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Urgent Prayer Request for DS


eaglei

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Wow, it's good to hear things are going well!  I hope the positive trajectory continues!

March 14, 2015

 

Just a quick update.  Things are moving along . . . slowly.

 

The insurance required that ds have ALL the testing he's already had over the past  year -- re-done.  To that end, he and dh spent a couple days at the transplant hospital last week. The blood results all came back very good - Praise God!  He received comments on how very good he looks - again, all praise to God!

 

He DOES look good!  As healthy as anyone . . .  We've had quite a bit of snow this year - he's been out shoveling for us and for the neighbors.  He remains very active, in other words.

 

This week, he and dh must return to the hospital for one final test, the results of the rest of the tests from last week, another consultation, and ds must also re-sign the release forms. At this point, they will order the delivery of the stem cells.  According to hospital personnel, it will likely be two or three weeks from then, that he will be admitted for the start of the bone marrow transplant.

 

For the first month, he will be in the hospital.  Commensurate with the second month (all things going well - which I/we expect), he will be released to another facility where dh will join him.  At that point, dh will be totally out of work as he has been unable to unearth any online work, though he continues to look.

 

I cannot say enough how incredible God is!  When I think of the times over these past twelve years that ds should have been dead according to the doctors, and how just a year ago, the experts said he would be six-feet-under by mid-April 2014 -- and I look at him now, at how good he looks, and think on all that he has done this past year that the doctors said was impossible -- well, God is incredible - HE has the last word - and He's not done yet!

 

Thank you so much for your good thoughts and prayers sent up for us!  We truly need them, and we thank God for them - and for you. 

 

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

 

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April 5, 2015

Hello, Everyone,

God is so good! If you could see ds, you would wonder how anyone could think he needs a bone marrow transplant! It is God’s mercy and grace that is - and has - kept him.

Things have been moving along. Twice in March, ds and dh traveled to the hospital to have all the mandated re-testing done. All of the results came back normal and very good. ALL praise to God! The doctor was surprised, given all the chemo and radiation ds has had in his lifetime. He said ds is healthy (except, of course, for the leukemia, which remains in remission) and is in prime condition to have the bone marrow transplant.

In a previous update, I mentioned that, when using stem cells rather than donor cells, it is necessary to locate four sets. One is the set used, and one is the reserve set. The cells ds will receive are from America and Spain. (The reserves are from Italy and Australia).

When using stem cells, there is a minimum number of markers that must match in the sets of cells being used. The minimum number is three markers, out of six. Three is considered borderline acceptable. The cells ds will receive met 5.5 of the markers! The doctor said this is excellent. Praise God!

This Thursday, April 9, ds will enter the hospital. The first eight days will be spent getting some very intense chemo, having a picc line inserted, and being given vast quantities of medications in anticipation and pro-active fighting of all kinds of things that can run amiss. On the ninth day, he will have the actual bone marrow transplant, which lasts about an hour and is administered the way a blood transfusion is given.

This is a very intense regimen with very serious possible ramifications. We greatly desire your continued prayers. We have watched God do the impossible, according to the doctors, this past year. Last February, I wrote that the doctors had given ds two weeks to two months to live. Two months would have been mid-April. One year later, at approximately the mid-April time frame, he is beginning the bone marrow transplant. During this year, he has LIVED! And lived well. And actively. He has amazed the doctors - because God is an amazing God.

Please pray for all the situations surrounding this time, and especially for ds. Pray that God will receive honor and glory through it all, and that Jesus will be lifted up.

Thank you.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.  

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This is a very intense regimen with very serious possible ramifications. We greatly desire your continued prayers. We have watched God do the impossible, according to the doctors, this past year. Last February, I wrote that the doctors had given ds two weeks to two months to live. Two months would have been mid-April. One year later, at approximately the mid-April time frame, he is beginning the bone marrow transplant. During this year, he has LIVED! And lived well. And actively. He has amazed the doctors - because God is an amazing God.

 

Please pray for all the situations surrounding this time, and especially for ds. Pray that God will receive honor and glory through it all, and that Jesus will be lifted up.

 

Thank you.

 

Blessed be the name of the Lord.  

 

Eaglei, 

 

So grateful you have so much to thank God for even in the hardest of hard. I cannot imagine your year but what great hope you have! I am writing "Eaglei's son" on an index card and putting it on the fridge to pray for him this week.  Virtual hugs to you as you walk through this with him and your family.  :grouphug:

 

Lisa

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This is a very intense regimen with very serious possible ramifications. We greatly desire your continued prayers. We have watched God do the impossible, according to the doctors, this past year. Last February, I wrote that the doctors had given ds two weeks to two months to live. Two months would have been mid-April. One year later, at approximately the mid-April time frame, he is beginning the bone marrow transplant. During this year, he has LIVED! And lived well. And actively. He has amazed the doctors - because God is an amazing God.

 

Please pray for all the situations surrounding this time, and especially for ds. Pray that God will receive honor and glory through it all, and that Jesus will be lifted up.

 

Thank you.

 

Blessed be the name of the Lord.  

 

Eaglei, 

 

So grateful you have so much to thank God for even in the hardest of hard. I cannot imagine your year but what great hope you have! I am writing "Eaglei's son" on an index card and putting it on the fridge to pray for him this week.  Virtual hugs to you as you walk through this with him and your family.  :grouphug:

 

Lisa

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April 11, 2015

 

Just a quick update.

 

Ds has now begun the bone marrow transplant process.  He was admitted Thursday, April 9.  Chemo began Friday morning, April 10. Sixteen doses over four days, followed by two additional chemo drugs the following two days. Concurrently, he is, and will be, receiving a plethora of preventive medications. Then will come one day of rest, followed by the actual transplant. Friday, April 17, seems to be the target date.

 

Earlier this week, I asked ds if he would give me a list of his prayer concerns regarding the bone marrow transplant. His list impressed me and had me in tears, too. While I had originally intended the list to be private, after reading it, I asked him if he would mind if I shared it. After much thought, he agreed.

 

Here is his list exactly as he wrote it:

 

Realistically, "everything" is the best way of putting it, especially given the vast number of factors involved and the fact that I can't name them all. A few though are fortitude/grace in dealing with the long timeline and restrictions, prevention of complications, nausea/ability to eat properly, no GVH, pain, logistical factors, and being able to predict, see, identify and effectively act on whatever opportunity/s to talk to people that are the reason I have to do this.

 

 

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

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