Day +12: Resting
June 28, 2008
(from Lisa)
Hi Everybody,
- Things are fine here — the tests done over the past few days to check for blood clots, impaired heart function, and fluid in the lungs indicate that all is well. It does, however, seem as though Roger has been in a bit of a trough for the past few days. Dealing with the range of side effects for such a long stretch has made him tired. Dilaudid, which Roger still self-administers, does help somewhat with pain relief, but the bad dreams it causes are disconcerting for both of us.
- Your support and the thought that engraftment (and therefore relief from the worst of the pain) may be just a week or two away are keeping us positive.
- The weather continues to be spectacular, and provided a magnificent conclusion to the girls’ 5 days of kayaking, rowing, and sailing on Lake Union. Today (Saturday) Caleb and Connie took the girls for a day trip to Snoqualimie Falls, just outside of Seattle. On Monday, the girls will return to their Hutch School summer camp program.
June 29, 2008 at 4:25 am
Hi Roger and Lisa
Thank you both for the faithful updates. As you must see from all the responses, your friends and relatives are always thinking of you and, as Judy Jessup put it so well, walking with you in your loops through the hallway.
And we see that even the “no news” which is the best news until the wonderful news that the cells are engrafting, involves an enormous effort from both of you, the Hutch team and your wonderful family.
It’s clear that the sun never sets on your team of well-wishers any more than on your Hutch support team.
Wishing you a much better and easier new week.
Judy and Mike
June 29, 2008 at 5:43 am
Roger and Lisa,
We have been following your blog and you have been in our thoughts and prayers for months. The pictures are great and we appreciated seeing them. Current status sounds difficult with the silver lining that it is all as expected for this treatment. We’ll continue to monitor and keep you in our prayers. Michael and Mary Ellen
June 29, 2008 at 6:04 am
Here’s hoping for some relief soon, along with a successful engraftment. I’m sure you are looking forward to seeing your mom, Lisa, although I know it will be sad to see Caleb go. It will be great to give him a hug at yoga when I see him and get all the first hand news. Thank you so much for keeping us all updated; we are so much with you.
Love,
Holly and Bob
June 29, 2008 at 6:24 am
I have to add a postscript because I forgot Connie was out with you, too, and I know what that has meant for all of you. We all go back such a long way together and “share” our kids. I can’t wait to see Connie, too, and get her perspective. I know how hard it will be for her to leave.
Holly
June 29, 2008 at 10:01 am
So glad to read that tests are positive. I’m praying for you all as you work to lessen the pain and cope with bad dreams. Why do we easily remember the bad dreams and struggle to remember the good ones?? NOT FAIR! It’s great that the weather was magnificent for the girls’ classes on Lake Union. We’re at the lake today, and I’m reading The Thief Lord! Such characters!
Love,
Jan
June 29, 2008 at 10:57 am
Dear Roger and Lisa,
We celebrate your positive news with a glass of iced coffee here in Vermont. We are just about ready to walk our loop around Middlebury neighborhoods and will think of you walking your loop at the hospital. We’ve had to curtail serious outdoor work because of torrential rain storms the past few days and even before that. We now live in a tropical paradise. What a godsend the summer programs at the Hutch School are for the girls. Hearing about their adventures must be so uplighting for you both.
Take one day at a time and then, on to the next day, with better days ahead–you are marvelous Roger.
Best,
Judy and Tom