Just a note...

Just an update on life... Mason arrived yesterday and is jobhunting so if anyone locally knows of a job a 17 year old can do let me know. We are going to get him a bus pass so he does not have to rely on the cab of Tonya to get him around (since we all know I have no life except as a cab driver.)

Mike is still not feeling well. He has good days and bad days. His PET scan is scheduled for Wed. at 8 am and the bone marrow biopsy is scheduled for Thurs at noon. He will need a dental exam, a spinal tap and an echocardiogram (I think that's the right one,) before he does the transplant. We will meet with the transplant team again probably within the next two weeks. We will attend the transplant class on June 23rd. After that we will have a timeline of expected dates.

I have been reading up on the side effects and the possible complications. I will need to give the hospital a list of caregivers when the transplant is scheduled. Again, please do not make arrangements without consulting me. And if this is too stressful for you please do not volunteer. Mike needs to focus one hundred percent on this (and nothing else) once we get started. He does not need any stress or negative energy.

I am hoping the month of June is going to be quiet and Mike can enjoy life before undergoing a life altering event. If you would like to call/email/txt/visit feel free. If you are visiting please let me know in advance. I thank you all for all of the support and help. I don't think we could have come this far without it and I know as a caregiver we can't go any futher without help. Even superwoman needs a break (I'll sleep when I'm dead - oh wait, that's a country song!)

This is the news at 11 portion

This is the big email that everyone has been waiting for. We met with the transplant dr. on Tuesday. Forgive the tardy update but I've been depressed (annoyed, angry, stressed...whatever you want to call it.) Dr. Bearman (transplant dr.) said that there are 4 or 5 mismatch donors - 9 of the 10 markers match. That increases the risk associated with everything involved. Dr. Bearman wants a PET scan and a bone marrow biopsy to see how sensitive the cancer cells were to the chemo.

The PET is scheduled for tomorrow but Mike doesn't feel good so I'm going to move it. The biopsy is scheduled for next Thursday.

Mike has decided to do the transplant if he's eligible (which is determined by the PET and biopsy). If the chemo didn't work well then they won't do the transplant - if it worked well and he's as close to remission as possible then they will do the transplant. They would admit him to St. Lukes in Denver in 3 to 5 weeks after the results come back (late June or early July.) He would spend a month in the hospital in near isolation. They kill his own immune system and inject the donated marrow into his system. Then he would be released to a furnished apartment a block from the hospital for 2 1/2 months. Dr. Bearman said that there is a 10 % chance of dying in the first 3 months, then another 10 % in the next 3 - 6 months and another 10 % in the 6 months to a year phase.

The stay in Denver is where I am going to ask for volunteers. I have not figured out how to clone myself (shock there) and I cannot take 3 months off work (not even two months) and someone has to take care of the dog and the kids and the bills. You can stay as long or as short as you need/want to make it. The only thing I ask is if this situation has stressed you out then please do not volunteer. Mike feeds on the positive energy around him and if you cannot put a smile on your face and pretend everything is going to be ok then don't come. Every time I walk into his hospital room I have dried the tears (not that I've done much crying.)

Mike looks sick. In VA we could pretend (or hide) the fact that he is sick but he looks sick now. Some of you have seen him and it's hard to be positive when you see the evidence. There is no pressure for anyone to come visit. God thinks I'm superwoman so if I have to say I have this under control then it would be ok. We should have a timeline/dates by the middle of June so I will let you all know. Please do not feel you have to do this and don't make plans without consulting me.

We met with a psychologist who says we have to participate in a class once this has been finalized. She said this is the hardest thing we will ever do in our lives. We also met with a social worker who put us in touch with some grants to help financially.

Mason is scheduled out on Sat. so we will see what happens. Brianna made the honor roll for 7th grade for the entire year. She will continue to do youth group stuff until life gets in the way!

I want to thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers. They are appreciated and welcomed and even if I don't call you back or respond to an email I am thinking of you all. Feel free to call/txt/email/visit. The month of June should be a fairly quiet one as we prepare.

A Quickie

Mike went in to the hospital today for a transfusion - he got a bag of platelets and 2 bags of red blood. They always give him pre-meds so he got benadryl and a bunch of other "stuff" We went in at 9 am and left at 4:30 pm. Hopefully this will help w/ his dizziness and shortness of breath.

Next is the dr appt on Tuesday. Not sure when the PET scan is. News at 11..........

Another day

Well, Mike had his dr. appt. today. First his port didn't work so they had to spend 30 min. trying to flush it. Then we saw the dr. and he is going to schedule a PET scan (hopefully for next week.) Mike developed a rash all over his body that we thought was the detergent but it might be the antibiotics he was taking to avoid the hospital visit. We get home and got a call from the dr. office and he needs to go to the hospital tomorrow morning for a blood transfusion b/c his red blood is too low which could explain why he's dizzy and short of breath after walking up stairs.

We see the transplant team on Tues and they want us to see a psychologist while we're there (a requirement for all transplant patients.) We will hopefully have some direction by the end of next week.

I bought Mason's ticket and he will be out Saturday, the 30th. He flies into Colorado Springs airport @ 1:30. The airport is about 20 min. from the house. Bri's last day of school is Wed. and she's lining up events for the summer. She wants to try out for the local soccer team so we will see what happens.

Everything else is under control (sort of.) The weather has been nince enough to sit on the patio in the evenings and relax. I will update more next week. Feel free to call or email.

Today...

Mike is home from the hospital. He came home on Friday. He goes in on Fri for his CBCs and the dr. is going to schedule a PET scan. We see the transplant people on the 26th still. Mason is still planning on coming out once I buy the ticket.

Bri is out of school next week. She brought her grades back up to the honor roll. I can't believe my baby is going into the 8th grade.

I'm getting over being sick in time for the great weather in Colorado. It's sunny and nice (now it's dark and stormy). I am still running with the dog so he's getting his exercise too.

That's all for now. Mike in nadir this weekend so he may not be feeling well but you can always call or email.

News

Mike is in the hospital and not doing well. He's having a hard time w/ this round. I am sick this week (not fun and had to go to the dr. so Mike wouldn't catch something.) He will be out this weekend.

His appt is on the 26th so I'll have more info. Mason will be out on the 29th and Bri is out of school on the 27th. Life in the Holliday home is about to get CRAZY!

What a month...

Mike goes into the hospital tomorrow morning for his last round of chemo. We meet with the transplant team on the 26th. We will have some direction by the end of month - just in time for Mason to arrive on the 29th. Mike hasn't rebounded as quickly from this last round - his joints hurt and he's cold all the time. The dr. is going to start antibiotics as soon as he's out of the hospital to try to avoid a ER visit next week.

Thank you to everyone who has called/emailed/IMed to wish me a Happy Mother's Day. I hope you all had a good day too. Bri's last concert was great. I will try to post it here (or on YouTube.) She is out of school on the 27th and then off and running to summer events.

I will update as more info becomes available.

News....

Mike was supposed to go in today but he had CBCs yesterday and his platelets were down so the dr. doesn't want to do chemo. He is going in next Tuesday. This is good because Bri has a band concert on Thursday and this will be the last concert in middle school.