Tag Archives: Bone marrow aspiration

One year medical update

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Yesterday, 4-4-14, was my one year transplant anniversary. I got a Mickey Mouse birthday card congratulating on being one year old. 🙂 Marcia made cookies for the unit staff, the schedulers, and my treatment team as thank you. One of the unit nurses gave testimony to how well her life has gone since praying with us a year ago. (That is entirely a God incident and reminder to all of us that our mission field is wherever we are at the time!)

Progress is slow but good. I got permission to use pools and hot tubs (not that we have either) and to do light yard work when strength allows. My blood tests are all good and improving, which means organs are doing well.

The ongoing fatigue seems to be related now more to the general immaturity of my immune system rather than the amount of blood cells. Another year plus will help. PT is helping reduce muscle soreness and increase flexibility and strength, ever so slowly. Good news is that lab tests and visits, which started daily, then went to weekly and then monthly are now every 6 weeks. That is a good sign and will also be a relief to the personal budget. Since I lost all my childhood vaccines, I need all these repeated, at least the non-live ones like Polio, DPT, Hepatitis B, and several others. Those were put off due to sinusitis and cough.

My “big needle” bone marrow aspiration went well today. We have been experimenting with the twilight and pain meds. I think the dose we landed on today did well, enough to make me forget the procedure and pain but not so much as to make waking up difficult. It is always humbling to find out what I say when under the influence of those meds. I had focused on memorized scripture and evidently was reciting those aloud, sometimes with modifications. Marcia said I added, “Blessed are those who are really good at giving shots….and wouldn’t a Dove chocolate bar taste good right now!” 🙂 I have said more embarrassing things in previous biopsy procedures!

So all is good just now. When I look back at all the really bad times (Failure to thrive, chemo burns, GI distress, etc) I am amazed at how God has acted, often through my team, to heal me of dozens of painful maladies! And also how His daily compassions and mercy have sustained me. One of the lessons Marcia and I are learning on this journey is to not dwell too much on the bad and instead look more on God’s goodness in the land of the living.

May you be so blessed also in enjoying what blessing each day has to offer!

Test Me!

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My first symptoms of Leukemia were extreme back pain and anemia. I thought I had simply thrown my back out and was worn down from that. But a blood test revealed that my blood counts were dangerously low. So more tests were ordered: another blood test, a CAT scan, EKG, X-Rays, and finally a bone marrow test. From this the diagnosis was made: “You have Leukemia.” And then more testing continues on a daily or weekly basis throughout the treatment phase. (The only test they have neglected to make is of my wallet! :-))

There are some tests we can prepare for: high school quizzes, college entrance exams, work competency tests, even the test of marriage, or applying for a new job assignment. Each of these require preparation and examination of material that is somewhat unfamiliar and challenging to us. Some of these tests have to be repeated throughout life.

This journey with Leukemia has tested me in ways I had not imagined and was not fully prepared. It has been amongst the hardest of any I have faced before. It has required examining my heart and the depths of my understanding. And the test is ongoing.

But throughout each day’s test I have been strengthened by God’s grace and His immense mercy toward me. The comfort and truth of His Word have stood up to every daily test and have kept me from failing. Through this He has shown me once again that I really can believe His truths because they are most practical for daily living. Yes, I still struggle and wander throughout the day; I still get distracted. But God is always faithful to bring me back to center. He has given me an amazing wife to walk with me and support me through the tests. And He has shown me that my tests are minor compared to others, which makes it easy to give thanks and to pray for those whose tests are very hard indeed.

I hope that you find God’s presence and promise sufficient to sustain you through the tests you face.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 139:23-24

Answers Soon – Fully Persuaded

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You know what it is like to wait and wait and then finally get close to an answer? That is what it has been like waiting for my blood counts to raise to the point I could get my third bone marrow aspiration. Technically, they didn’t get to where they should, but my doctor is as frustrated as anyone with my slow progress, so he ran the bone marrow aspiration yesterday anyway. The results will tell us how much of the cancer got knocked down by the second round of chemo. He says I will likely go home whether the test results are better or still the same…it is time to get on to the next phase of treatment. That will begin with a consultation at Iowa City hospitals regarding my ‘unusual’ chromosomal situation and the recommendation for a stem cell transplant. There will be more chemo while I wait. We have enjoyed the relationships God has formed here and expect some of them will continue. But after 56 days in the hospital, it seems it may be time to move on.

The funny thing about waiting for anything is realizing that God already knows the answer! We are all waiting and pursuing something. Probably you are waiting for something right now. What are you waiting for? To find out who you will marry? Whether your baby will be a boy or a girl? What job will you find? Will you ever find peace and power for living a victorious life in the face of adversity? God knows the answers to all these things that we are waiting to discover!

The life-changing question is, “What do I believe that brings me real and lasting peace while I wait?” Amongst whatever uncertainties there may be, whatever questions I might have, what am I CONVINCED about?

With numerous questions still on our minds, Marcia and I remain fully persuaded that God is able to do what He has promised. We have entrusted our present and eternal lives to Jesus. Even though storms remain and we wonder how long they will last and what effects they will have, it is His Spirit who gives us both power and peace in the midst of every storm. We are already content with what He will answer, even though the path may be unclear.

We pray that you experience that same peace and power for living well…now and eternally. It comes as a free and loving gift of grace from Jesus.

“I know whom I have believed, and am CONVINCED that he is able to guard what I have ENTRUSTED to him until that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12b