The irony of the Christmas season for Christians is that this is the time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. I think spending more time in prayer and meditation would be a nice way to celebrate it. However, this is also the time of year when we are busiest. Too many things distract us from spending time with the birthday celebrant - year-end deadlines and commitments at work, buying presents, sending cards, preparing food, attending holiday parties and programs, entertaining kids during their winter break, etc. It is like being at a birthday party where everybody is having fun but few bother to spend time with the celebrant.
Once again, I felt guilty that I did not spend as much time as I know I should (and could) with my Savior. Not that I am ultra-busy, but the distractions of the mind were just awful. Every year, I say that I hope to do better next year. I don't know if I did better than last year, but it was less than satisfactory. So, once again, I hope to do better next year.
For all my unfaithfulness, I rightfully deserve the Lord's cold shoulder at best. And I won't blame Him one bit if I get punished for my irreverent behavior. However, instead of getting what I deserve, blessings continued to come my way! He sent three wise women to remind me how much He loves me despite my shortcomings, and that His love is unwavering. Here's my story:
1) One of the dishes that I like a lot is Chinese stuffed chicken. Chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, chestnuts, mushrooms, sausage, etc. It is one of those food that tastes really good and also makes me feel good because I associate it with happy occasions with my family in Manila. I have given up looking for a restaurant that serves it here in LA years ago. A few days before Christmas, Cristina came to our house with a stuffed chicken. It was made by her friend who just started a food business. One look and I knew it was the stuffed chicken that I have been looking for. What a wonderful surprise from one wise woman!
2) Every year, I get invited to my cousin Henry's New Year's party where they traditionally serve fresh Chinese lumpia (do-it-yourself spring rolls). It is labor intensive to prepare the fillings, so I only get to have it once a year when they invite us there. I got a bonus this year, because Bessie brought me some a few months ago. Anyway, Henry's family was going to celebrate Christmas and new year in Texas this year, so I was a bit sad that I won't get another chance to have the dish. A few days later, Nora called and asked if I would like her to bring me some lumpia because she's making some for her friend anyway. Another wonderful surprise from another wise woman!
3) It has been a while since our family had cheese rolls from Porto's. It is a Cuban bakery in Glendale that makes those delicious cheese rolls that make my my family smile ear to ear. I was just contemplating driving the distance to get some during the holidays when Marlene came to visit with boxes of food from Porto's. Another wonderful surprise from another wise woman!
Such nice coincidences, aren't they? I prefer to think that they were all divinely inspired by the Lord. God knows that I am a foodie, so He caught my attention with food. I was reminded that He continues to love me even if I have not been faithful. Boy, am I glad that our God is "slow to anger and quick to forgive". I am sure He communicates to each one of us according to what will best catch our attention. I hope you have sensed His love during this Christmas season. Unlike other birthday celebrations, Christmas is one where the celebrant gives the best and biggest present of all. And He continues to give throughout the year, whether we notice it or not, and whether we thank Him for the gifts or not.
My family and I would like to wish you all a blessed Christmas and joy, peace, love and good health in the coming year!
Thank you once again for your continued prayers and may God bless you all!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
12/25/2009 - Christmas Blessings
The last 3 blood tests and visits to the doctor were all good. My ANCs went up to 1.0 on Tuesday, then 1.1 yesterday so I am no longer neutropenic. This is a wonderful Christmas gift from God. Thank you for your prayers. I am tentatively scheduled to have the next round of chemo on 1/7/2010. Please pray that my body will recover well and be be able to handle the next round of chemo very well. God has blessed me with an uneventful third round of chemo. Please also pray that my next round of chemo will be equally uneventful or better. Thank you all for your prayers.
I would like to wish you and your family a blessed and joyful Christmas!
I would like to wish you and your family a blessed and joyful Christmas!
Friday, December 18, 2009
12/18/2009 - 'Tis the Season to be Busy
It has been a while since I updated my blog. Sorry for the long silence. It might have caused some of you unnecessary concern. I am still feeling fine with no side effects from the last round of chemo. Thank you for all your prayers. Since the last update, my blood count continued to go down as expected until last Friday when my blood count started moving up. I spent Tuesdays and Fridays at the hospital getting blood tests, seeing the doctor, then getting platelet or blood transfusion. By the time I get done at the hospital, I just had enough time to pick up the kids and the rest of the day went very quickly - snacks, homework, dinner, mail, insurance stuff, etc. My to-do list seems to get longer everyday, and the pace has picked up because Christmas is here! 'Tis the season to be busy - ayayayayay-yayay-yay-yay! :-)
Christmas is a little different this year. We cannot have a real Christmas tree or wreath inside the house because I'm neutropenic. So, we had to settle for a fake tree and no wreath. We miss the pine scent, but it is a minor sacrifice for my health. The kids had fun trimming the tree. We had it up since the day before Thanksgiving so my sister can see all the trimmings she had given us over the years up on the tree. We normally have Christmas lights and decorations outside the house, but our cleaning people are too busy this year to put them up for us, so so all we have is just a Christmas lantern (parol) that we brought back from Manila months ago. Rob and I are could not put up the lights and decorations ourselves, because we're wimps when it comes to these things. The kids are not happy about it, but they'll get over it. Christmas shopping consists of surfing for hours online. It is very tempting to take advantage of Christmas sales in some of the stores, but I'd rather stay away from crowds. We will only be attending only one Christmas party this year for the same reason. We will join Robert's cousins on Christmas eve - not too many people there.
I had another blood test today. This is the first time since my last chemo that I did not need to get a platelet or blood transfusion. Hallelujah! The doctor said that if my blood count continues to go up next Tuesday, she will want me to schedule the next round of chemo the week after. No way, Jose! I told the doctor I do not want to have my next round of chemo until after the holidays. She reluctantly agreed. This means I may be going in again for the next round of chemo in early January. In the meantime, I am still neutropenic, but at least my ANC has gone up to 0.6. Please pray that my ANC will be above 1.0 by next Tuesday so I can attend Christmas services and party without fear of getting an infection.
I got a call from the BMT donor center. They have found potential matches for me in the national registry. They will contact 7 people at a time to see if they are interested and to get them tested. It takes about a month to find out whether there is a match in each batch. If none is a match, they will move on to the next 7 people. They may find a match right away or it could take years before they find a one. Many people have offered to be a potential donor. I truly appreciate the offer, but right now, I am not even sure if I want to have a BMT. The more I read about it, the more I wonder if it is worth the risk. In my case, there is a 15% chance of death from BMT due to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Most people who survive the transplant have to live with some kind of side effect for the rest of their lives. Is it worth the 10% decrease in potential relapse in my case? I don't know.
To BMT or not to BMT? That is the question. In my quest to find the answer, I have been doing some research on my nemesis, the FLT3 cancer cell. This is the cancer cell that was found during my first biopsy. There are at least 6 FLT3 inhibitor drugs that are being tested right now, but none has been proven to be effective in fighting it off. One of them was actually abandoned because the negative impact on the body was not worth the potential benefit. Will there be a drug that will be available to fight off FLT3 if and when I need it? I don't know.
My cousin also told me about a natural supplement called Umi No Shizuku Fucoidan that was developed in Japan. It seems to be effective in making cancer cells commit suicide. I have studied the literature from the company. They do have a compelling case based on testing the supplement on mice and the positive results they have received from people who have used it for different forms of cancer, including leukemia. My BMT doctor has agreed to look into it. Will this supplement negate the need for me to go through BMT? I don't know.
Please continue to pray for God's guidance regarding BMT. I prefer to not have to go through it, but if it is God's will to have me go through it, please pray that a perfect match will be found at the right time. On the other hand, if I do not have to go through a BMT, please pray that an alternate solution will be available if necessary, and that we will be led to a doctor who will advise me against having a BMT.
My mother-in-law is here to help us out for the next 3 months. It is nice to have her around. She has only been here a few days, but she has already been a big help around the house. It was also nice to see the doting grandmother bond with the kids. She came just in time to see them perform during their school's Christmas program. Both Katie and Ellie did a lot of singing, and Katie had a dance number on top of that. It was a well orchestrated, funny yet meaningful program. Maybe I am just more emotional these days, but I choked up a few times during the program. The theme was about what we can give Jesus for his birthday - He appreciates all our gifts, but He desires our hearts more than anything else.
That is all for today. Please continue to pray for my complete healing, that the right decision will be made regarding BMT, that my family will be protected from the flu and other viruses and continue to stay happy and positive during this journey. Also please pray that we will all enjoy the Christmas season, not get caught up with the busyness of the season and miss the real meaning of Christmas.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and may God bless you and your family.
Christmas is a little different this year. We cannot have a real Christmas tree or wreath inside the house because I'm neutropenic. So, we had to settle for a fake tree and no wreath. We miss the pine scent, but it is a minor sacrifice for my health. The kids had fun trimming the tree. We had it up since the day before Thanksgiving so my sister can see all the trimmings she had given us over the years up on the tree. We normally have Christmas lights and decorations outside the house, but our cleaning people are too busy this year to put them up for us, so so all we have is just a Christmas lantern (parol) that we brought back from Manila months ago. Rob and I are could not put up the lights and decorations ourselves, because we're wimps when it comes to these things. The kids are not happy about it, but they'll get over it. Christmas shopping consists of surfing for hours online. It is very tempting to take advantage of Christmas sales in some of the stores, but I'd rather stay away from crowds. We will only be attending only one Christmas party this year for the same reason. We will join Robert's cousins on Christmas eve - not too many people there.
I had another blood test today. This is the first time since my last chemo that I did not need to get a platelet or blood transfusion. Hallelujah! The doctor said that if my blood count continues to go up next Tuesday, she will want me to schedule the next round of chemo the week after. No way, Jose! I told the doctor I do not want to have my next round of chemo until after the holidays. She reluctantly agreed. This means I may be going in again for the next round of chemo in early January. In the meantime, I am still neutropenic, but at least my ANC has gone up to 0.6. Please pray that my ANC will be above 1.0 by next Tuesday so I can attend Christmas services and party without fear of getting an infection.
I got a call from the BMT donor center. They have found potential matches for me in the national registry. They will contact 7 people at a time to see if they are interested and to get them tested. It takes about a month to find out whether there is a match in each batch. If none is a match, they will move on to the next 7 people. They may find a match right away or it could take years before they find a one. Many people have offered to be a potential donor. I truly appreciate the offer, but right now, I am not even sure if I want to have a BMT. The more I read about it, the more I wonder if it is worth the risk. In my case, there is a 15% chance of death from BMT due to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Most people who survive the transplant have to live with some kind of side effect for the rest of their lives. Is it worth the 10% decrease in potential relapse in my case? I don't know.
To BMT or not to BMT? That is the question. In my quest to find the answer, I have been doing some research on my nemesis, the FLT3 cancer cell. This is the cancer cell that was found during my first biopsy. There are at least 6 FLT3 inhibitor drugs that are being tested right now, but none has been proven to be effective in fighting it off. One of them was actually abandoned because the negative impact on the body was not worth the potential benefit. Will there be a drug that will be available to fight off FLT3 if and when I need it? I don't know.
My cousin also told me about a natural supplement called Umi No Shizuku Fucoidan that was developed in Japan. It seems to be effective in making cancer cells commit suicide. I have studied the literature from the company. They do have a compelling case based on testing the supplement on mice and the positive results they have received from people who have used it for different forms of cancer, including leukemia. My BMT doctor has agreed to look into it. Will this supplement negate the need for me to go through BMT? I don't know.
Please continue to pray for God's guidance regarding BMT. I prefer to not have to go through it, but if it is God's will to have me go through it, please pray that a perfect match will be found at the right time. On the other hand, if I do not have to go through a BMT, please pray that an alternate solution will be available if necessary, and that we will be led to a doctor who will advise me against having a BMT.
My mother-in-law is here to help us out for the next 3 months. It is nice to have her around. She has only been here a few days, but she has already been a big help around the house. It was also nice to see the doting grandmother bond with the kids. She came just in time to see them perform during their school's Christmas program. Both Katie and Ellie did a lot of singing, and Katie had a dance number on top of that. It was a well orchestrated, funny yet meaningful program. Maybe I am just more emotional these days, but I choked up a few times during the program. The theme was about what we can give Jesus for his birthday - He appreciates all our gifts, but He desires our hearts more than anything else.
That is all for today. Please continue to pray for my complete healing, that the right decision will be made regarding BMT, that my family will be protected from the flu and other viruses and continue to stay happy and positive during this journey. Also please pray that we will all enjoy the Christmas season, not get caught up with the busyness of the season and miss the real meaning of Christmas.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and may God bless you and your family.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
12/6/2009 - Bone Marrow Transplant
"For you formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them." -- Psalm 139: 13-16
These verses take on new meaning as I go through this journey. Prior to getting sick, I had very little understanding of the human body. Biology was one of my worst subjects in high school. Having to memorize the classification of plants and animals just squeezed all the fun out of learning about them. The most fun I had was when a classmate pulled a prank on a fellow classmate when we were dissecting a frog. I don't remember what I learned about frogs anymore, but I sure remember the prank. ha! ha!
In recent years, the desire to grow old gracefully and stay healthy increased my interest in learning about the body. Nowadays, I am learning a lot more about it - what leukemia is all about, the different types of blood cells, how to take care of myself while going through chemotherapy, what bone marrow transplant is all about, etc. I find the human body as a living machine quite amazing. My engineering background makes me appreciate man-made structures and machines that showcase design and engineering feats, so I watch Modern Marvels on TV sometimes. But no matter how grand, beautiful or complex the structures or machines get, they pale in comparison to the complexity and wonder that is the human body.
As you know, the doctor has recommended that I have a bone marrow transplant. This is the same thing as a stem cell transplant. Years ago, stem cells have to be suctioned out of the donor's bone marrow, hence the term "bone marrow transplant". These days, the procedure is simpler and a lot less painful. The donor is given medication to kick stem cells to the bloodstream. Blood is taken from the donor (think reverse blood transfusion), stem cells are harvested by a machine, and the rest of the blood is returned to the donor. I love technology!
The doctors want me to have a BMT because of the FLT3 cell that showed up in my first biopsy. FLT3 cells are known to stage a comeback years after the patient has been in remission. If FLT3 didn't show up, chemo treatments would have been enough for me. But because it did, there is a 60% chance that there will be a relapse if I don't go through a BMT, and a 50% chance if I go through BMT.
All my siblings were tested to see if any of them is my cell match. There is a greater chance that one of them will be my match, and there is also much less risk of getting graft-to-host rejection disease. The disease is the greatest risk in having a bone marrow transplant. Each of my siblings sent in their blood or saliva samples. Doctors use 10 main categories and many subcategories to determine if any of their cells matched mine. None did.
When I was being "woven in my mothers' womb" (weaving my DNA?), I got a certain percentage of my cells from each of my parents. The doctor said each of my siblings has a 25% chance of having the same percentage/formula, but none of them did. Who determines our cell composition? "For you formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb." "My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth".
Since there is no match among my siblings, the search is on to find a match from the national registry. The national registry contains the list of people in America who have agreed to be a bone marrow/stem cell donor. According to my BMT doctor, an initial scan showed many potential matches. The organization managing the registry will contact the potential donors to see if they are still interested. If they are, they will be interviewed and tested to see if they are still suitable donors, and if they are a match with my cells. How can I be a match to someone who is not even related to me? The doctor calls it "genetic pooling" - some "random" pooling of cells over many generations. What are the chances? I don't know, but I know Who knows.
"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made". I know that my life is in God's hands, and only He knows whether I need a BMT for my healing or for shaping me more into the person He wants me to be. God knew I was going to have Leukemia even before I was born. He also knows who is/are my cell match. He also knows if there will be a drug or treatment that will make BMT unnecessary. He knows how this journey will end. "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them." What does He not know, and what can He not do? We can only follow God's leading in this journey.
I marvel at how God has been answering our prayers. I did not suffer from any side effects from the recent round of chemo. He has also protected our family from the flu virus even as people we know were catching it. And though I still feel tired more easily, I am strong enough to do most of the work my sister used to do while she was here. It helped that she left stuff in the refrigerator and freezer for me to heat up. My friend, Nora, also helped by preparing food that I an easily cook or heat up for the family. And my mother-in-law will be coming over to help us out starting the 16th of the month. We are all looking forward to seeing her. As usual, God provides everything we need in this journey.
Please continue to pray that I won't suffer from any side effects, for my complete healing, for my family to be protected from all forms of viruses and to keep our focus on God, for Rob and I to know clearly what God wants us to do regarding BMT, and for the doctors to have the wisdom regarding my treatment and care.
Thank you once again for your prayers and may God bless you and your family!
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them." -- Psalm 139: 13-16
These verses take on new meaning as I go through this journey. Prior to getting sick, I had very little understanding of the human body. Biology was one of my worst subjects in high school. Having to memorize the classification of plants and animals just squeezed all the fun out of learning about them. The most fun I had was when a classmate pulled a prank on a fellow classmate when we were dissecting a frog. I don't remember what I learned about frogs anymore, but I sure remember the prank. ha! ha!
In recent years, the desire to grow old gracefully and stay healthy increased my interest in learning about the body. Nowadays, I am learning a lot more about it - what leukemia is all about, the different types of blood cells, how to take care of myself while going through chemotherapy, what bone marrow transplant is all about, etc. I find the human body as a living machine quite amazing. My engineering background makes me appreciate man-made structures and machines that showcase design and engineering feats, so I watch Modern Marvels on TV sometimes. But no matter how grand, beautiful or complex the structures or machines get, they pale in comparison to the complexity and wonder that is the human body.
As you know, the doctor has recommended that I have a bone marrow transplant. This is the same thing as a stem cell transplant. Years ago, stem cells have to be suctioned out of the donor's bone marrow, hence the term "bone marrow transplant". These days, the procedure is simpler and a lot less painful. The donor is given medication to kick stem cells to the bloodstream. Blood is taken from the donor (think reverse blood transfusion), stem cells are harvested by a machine, and the rest of the blood is returned to the donor. I love technology!
The doctors want me to have a BMT because of the FLT3 cell that showed up in my first biopsy. FLT3 cells are known to stage a comeback years after the patient has been in remission. If FLT3 didn't show up, chemo treatments would have been enough for me. But because it did, there is a 60% chance that there will be a relapse if I don't go through a BMT, and a 50% chance if I go through BMT.
All my siblings were tested to see if any of them is my cell match. There is a greater chance that one of them will be my match, and there is also much less risk of getting graft-to-host rejection disease. The disease is the greatest risk in having a bone marrow transplant. Each of my siblings sent in their blood or saliva samples. Doctors use 10 main categories and many subcategories to determine if any of their cells matched mine. None did.
When I was being "woven in my mothers' womb" (weaving my DNA?), I got a certain percentage of my cells from each of my parents. The doctor said each of my siblings has a 25% chance of having the same percentage/formula, but none of them did. Who determines our cell composition? "For you formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb." "My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth".
Since there is no match among my siblings, the search is on to find a match from the national registry. The national registry contains the list of people in America who have agreed to be a bone marrow/stem cell donor. According to my BMT doctor, an initial scan showed many potential matches. The organization managing the registry will contact the potential donors to see if they are still interested. If they are, they will be interviewed and tested to see if they are still suitable donors, and if they are a match with my cells. How can I be a match to someone who is not even related to me? The doctor calls it "genetic pooling" - some "random" pooling of cells over many generations. What are the chances? I don't know, but I know Who knows.
"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made". I know that my life is in God's hands, and only He knows whether I need a BMT for my healing or for shaping me more into the person He wants me to be. God knew I was going to have Leukemia even before I was born. He also knows who is/are my cell match. He also knows if there will be a drug or treatment that will make BMT unnecessary. He knows how this journey will end. "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them." What does He not know, and what can He not do? We can only follow God's leading in this journey.
I marvel at how God has been answering our prayers. I did not suffer from any side effects from the recent round of chemo. He has also protected our family from the flu virus even as people we know were catching it. And though I still feel tired more easily, I am strong enough to do most of the work my sister used to do while she was here. It helped that she left stuff in the refrigerator and freezer for me to heat up. My friend, Nora, also helped by preparing food that I an easily cook or heat up for the family. And my mother-in-law will be coming over to help us out starting the 16th of the month. We are all looking forward to seeing her. As usual, God provides everything we need in this journey.
Please continue to pray that I won't suffer from any side effects, for my complete healing, for my family to be protected from all forms of viruses and to keep our focus on God, for Rob and I to know clearly what God wants us to do regarding BMT, and for the doctors to have the wisdom regarding my treatment and care.
Thank you once again for your prayers and may God bless you and your family!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
12/2/2009 - Numbers Going Down
It has been a few days since I was discharged from the hospital. Thanks to your prayers, I did not experience any major side effects. There were moments of nausea, but none so bad that I had thrown up or needed to take medication. I was prescribed medication to prevent sore eyes, anti-viral medication to prevent chicken pox, anti-fungal medication to prevent yeast or other fungal infection, and antibiotics to prevent bacterial infection. The fight is far from over. Over the next several days, my body will continue to get weaker until it hits the bottom (nadir is the medical term for it). It takes a couple of weeks to get to that point. That is how long it takes the body to get rid of the toxicity from chemotherapy. After it hits bottom, the body should be able to get stronger, including having better blood counts and getting itself out of neutropenia.
I get a blood test twice a week with potential blood and platelet transfusion as needed, and a consultation with the doctor once a week. Yesterday was my first blood test. As expected, my blood count went down. What I didn't expect was how low it could go. My white blood count was 0.6. The normal range is 4-11. The platelet also went down, so I got a platelet transfusion yesterday. This should help my blood to clot up should there be any bleeding. The hemoglobin was low, but not low enough to require a blood transfusion. The BMT doctor did not give me a shot to boost my blood count after the chemo. She wanted my body to recover on its own. Needless to say, I am very much neutropenic now, so I am being extra careful.
Please continue to pray that there will not be any side effects from this round of chemo. In particular, that I will not have to deal with nausea, mouth sores, digestive problems, problems with the kidney or liver, and infections of any kind (bacteria, virus, fungus). The flu season is getting into full swing now, with many people coughing and sneezing. I avoid them like the plague! Please pray that my family and I will not be infected with the regular flu and the deadly H1N1 flu virus.
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17). I consider myself blessed to have many true friends who have shown their love during this time. I am doubly blessed to have 6 siblings who are pulling for me and helping in their own way. My sister, Verna, is back in Manila. She was a big help to us the last 3 months. She had denied herself the comfort of her life in Manila to come here and help us out. She prepared food for us, took care of dropping off the kids and picking them up, accompanied me to my appointments, and cheered me up with her company. Although I didn't abuse her kindness by letting her cook all the time (I do most of the cooking when I feel well), she was always willing to help. Coming from someone who didn't have to do any chores or take care of anyone else at home - I am deeply touched by her generous spirit!
That is all for now. I will have more information about bone marrow transplant in my next blog. It is quite an interesting topic on its own. Please pray that God will make his will concerning bone marrow transplant very clear to us. Please continue to pray for my complete healing, that God will guide the doctors in providing the care that I need, and that my family and I will continue to be happy and positive throughout this journey.
Thank you for your continued prayers and may God bless you and your family!
I get a blood test twice a week with potential blood and platelet transfusion as needed, and a consultation with the doctor once a week. Yesterday was my first blood test. As expected, my blood count went down. What I didn't expect was how low it could go. My white blood count was 0.6. The normal range is 4-11. The platelet also went down, so I got a platelet transfusion yesterday. This should help my blood to clot up should there be any bleeding. The hemoglobin was low, but not low enough to require a blood transfusion. The BMT doctor did not give me a shot to boost my blood count after the chemo. She wanted my body to recover on its own. Needless to say, I am very much neutropenic now, so I am being extra careful.
Please continue to pray that there will not be any side effects from this round of chemo. In particular, that I will not have to deal with nausea, mouth sores, digestive problems, problems with the kidney or liver, and infections of any kind (bacteria, virus, fungus). The flu season is getting into full swing now, with many people coughing and sneezing. I avoid them like the plague! Please pray that my family and I will not be infected with the regular flu and the deadly H1N1 flu virus.
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17). I consider myself blessed to have many true friends who have shown their love during this time. I am doubly blessed to have 6 siblings who are pulling for me and helping in their own way. My sister, Verna, is back in Manila. She was a big help to us the last 3 months. She had denied herself the comfort of her life in Manila to come here and help us out. She prepared food for us, took care of dropping off the kids and picking them up, accompanied me to my appointments, and cheered me up with her company. Although I didn't abuse her kindness by letting her cook all the time (I do most of the cooking when I feel well), she was always willing to help. Coming from someone who didn't have to do any chores or take care of anyone else at home - I am deeply touched by her generous spirit!
That is all for now. I will have more information about bone marrow transplant in my next blog. It is quite an interesting topic on its own. Please pray that God will make his will concerning bone marrow transplant very clear to us. Please continue to pray for my complete healing, that God will guide the doctors in providing the care that I need, and that my family and I will continue to be happy and positive throughout this journey.
Thank you for your continued prayers and may God bless you and your family!
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