New Tattoos

Yesterday, Jim and I spent yet another fun fulled day at LDS Hospital. Jim was able to get 4 new tattoos. Two in the front, and two in the back. These are little black dot tattoos that will mark him for radiation. Just what he always wanted.

Yesterday was pretty freaky. We visited with the radiation people. He has never had radiation before. His first 6 days in the hospital, he will undergo about 30 minutes a day of high dose radiation. He has to stand there the whole time. The side effects are pretty scary and it will probably make him pretty sick.

We also met with the cardiologist. There was some concern if his heart would be strong enough to undergo the high dose chemo. For a minute there I thought we wouldn't be able to move forward. It's funny, how much we dread the procedure, but there was a moment of panic if the transplant was no longer an option. The Dr. put Jim on heart meds to "fortify" his heart and they will watch him closely in the hospital, but it is not a deal breaker.

So, Friday we go to LDS for a final family conference. Saturday, LDS for a shot, Sunday, LDS for a shot, Monday, LDS for a shot and Central Line placement. Tuesday, Jim enters his cave. It is hard to look forward to this as a positive thing, but I am trying to gear up so that I can bring him positive energy and pull him through this. I am going to go shopping today or tomorrow to get some pictures and homey things to put in his room. I asked him how he wanted me to decorate his room and he said that he wanted it to feel like home. So, I will do my best to bring a little bit of home to the small sterile environment. He did request a window this time, so we are hoping for a view. Last time his window had a view of a brick wall. Not a good thing when you cant go outside and rarely leave your room. I told him if there was no view I was going to get his Nephew John and his wife
Emily who are artists to paint him a window. Whatever it takes.

We have been thinking that we have an idea of what this will be like, but the Dr's tell us it is not even the same as before. It is a whole different ball game because of using a donor. Donor sounds so cold like it doesn't even come from a person. It is Evan, Jim's brother, who is giving his bone marrow. He is my parents age but has taken care of himself and is as healthy as a horse (whatever that means). Evan has the goods. Yea Evan. We Love You. I also know that it will be a comfort to Jim seeing his brother for a couple of days during this process.

Well, this is our last normal weekend together. A little sad. On Sunday, Brendan speaks in church and Sarah sings. This was not planned but will be nice since this is Jim's last Sunday for a while.

Pray for us. We know the power of prayer and need it.

Stay tuned. I will be keeping you posted and I am going to do some videos also.

Fun day at the hospital

Today, Jim and I are sitting here at LDS Hospital all day. It is 9:00 AM. Jim will be doing all of the necessary tests and preps for his hospitalization. He is super excited today because he gets yet another bone marrow biopsy. This makes number six. Not a fun procedure.

Now it is 3:00 and Jim just finished his biopsy and is taking a pulmonary function test. He is pretty drugged up right now because they gave him medicine for anxiety before they drilled his bone. Of course now he is drugged and relaxed but never enough during it. Next is an EKG and Echo and then we can go home. One of the doctors was sick today so we had a lapse in time. We went over to the temple and walked around the visitors center. It was nice and peaceful. Kind of puts things into prospective which is nice.

Tomorrow, Jim is planning on spending the day here at the hospital again, but this time it is with his brother, Evan. Evan will be coming in from California and gets to do all of his tests tomorrow in preparation for being Jim's donor. Then, he comes back in a couple of weeks and stays for about a week harvesting his stem cells. I am sure he is really looking forward to it. Just how you want to spend time bonding with your brother. I am sure their are other things they would rather do together like jump out of airplanes, bungee jump, hike the Himalaya's, pan for gold, hunt wild boar, etc.

Anyway, we got home at 6:30. Long day and more to come.

Upcoming Schedule

Jim finished his third and final chemo. He is feeling well but anticipating his stem cell transplant. Grateful for the opportunity to prolong his life but dreading the process. This month will be full of workups and tests. Also his brother Evan who is his donor will come up from California for some tests this month. We are so grateful that he is ready and willing to help us. I say us, because obviously the whole family is affected by this. Toward the end of the month we will have to go to LDS Hospital several days in a row to prepare Jim for radiation. On March 2nd, Jim will enter the hospital. He will undergo total body radiation and several days of High Dose Chemo. They will give his body a couple days of rest at which time Evan will come to the hospital and spend several days harvesting his stem cells to give to Jim. I am not sure if they will give Jim the cells after each day of harvesting or wait for the whole amount and then give it to him. After that, we wait for the stem cells to start doing their job, which is make other cells.

Right now is a hard time because we know what is coming. We cant pretend anymore. The other day a dear friend mentioned a saying about not being afraid of the storm, but dancing in the rain. Jim said, "I've been dancing in the rain, but the problem now is the water is too high, and I am drowning in it. Our friend replied to Jim, "Don't worry, I will throw you a snorkel." Isn't that the truth. When the rains of life get too high, others are there to rescue us. I am so grateful for those friends.

Stay Tuned. I am sure I will be blogging more now, as we approach this new adventure. (I say adventure, because I am trying to stay positive, but I am sure Jim would rather eat cow dung then begin this adventure.)