Remission

What a month! Let me first fill you in on my medical treatment, after 6 days of irradiation I had two days of Cytoxin infusions (Cytoxin is a standard chemotherapy drug). The next two days  I received ATG infusions - ATG stands for Anti-Thymocyte Globulin - which if you're like me doesn't tell ya very much. 

One of my nurses taped this picture on my door as a joke.

Here's what you need to know, ATG is an antibody that rabbits produce to fight infection. For my treatment they take the rabbits blood, filter out the ATG and give it to me by infusion. Luckily the side effects have been minimal, I don't mind the loppy ears so much, but the white whiskers that sprouted out under my nose are a little distracting. 

After letting the rabbit globulins flow through my blood stream and destroy my T-cells it was time for my transplant. At this point the radiation, Cytoxin, and ATG had wiped out my bone marrow and immune system completely.

On June 1st I received 10 million donor cells. I was pretty drowsy through the infusion because they pre-medicated me with Adavan (for nausea), Benadryl, and Tylenol to prevent an allergic reaction. Truth be told the transplant itself wasn't very exciting, but the little dance show my wife, mother, sister, and soon to be sister-in-law put on that morning was quite entertaining. They even wore orange - the Leukemia Ribbon color. For several days after the transplant I had to receive blood and or platelet transfusions because the donor cells take time to engraft so my blood counts remained very low. At this time I developed sores in my mouth and throat that made it difficult to eat.

Green means Go!

Mouth sores are nothing new to me, but the overwhelming nausea that has accompanied the transplant has been quite a battle. For a while they put me on a pain pump. This way I could push a nifty button when my pain started rising and I wouldn't have to call my nurse. If the light is green you may give it a pump. This was most helpful at night when my throat became dry and the sores were most painful. Although it has been rough, I have been uplifted through this experience. The genuine love and care shown by so many, even the old missionary who came in with his name tag upside-down and quoted scripture to me.

It has all added to a spirit of love and peace that I have felt everyday through this process. It has caused me to contemplate the word, "Remission". My cancer is in complete remission! Wow it feels good to say that out loud. To know that this terrible malady has been removed. 

It leads one to question what spiritual maladies they may be laden with? How good would it feel to say that they were in complete remission? How wonderful to know that they can be! And you don't have to take any toxic drugs or inject yourself with rabbit anti-bodies either. It just takes a seed of faith in the savior, and sincere repentance. The side effects I may add are also more favorable as they often include, loss of feelings of guilt, higher sense of self worth, increased confidence and righteousness - who doesn't want that!

With the way things are progressing I should be heading home in the next few days. It is still a long way to complete recovery but we can only hope things continue to move forward as they have. Thank you all for your love and prayers.