January 10, 2007

I have recovered from the second round of chemotherapy pretty well. My counts are on the low side of normal. But they are good considering that Dasatinib suppresses the marrow while suppressing the leukemia. It has been 234 days since this all started in May so Barbara and I are ready to move on to the only medical cure to my leukemia, a stem cell transplant. Of course God can miraculously heal me if He so chooses. However, He has not chosen to do so yet.

I just heard today from OHSU that the second donor has been through her final medical tests and she is good to go. The third donor has supposedly gone through her medical tests also. However, she is in Europe and communication from the donor registry that represents her is slower than the National Donor Registry in the US. The plan is for the doctors at OHSU to screen the results of both active donors’ tests and choose the best one. I am scheduled to be admitted into OHSU on January 22nd for preparation for the transplant. This is the closest I’ve been to actually getting admitted for transplant. Again, Barbara and I are waiting to see if everything actually turns out this time.

Because sufficient time has elapsed since the first donor became ineligible, I am being scheduled next week to go through a lot of tests again. A stem transplant requires that many tests be done within a few days prior to transplant so that accurate benchmarks are established.

I have really missed being able to see you all. Hopefully, I will again be able to get out in public in a few months and catch up then. I am hopeful because I serve a great God who has continually blessed me more than I can imagine. I don’t want to plan anything outside of His will. My prayers are still that His will be done.