Transplant Date Set (Tentatively) for Early June
May 21, 2008
- Lisa and I met with my key doctors today. Although results of several tests from last week’s bone marrow are still pending, Dr. Storb (the attending physician) and Dr. Astigarraga (my primary care physician) seem to think it most likely that I should start the transplant process on June 3. If this schedule holds, I’d receive the cord blood transplant on June 11 and likely spend the following 3-4 weeks in the hospital.
- Given how quickly and unexpectedly treatment schedules can change, it’s probably best to treat this schedule as tentative for the time being, but it’s good to have a date to look forward to (at least until we hear differently). We hope to have greater clarity by the end of the week, or early next week at the latest.
- Otherwise, things are going well. My mom is visiting from Vermont and we’ve had some good walks and rides around the city, and visits to the Hutch School, the SCCA clinic, and our various other current hangouts.
- While we’re generally feeling settled into the “new normal” of our lives in Seattle, there’s not a day (or perhaps even a minute) that goes by where we aren’t reminded of our eagerness to take care of business here so that we can get back to the business of ordinary life. We are continually grateful for the supportive notes and calls and packages that family and friends have sent, which help to sustain us through this challenging period, and remind us of the great community we are fortunate to belong to.
- Also, last week I’d mentioned my inability to upload some photos from a visit to Seattle’s Japanese Garden. I think I’ve got it sorted out now.
Seattle’s Japanese Garden, May 2008
Isabel, Japanese Garden, May 2008
Amelia and Isabel, Japanese Garden, May 2008
May 21, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Roger,
This is great news that your transplant is on the horizon! I’m so happy for you and your family at this time.
Regards,
Terry
May 21, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Dear Roger,
How wonderful to hear that you have a “date” to move forward with
the transplant!
I was thinking and praying about you all day today and am so happy to get this news.
Ken and I are so pleased for you and Lisa, and Iszy, and Mimi–and thank you for the great pictures of them in the gardens and school.
I met the cats last weekend-wow! What characters. I’m sure they miss you all a lot, but they seemed right at home.
Keep up the strong work,
Love,
Suzanne
May 21, 2008 at 6:47 pm
I’ve been checking daily and am so very glad to get this update and learn that a date has been set, however tentative. We pray that the old normal life is also on the horizon, Roger.
Just can’t believe how big the girls have gotten since I last saw them. Beautiful…talented…strong.
Love,
Jan
May 22, 2008 at 6:34 am
Roger-
This is great news and you have done your research to know that everything changes when talking about dates and schedules for transplants. I was suppose to get my cells on the 11th of December and they did not show up till the 12th late. It is going to happen for you and your family.
The photos are wonderful and enjoy the time whil eyou are allowed to be in public places.
You are doing GREAT!
Lea
May 22, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Dear Roger,
I have been following your blog since your mother gave me the address. I am so glad you finally have the date you have been looking forward to. So glad also to that you are doing all the things you enjoy doing with your loved ones around you.
You and your family have been in my thoughts and prayers.
Madeleine
May 23, 2008 at 8:14 am
Hi Roger, It’s great to hear that you have a date to begin the transplant. We loved seeing Caleb at the TMC meeting last Friday, and we missed YOU! The pictures of the Japanese garden are almost as beautiful as Amelia and Isabel. Lots of love to you all, xxxx F.and J. ps.. we would write more, but we’re not sure that we’re sending them correctly, are you receiving them ? Last time it looked as though they would print in blue , if they printed at all. We are pretty inept, but always thinking of you with lots of love. F and J
May 24, 2008 at 2:20 am
Excellent news! We are all thinking of you here in North Africa! We are leaving for the states 6/14 . We follow your news religiously. Your site is on our bookmarks bar, between Club Penguin and “Le Matin”
May 24, 2008 at 8:23 am
Hi Roger – Thanks for the pictures of the girls. We miss them here, as we miss you and Lisa, too. Wendy put together a year-end video for 1R which we will have to send you, Iszy (is that spelled right?) is all over it. Nice memories, for sure. Good luck, Buddy,you’re always in our thoughts. Michael
May 26, 2008 at 3:44 am
Roger, Lisa,
You and your family continue to be in our prayers. We think of you every day; your presence here in Cairo is greatly missed. I hope it won’t be long before you can return.
I have been back from Iraq since early April and enjoying a bit of married life here. Mona, however, is going through a bit of an adjustment period as I now get her up at 0515 for Physical Training with me:). She and I are both planning to rotate to DC this summer for work at Main State.
Take care and keep up the good fight! We are all with you.
Michael
May 26, 2008 at 6:17 am
Hi Roger, Lisa and girls, I don’t think that we know how to send our messages to you, but if you get this one, know that we are thinking of you every minute! Everyone missed you at the TMC meeting, Roger, but it was good to see Caleb and hear the news first hand. Ward made a toast to you and your family at lunch. The Japanese garden , and the girls, are beautiful! O.K. Our messages keep disappearing… next time Chip is here we’ll ask him how to send this. Love, F.and J.
May 26, 2008 at 7:38 am
Good to hear you have a date. We’ll be thinking of you, and hoping it all goes according to plan. We had Mayra’s going away lunch today — she is headed to Mumbai!
Take care,
Catherine
May 26, 2008 at 8:43 am
Roger & Lisa,
We are thrilled you have a date, and appreciate seeing the pictures. Love to see the girls in Eli blue.
We think of you every day, and the blog postings are a real treat.
Hang Tough,
Love, Ned, Karin, & the Lads
May 26, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Great news-hope all works to your best and you get a final word soonest- and on your thought of “normal” life…come to think about it–what is that anyway.my buddhaist reading is teaching me that everything should be treated as normal, the easy and the hard..and it all passes, I love buddhaist teaching even though i learned that apparently he was not that nice of a guy-take care and keep us posted…
May 27, 2008 at 1:24 am
Great News Roger! All will be fine inshaalah;))
May 27, 2008 at 6:39 am
Lovely pictures of the girls, Roger. We are all out here pulling for you. We will be thinking of you June 3 and beyond.
All our best wishes,
David and Sally
May 27, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Roger, Thank you for writing the blog. We were at the IU School of Medicine Alumni weekend a short while ago and met Hal E. Broxmeyer, PhD. He has been with the IU faculty since 1983 and this year received the distinguished faculty service award. We chatted with him for a few minutes, since when he was being introduced, his pioneering work in the stem blood cord research was mentioned. We asked if he knew your Dr. Storb and it sounded like he knows him well and they are friends. Our best to you. Carol and Otis
May 27, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Roger:
Glad to hear that you are finally going to get the show on the road. We’re looking forward to your return to the front lines. We need you, man.
Regards to the gang,
OK
May 29, 2008 at 10:37 am
Dear Roger,
Dana bumped into your Mum in town- that’s Middlebury!- and that’s how we got caught up on all your news. I’ve been catching up on your blog – whew! Dana and I are rooting for you, along with every person in town who knows you.
Bon courage et bonne chance.
All the best, Frankie
May 29, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Hi Roger, Lisa, Amelia, and Iszy,
Schools out here! May has been very busy, and I neglected checking your blog for a few weeks. I can tell you are making progress toward your treatment goals, and that is good news.
Are you in touch with Jim and Pam Seymour? Jim is my first cousin on the Seymour side. They are both pharmacists, although Pam does more administrative work at the VA. They live in Des Moines, WA, and Jim’s pharmacy is in Kent, WA. Jim would probably love to take you out on his boat sometime. But maybe your immune system doesn’t allow it at this time. They have a lovely home overlooking Puget Sound. I’m sad that I won’t be visiting them this summer. Jim and I did some fishing and crabbing last July. We had more success catching crabs in the traps. Great eating!
The family pictures and outings you describe are great. Seattle really is a beautiful city, isn’t it?
I’m going to Haiti in two weeks on a missions trip to the North Haitian Christian Mission in Cap Haitian. We will help scrape and paint their churches, attend their services, and do several small workshops for the teachers in their schools. Mostly, I will be learning a lot about their life in Haiti. What I know at this time is that a lot of poor people there don’t get a meal a day. I will pack sparsely and carry in as much rice and peanut butter as possible.
I will be writing a “field trip” report when I return from Haiti. If you would like to receive a copy, let me know how I can e-mail that. I write a weekly letter that goes out to about 36 friends and relatives. Marjorie is on my list. So I will be back to school each Friday at a minimum to keep in touch.
I read with interest the review of the book you are reading. Sounds fascinating! I’m not ready to commit to 900 pages, however. I picked up a book in Alaska last summer, when we were on our cruise, about the family that built and ran Taku Glacier Lodge. I took a short flight out to the lodge for a salmon bake. That book is high on my reading list this summer, even though it doesn’t sound nearly as exciting as yours.
Thinking of you all,
Gail Wing