelt in family prayer to offer a prayer of thanks for being home and for the many blessings we have received during this time including all of the prayers, visits and messages of support we have received from all of you.  Then we danced to We Are the Champions!  My family are champions for how they have weathered this very unexpected storm in our lives.  They are amazing people.

Since then my time is gratefully filled doing "mom" stuff...making dinner, doing laundry, making appointments, and just being home for our girls to talk to.  We have a lot of catching up to do.  Thankfully I also have a small contingency of friends and family who fill the day with visits and errands - I can't be left alone for 100 days after transplant for fear an infection can come on suddenly and I become disoriented.  I consider them my army of angels.

My job is to eat and drink, manage all my meds (there are a ton!) and get stronger.  Most days this also includes a nap :)

I am able to do whatever activity I feel up for as long as there aren't any crowds involved.  So no going to church thru flu season which I do miss but the risk of getting sick is too great.  I still have the immune system of a baby.  All of those colds and sick days that add to your immune system as you grow I no longer have.  I will even have to get my childhood immunizations again!  So, I stay away from crowds and am  a fanatic about handwashing.

Future treatment....still waiting to taper down off some steroids and then a plan will be made.  I go back to LDS once a week to meet with the docs and to get a bunch of labs done so right now we just have a week to week plan which has been fine with me to just rest and gain strength back.

Yesterday we did take a field trip to a sledding hill in Midway which was fun and doable for me since they put you on a tow rope to get you up the hill!  Didn't think I would make it the full 2 hours but I did and then I slept really well that night.  I was just so grateful to be there and to be outside and with my family.  There will be more family dates in the future.

I will update as more info and planning happens but for now I am in recovery mode and loving every day!

It is official

After 6 plus weeks for this hospital stay, one transplant and several obstacles later....

I am going home today!

Happy anniversary,Loren. I love you.

Looking Good

Our early Christmas miracle continues...

On Monday I was given clearance after a clean scope and no active GVH found to start drinking water again!  Water never tasted so good!  It took me about 5 hours to drink about a cup of water but I think my stomach had probably shrunk to the size of a lima bean.  Thankfully my gut has agreed with the food and each day I have been able to advance my diet to new foods.  Tonight I get chicken noodle soup!  Yesterday I had mashed potatoes for Christmas dinner and was thrilled.  As long as things keep progressing as they currently are I will hopefully be home soon.

Today marks 30 days since transplant and what a ride it has been.  I was talking with my friend Natalie today and we were talking about how this feels like somebody else's life, that somehow I will wake up from this dream.  I know that this is my life for now but it sometimes still feels surreal.  I never thought that cancer would be part of my life or sidetrack my life like it has.  I feel like it will take a good while to process all that has happened, everything I have felt and everything we have received from all of you.  

Hopefully 2015 will be a year of healing.  Love to you all!

#WendiWillWin

The battle with GVH continues

My battle with graph vs host disease (GVH) continues.  I feel mostly okay except for my gut which is where the GVH is hanging out.  We've been treating it for over a week with steriods with some effect but not the complete effect we need.  My colon and large bowel need to start working again and they are being very slow coming online.  AAARRGGHHH!!!!  This means I am limited to a diet of ice chips and occasional sips of water.  Don't feel bad....food doesn't sound that good right now.  I wish that it did.  Because of the GVH I won't be going home any time soon (at least within the week) so this year Christmas willl be spent at LDS hospital....still working out the details. But our familly will be together which is the most important part.
I am learning a lot about patience and faith and the strength that comes through friends and family.  There is power there to pull me out of dark places and to keep me out.  I am grateful to be part of such a wonderful network of people who are uplifting and loving.  Thank you for being my friends.

#WendiWillWin

update

No posts for the past little since i have had a rough litte bit.  Mucositis hit pretty hard and took the ability to swallow, talk, or sleep for several days.  The only way to get rid  of it is to have your white blood cells and neutrophils come in and then they can repair the sores.  I was very grateful to see those little neutrophils and to know that perid of pain pumps and suction would soon be over.

Unfortunately it was quickly followed by graft vs host disease. this requires complete gut rest for a few days...not a big deal, i haven't had anything to eat or drink for several weeks.  Graph vs host is treated with heavy duty steroids followed by slow introduction to food. Hopefully it will go quickly.
Thank you for all of your support.

#WendiWillWin