Interesting Facts
1. Donor stem cells kill cancer cells in the host. In a round about way, David will enter John and actively engage in a war against the cancer cells in John's body. This is why a donor transplant is used in the treatment on high risk myeloma and why high dose chemical therapy is not needed.2. Seattle does 400 stem cell transplants a year.
3. The incidence of total rejection is very small.
4. Some rejection is necessary and if there is no rejection at all it will be induced.
5. After about a year John will be weaned off the anti-rejection drugs. All those drugs are not always necessary in stem cell transplant patients in the same way that they are needed in patients that have had organ transplants. We were not looking forward to the huge drug regime and it is nice to know that they will not have to be forever.
6. John will have to take the same medication that smells like skunk piss that Ron has, or had to take- Cyclosporin.
Things to Pray For
1. Travel Insurance: I went to Blue Cross yesterday and I can not get travel insurance for that length of time. I am at a loss of where to obtain this type of insurance. Any advice would be welcome. In the mean time I think I will be spending more time on the phone. Why can't these things be easy?
2. Accommodation: Pete Gross house is full. We are on a waiting list. Pray that our accommodations will be resolved before we go as hotels are very expensive.
3. Funding: We are to have our Kinsmen application in just before Nov. 1 as they have their next boardroom meeting then. Pray that they will except our application. This has me stressed out the most.
4. Pray that God would grant us peace through all of this. We are both feeling stressed out and it is very hard for us to even go although we know that we need to.
5. Pray that everything will work out for our donor David. He needs funding as well. Kinsmen pay for his travel, accommodations and food. We have learned that they probably will not cover his lost wages. We will have to make sure that this is covered and will use the steak night funds if we have to. Pray that Caroline will be able to have all the help and support that she needs with the kids.
6. Pray for our health
7. Patience and perseverance: John is at this time on the phone to the Cooperators insurance company. He is playing the phone here and phone there and press this number if you want this and press that number if you want that game and now I can hear the music as he is on hold. He does seem to be making progress on our travel insurance.
I am sure that I am missing lots of things to pray about. I am so glad that our God knows all of these things and I have to remind myself of that hourly. How wonderful that He looks after even the things that I miss.
2. Accommodation: Pete Gross house is full. We are on a waiting list. Pray that our accommodations will be resolved before we go as hotels are very expensive.
3. Funding: We are to have our Kinsmen application in just before Nov. 1 as they have their next boardroom meeting then. Pray that they will except our application. This has me stressed out the most.
4. Pray that God would grant us peace through all of this. We are both feeling stressed out and it is very hard for us to even go although we know that we need to.
5. Pray that everything will work out for our donor David. He needs funding as well. Kinsmen pay for his travel, accommodations and food. We have learned that they probably will not cover his lost wages. We will have to make sure that this is covered and will use the steak night funds if we have to. Pray that Caroline will be able to have all the help and support that she needs with the kids.
6. Pray for our health
7. Patience and perseverance: John is at this time on the phone to the Cooperators insurance company. He is playing the phone here and phone there and press this number if you want this and press that number if you want that game and now I can hear the music as he is on hold. He does seem to be making progress on our travel insurance.
I am sure that I am missing lots of things to pray about. I am so glad that our God knows all of these things and I have to remind myself of that hourly. How wonderful that He looks after even the things that I miss.
6 comments:
Okay, that first thing you wrote about Doft's stem cells is JUST THE COOLEST! I wish I could put some of mine in there too, just to feel like I was helping. I have to say, I'm feeling a little jealous of Doft right now. (Plus the whole girl baby thing. Sheesh. Show offs.)
The rest just stresses me out too.
I love the way you talk about David fighting a battle inside John.
We will pray about the things you have listed. I believe that God will find a way for these things to happen. He has answered so many prayers for our family already, He is not going to abandon us now.
I really like the way you explained the stem cell thing. AMAZING!!!!. I kind of feel like Becky..a little jealous ( as I sure all of us do). The rest of us have to do our part and be Prayer Warriors and in Dad's words "Build a prayer wall" around them. Those cancer cells won't know what hit them.
And we will definitely be praying about all the requests and concerns.
Thank you for visiting my blog, and for your kind words. Praying that all goes well with your husband's transplant (and all the annoying details), and that peace would rest on your household.
Thanks for all the interesting facts. I also love your explanation of the transplant. I am so thankful that David is there to do it.
We are praying for all these things plus all the ones you might forget. God knows what you have need of before you ask so we will keep you in our prayers and that it will all go without a hitch!
John is going to be well taken care of at Seattle...it is an amazing place. I had a donor transplant for MM there last January and I can't say enough good things about the place. They are simply the best there is. There wasn't room in Pete Gross ahead of time for me either, but something opened up a few days after I got there. (You may want to see back posts at lobo4.blogspot.com) good luck--I'll be thinking about you, John and family.
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