Just when I think things can't get any better, God surprises me with more good news! First, the doctor said I may be able to go home this weekend. I was already ecstatic with the news. Then, last Friday, the doctor changed it to this Friday. Now, he just came in and said things are looking good and I may be able to go home this Thursday! My heart is overflowing with gratitude.
God has been healing me everyday, working the miracle of rebirth in my body. To me, the human body is still the most amazing "machine" ever built. I do not understand all the things that go on in there, but I know the Designer knows exactly what needs to happen.
I marvel at how He often defies human wisdom to show His power and sovereignty. As I mentioned before, most transplant patients spend 4-6 weeks in the hospital after transplant. In my case, I was warned that I may stay longer because I had an unrelated donor. If I were to go home on Thursday, that would only have been 3 weeks and 2 days! Amazing!
"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21
Thank you all for your prayers that made this experience quite amazing. May God continue to bless you and your family.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
8/17/2010 - Getting Better
Things have been looking great the last few days. My blood count has started to go up since 4 days ago. The normal range for white blood count is 4.0 to 11.0. After radiation and chemo, mine went down to 0.1 and stayed there for some time, as expected. Then, it went from 0.1 to 1.0 in the last 4 days! This is great!
And because my white count has reached 1.0, I am now allowed to leave my room. I am now a "cage-free" or "free range" chicken. ha! ha! I like getting out of the cage, I mean, room and walk around the hospital floor as part of my daily exercise. I always thought that free range chicken and cage free chicken must be happier than regular chicken. I just didn't feel happy paying extra money for happy chicken in the supermarket. Besides, they can't be so happy anymore, they're dead. :-|
The doctor said that if I keep up my progress, I have a chance of going home next weekend. That would be awesome! I don't want to keep my hopes up too high, but then I also want to have enough faith to believe that it will happen if that is what God wants. I know that I have often lacked enough faith for God to work His wonders in the past, so I am asking God to give me enough faith now so He can work His wonders during my healing.
I am in good spirits these days. I still have diarrhea, but it is getting better. I still suffer from hemorroids, but that is slowly getting better, too. I still can't have regular food, but the doctor has put me on a restricted diet. Yay! I get more than just water and sunlight now. I have evolved from a plant to a human! :-D
God is so great! I have been previously warned by the transplant coordinator that after transplant, patients typically stay 4-6 weeks in the hospital. But because my donor is unrelated, I may have a harder time during recovery, so I should expect to stay 6 weeks or more in the hospital. If I get to go home next weekend, I would have just stayed here only 4 weeks after transplant! I would really like that to happen, because then we will have another evidence of the greatness of God. More reason to sing His praises. We are so blessed to know this great, big, awesome, living and all-loving God!
I know that my experience these past weeks were only possible because of all the prayers that have been offered on my behalf before the throne of God. I know many of you have been relentless in interceding for me and my family, and even crying out to the Lord for us. I will forever be grateful to all of you. For without your prayers, my experience could have been unbearably painful for me and my family.
Thank you all again for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family!
And because my white count has reached 1.0, I am now allowed to leave my room. I am now a "cage-free" or "free range" chicken. ha! ha! I like getting out of the cage, I mean, room and walk around the hospital floor as part of my daily exercise. I always thought that free range chicken and cage free chicken must be happier than regular chicken. I just didn't feel happy paying extra money for happy chicken in the supermarket. Besides, they can't be so happy anymore, they're dead. :-|
The doctor said that if I keep up my progress, I have a chance of going home next weekend. That would be awesome! I don't want to keep my hopes up too high, but then I also want to have enough faith to believe that it will happen if that is what God wants. I know that I have often lacked enough faith for God to work His wonders in the past, so I am asking God to give me enough faith now so He can work His wonders during my healing.
I am in good spirits these days. I still have diarrhea, but it is getting better. I still suffer from hemorroids, but that is slowly getting better, too. I still can't have regular food, but the doctor has put me on a restricted diet. Yay! I get more than just water and sunlight now. I have evolved from a plant to a human! :-D
God is so great! I have been previously warned by the transplant coordinator that after transplant, patients typically stay 4-6 weeks in the hospital. But because my donor is unrelated, I may have a harder time during recovery, so I should expect to stay 6 weeks or more in the hospital. If I get to go home next weekend, I would have just stayed here only 4 weeks after transplant! I would really like that to happen, because then we will have another evidence of the greatness of God. More reason to sing His praises. We are so blessed to know this great, big, awesome, living and all-loving God!
I know that my experience these past weeks were only possible because of all the prayers that have been offered on my behalf before the throne of God. I know many of you have been relentless in interceding for me and my family, and even crying out to the Lord for us. I will forever be grateful to all of you. For without your prayers, my experience could have been unbearably painful for me and my family.
Thank you all again for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family!
Friday, August 13, 2010
8/13/2010 - Daily Miracles
I still feel out of sorts these days because of the diarrhea, hemorrhoids, bouts of nausea and gas. I told my nurse this morning how terrible I feel when all of the side effects strike at the same time. It felt like there's something wrong with my body, but I couldn't figure out what it is and what to do about it.
Then, she told me I am so lucky to feel the way I do. Huh? Apparently, most patients in my situation would have mouth sores, throwing up a lot, really bad diarrhea, and no energy to do anything. They are constantly in bed and feel terrible. Listening to her made me choke up. I realized then how blessed I am. Although the doctor kept telling me I am doing well, I was never quite sure whether he really meant it or whether he was just encouraging me. Now I know. Ahh! There, but for the grace of God go I. God is working miracles in my body everyday, and I did not fully realize it until now! I believe God is protecting and healing me everyday because He loves us and is granting our prayer requests. What a privilege to come to our God with our requests and know that our God is real, loving and almighty!
Sometimes, when I am feeling blah, I just start counting my blessings and realize that I have so much to be thankful for. I also realize that these temporary inconveniences will soon pass away. I think the sufferings we have in our lifetime never exceeds the joy of knowing the Lord and living under His care.
We are so blessed to be the children of the living God. To live under His care is to know that whatever happens to us, He is in control and He always has a higher purpose for our suffering. All I can say is Thy will be done!
Thank you so much for persevering with us through your prayers. May God continue to bless you and your family!
Then, she told me I am so lucky to feel the way I do. Huh? Apparently, most patients in my situation would have mouth sores, throwing up a lot, really bad diarrhea, and no energy to do anything. They are constantly in bed and feel terrible. Listening to her made me choke up. I realized then how blessed I am. Although the doctor kept telling me I am doing well, I was never quite sure whether he really meant it or whether he was just encouraging me. Now I know. Ahh! There, but for the grace of God go I. God is working miracles in my body everyday, and I did not fully realize it until now! I believe God is protecting and healing me everyday because He loves us and is granting our prayer requests. What a privilege to come to our God with our requests and know that our God is real, loving and almighty!
Sometimes, when I am feeling blah, I just start counting my blessings and realize that I have so much to be thankful for. I also realize that these temporary inconveniences will soon pass away. I think the sufferings we have in our lifetime never exceeds the joy of knowing the Lord and living under His care.
We are so blessed to be the children of the living God. To live under His care is to know that whatever happens to us, He is in control and He always has a higher purpose for our suffering. All I can say is Thy will be done!
Thank you so much for persevering with us through your prayers. May God continue to bless you and your family!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
8/11/2010 - Feeling Better
I finally snapped out of my blahs, with a lot of help from your prayers, phone calls from old friends, visits from new ones, and some good news from the doctor.
It started a this weekend when I got a call from Weng, my college friend who now lives in Australia. It was such a nice surprise! Later that day, I also got a call from my college best friend, Jac, from Manila. She just found out about what I was going through from a chance meeting with my sister. It was so good to hear from her, and to be encouraged by her. Then, my college friend, Gina, called in the evening. Also a nice surprise. The only person who didn't call from our college group was Cynch, but then we've been writing each other quite a bit. I love my friends and I always thought that friendships are some of life's best gifts. That was a very special day for me.
I got more calls, texts and emails from family and friends that further improved my mood. Today, I got a visit from the music therapist. She is one of the few people in life that I've just met but felt like we've known each other a lifetime ago. We always had fun talking about anything and everything. I also had a nice visit from the social worker, a fellow foodie, so you can guess what we talked about.
The doctor gave me some good news. He said that my triglicerides seem to be going down so I do not need a plasma exchange. Yay! He also said that my cells may start recovering this weekend, and that if things continue going well, I may even be able to go home by the end of the month! Wow! That's 2 weeks sooner that I had expected. I hope there will only be minimal rejection and my blood count will go up quickly.
"Food! Glorious Food!" is a line from a Ice Age that keeps playing in my mind. I miss eating real food. The other day, when I was watching TV, I noticed that I was paying more attention to the food commercials than the show itself. (drool!) Even commercials for food I would not even think of eating (unhealthy fast food) looked so delicious. I tell myself, just a few more days... For now, my diet still consists of nutrients from a bag, and pure, clear water. Yum! :-\
Thank you so much for your prayers and may God bless you and your family!
It started a this weekend when I got a call from Weng, my college friend who now lives in Australia. It was such a nice surprise! Later that day, I also got a call from my college best friend, Jac, from Manila. She just found out about what I was going through from a chance meeting with my sister. It was so good to hear from her, and to be encouraged by her. Then, my college friend, Gina, called in the evening. Also a nice surprise. The only person who didn't call from our college group was Cynch, but then we've been writing each other quite a bit. I love my friends and I always thought that friendships are some of life's best gifts. That was a very special day for me.
I got more calls, texts and emails from family and friends that further improved my mood. Today, I got a visit from the music therapist. She is one of the few people in life that I've just met but felt like we've known each other a lifetime ago. We always had fun talking about anything and everything. I also had a nice visit from the social worker, a fellow foodie, so you can guess what we talked about.
The doctor gave me some good news. He said that my triglicerides seem to be going down so I do not need a plasma exchange. Yay! He also said that my cells may start recovering this weekend, and that if things continue going well, I may even be able to go home by the end of the month! Wow! That's 2 weeks sooner that I had expected. I hope there will only be minimal rejection and my blood count will go up quickly.
"Food! Glorious Food!" is a line from a Ice Age that keeps playing in my mind. I miss eating real food. The other day, when I was watching TV, I noticed that I was paying more attention to the food commercials than the show itself. (drool!) Even commercials for food I would not even think of eating (unhealthy fast food) looked so delicious. I tell myself, just a few more days... For now, my diet still consists of nutrients from a bag, and pure, clear water. Yum! :-\
Thank you so much for your prayers and may God bless you and your family!
Monday, August 9, 2010
8/9/2010 - Feeling Blah
The last few days were a bit more challenging. I am slowly experiencing the side effects of radiation, chemo, and other medications. Radiation and chemotherapy causes nausea, diarrhea, loss of hair, dry skin, sore arms and legs from time to time. Because I have hemmorhoids from childbirth, it just takes my experience of diarrhea tortuous!
One medication made my glucose go way up, so they had to give me another pill to bring it down. Another med also sent my triglicerides way up. They could not bring it down fast enough with pills, so they now want me to have a plasma exchange. That means using this big machine to take out my plasma with the triglicerides and replace it with good plasma containing albumin. Unfortunately, I have such thin veins that they could not get the needle into my vein. The doctor says they'll give me another pill, but if it doesn't work, they will have to put a catheter to my side for the plasma exchange. Whoopee, more needles! Not!
What can I do? I just want to get all these over and done with. I have asked the nurse if there is any medication that I can take so I can just go to sleep until everything is over. Just wishful thinking. How about time travel? That will be a good use of the technology. Or maybe parking my body in the hospital while they do the repairs, and my spirit can go on a nice vacation. :-)
Well, as bad as things were, I had some wonderful surprises this weekend. I was able to spend some time on the phone with some of my dearest and oldest friends. It was such a surprise, because they were calling from Australia and Manila - not something I would expect everyday due to the high cost of long distance calls. Just the sound of their voices was enough to cheer me up. I guess God knew that I needed some cheering up, and nudged them to give me a call.
Another piece of good news is that City of Hope was ranked #1 in transplant success rate in the US. They measure the success rate by the survival rate. Apparently, even if most of their patients have medium to high risk, the result is still more successful than in other institutions with less risky transplants. I am so glad I am in the capable hands of the doctors and other caregivers here. Can I sign up to be their poster child for the longest survival rate? :-)
Today, I finally force myself out of bed just to get my body moving. I try to do a little exercise, but I'm so lazy! Nothing seems interesting to me anymore - not reading, exercising, computer games, or even playing on the harp. Just feeling blah! According to the nurse, everybody eventually feels blah.
I think I know what is wrong. I think I am physically and spiritually sick. I know in my mind that I should be praying more and reading the bible more, but somehow I manage to distract myself from doing so. Please pray that I will be given the spiritual strength to resist the temptations,
According to the doctor, the symptoms will last for another week. Then, as my body starts getting stronger, that is when we will see if there is any rejection. I sincerely hope that there will not be any major rejection.
Please continue to pray for our family, that we will remain positive and happy throughout this challenge, and that we will be given extra strength, courage and faith. Please also pray that I will be better able to tolerate the side effects, and that the doctors and nurses will have the wisdom to do the right thing, and that I will be on my way to a speedy recovery.
Thank you so much for your prayers, and may God continue to bless you and your family.
One medication made my glucose go way up, so they had to give me another pill to bring it down. Another med also sent my triglicerides way up. They could not bring it down fast enough with pills, so they now want me to have a plasma exchange. That means using this big machine to take out my plasma with the triglicerides and replace it with good plasma containing albumin. Unfortunately, I have such thin veins that they could not get the needle into my vein. The doctor says they'll give me another pill, but if it doesn't work, they will have to put a catheter to my side for the plasma exchange. Whoopee, more needles! Not!
What can I do? I just want to get all these over and done with. I have asked the nurse if there is any medication that I can take so I can just go to sleep until everything is over. Just wishful thinking. How about time travel? That will be a good use of the technology. Or maybe parking my body in the hospital while they do the repairs, and my spirit can go on a nice vacation. :-)
Well, as bad as things were, I had some wonderful surprises this weekend. I was able to spend some time on the phone with some of my dearest and oldest friends. It was such a surprise, because they were calling from Australia and Manila - not something I would expect everyday due to the high cost of long distance calls. Just the sound of their voices was enough to cheer me up. I guess God knew that I needed some cheering up, and nudged them to give me a call.
Another piece of good news is that City of Hope was ranked #1 in transplant success rate in the US. They measure the success rate by the survival rate. Apparently, even if most of their patients have medium to high risk, the result is still more successful than in other institutions with less risky transplants. I am so glad I am in the capable hands of the doctors and other caregivers here. Can I sign up to be their poster child for the longest survival rate? :-)
Today, I finally force myself out of bed just to get my body moving. I try to do a little exercise, but I'm so lazy! Nothing seems interesting to me anymore - not reading, exercising, computer games, or even playing on the harp. Just feeling blah! According to the nurse, everybody eventually feels blah.
I think I know what is wrong. I think I am physically and spiritually sick. I know in my mind that I should be praying more and reading the bible more, but somehow I manage to distract myself from doing so. Please pray that I will be given the spiritual strength to resist the temptations,
According to the doctor, the symptoms will last for another week. Then, as my body starts getting stronger, that is when we will see if there is any rejection. I sincerely hope that there will not be any major rejection.
Please continue to pray for our family, that we will remain positive and happy throughout this challenge, and that we will be given extra strength, courage and faith. Please also pray that I will be better able to tolerate the side effects, and that the doctors and nurses will have the wisdom to do the right thing, and that I will be on my way to a speedy recovery.
Thank you so much for your prayers, and may God continue to bless you and your family.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
8/5/2010 - 2 Days After Transplant
I thought I would feel very different after the transplant, but I don't. It was actually quite uneventful. The nurse came in with what looked like a bag of blood. I thought I was going to get another blood transfusion. Turns out it was the bag of stem cells (225 ml). I was given some medication, then they just connected the stem cells to the IV, just like a regular blood transfusion. About 3 hours later, it was over.
I feel tired and nauseous these days. Mostly because my blood count is down to nothing, and I am still experiencing the side effects of radiation and chemo. I also have a mild case of diarrhea. The doctor had put me on a no-food diet. I am given nutrients via IV. I am allowed to drink water and other clear liquids, but that is all. The doctor said there is no point in eating anything solid, because it will just irritate my GI tract. It takes 2 weeks for the cells in my mouth and GI tract to start coming back up. My blood count will also stay low during this time. That means no real food until then. I stopped watching the Food Channel so I feel won't so jealous, or worse, start drooling. :-)
I am looking forward to the time when my blood count will start going up again. Because that means I will be going home soon! I miss my family so much. Spending an hour with them a day is not enough. Even when they are here, they are required to wear a mask and gloves. Makes it difficult to kiss those yummy cheeks. Oh well, at least I get to spend time with them.
In case you're wondering, my family is doing fine. The kids are in summer camp. They enjoy the activities there. On days when they would rather not go on a field trip, they get to have fun with Ninang Cristina and her family or stay at home with daddy. Rob's boss is very understanding. He allows Rob to work from home whenever he needs to. Rob also gets by with help from friends who would bring food to the house and help with groceries.
Thank you for your prayers. I know that the Lord is watching over me, and giving me special protection from all the potential harsh side effects and rejection. I trust that He is listening to all our prayers, and He is granting our requests everyday. Miracles are happening everyday. Unfortunately, they are mostly invisible.
"The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him, He will also hear their cry and save them." Psalm 145:18-19
Thank you all once again for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family!
I feel tired and nauseous these days. Mostly because my blood count is down to nothing, and I am still experiencing the side effects of radiation and chemo. I also have a mild case of diarrhea. The doctor had put me on a no-food diet. I am given nutrients via IV. I am allowed to drink water and other clear liquids, but that is all. The doctor said there is no point in eating anything solid, because it will just irritate my GI tract. It takes 2 weeks for the cells in my mouth and GI tract to start coming back up. My blood count will also stay low during this time. That means no real food until then. I stopped watching the Food Channel so I feel won't so jealous, or worse, start drooling. :-)
I am looking forward to the time when my blood count will start going up again. Because that means I will be going home soon! I miss my family so much. Spending an hour with them a day is not enough. Even when they are here, they are required to wear a mask and gloves. Makes it difficult to kiss those yummy cheeks. Oh well, at least I get to spend time with them.
In case you're wondering, my family is doing fine. The kids are in summer camp. They enjoy the activities there. On days when they would rather not go on a field trip, they get to have fun with Ninang Cristina and her family or stay at home with daddy. Rob's boss is very understanding. He allows Rob to work from home whenever he needs to. Rob also gets by with help from friends who would bring food to the house and help with groceries.
Thank you for your prayers. I know that the Lord is watching over me, and giving me special protection from all the potential harsh side effects and rejection. I trust that He is listening to all our prayers, and He is granting our requests everyday. Miracles are happening everyday. Unfortunately, they are mostly invisible.
"The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him, He will also hear their cry and save them." Psalm 145:18-19
Thank you all once again for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
8/3/2010 - Getting Transplant Today
The stem cells arrived a day early, so they had to give me the transplant today. Yikes! Not that it made much difference, but I am just concerned about the effects of transplant. I should have more faith that all will go well, but I cannot shake all the warnings I have received from the nurse coordinator. They are always careful to explain to the patient about all the risks involved. I guess in this society where people and institutions can be sued for anything and everything, they are just doing their due diligence to prevent unnecessary lawsuits.
I remember a verse in the Psalms where David was praying for deliverance, and he was encouraged when he remembered how God had always delivered him in the past. I should learn to do the same. Just recently, God had protected me from the harsh effects of radiation and chemotherapy. I am sure he is also able to protect me from the negative effects of the transplant. Please pray that I will be given extra faith and strength for what I will be going through.
The transplant will be given in a couple of hours. So, I better get going. I want to make sure I get some exercise while I can, then I have a few phone calls to make, and I also want to spend more time with the Lord, my comfort, my rock and my salvation.
Thank you for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family!
I remember a verse in the Psalms where David was praying for deliverance, and he was encouraged when he remembered how God had always delivered him in the past. I should learn to do the same. Just recently, God had protected me from the harsh effects of radiation and chemotherapy. I am sure he is also able to protect me from the negative effects of the transplant. Please pray that I will be given extra faith and strength for what I will be going through.
The transplant will be given in a couple of hours. So, I better get going. I want to make sure I get some exercise while I can, then I have a few phone calls to make, and I also want to spend more time with the Lord, my comfort, my rock and my salvation.
Thank you for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family!
Monday, August 2, 2010
8/2/2010 - Almost There
I had high-dose chemo the last two days. Boy, they wiped me out! I was sleeping most of both days. I still feel nauseous because of the chemo, so my appetite is gone. The doctor will have food given to me via IV starting tonight. This is quite common, because most people cannot keep the food down after going through all the stuff I've been through.
I still feel tired now, but I had to force myself out of bed. Apparently, it is not good to be in bed all the time. I just wanted to stay in bed and play on my cell phone. But, I had to force myself out of bed to do some mild exercises so I can get more oxygen to flow through my body. I generally feel better after doing some exercise.
I am now a walking pharmacy. I have more medication going through my body than food. There are a couple of antibiotics, anti-fungal, heparin, IV fluids, immune suppressants, medication to protect my kidney and to protect my mouth and GI tract. And once in a while, I also get platelets and blood as needed.
I'm back to my G.I. Jane look. It took nine months to grow my hair to an acceptable length and now it's back to nothing. At least, this time, Rob didn't have to shave it off. The hospital had a professional come do it for me. I am continually amazed at the breadth of care they provide at this hospital. It doesn't matter to me at this time that I have no hair. It's not like I'm not going anywhere soon. I will most likely be here until mid-September. After that, I will just be holed up at home except for short trips to the grocery or pharmacy. By the time I can freely go anywhere without a mask, my hair might have grown back.
In spite of what I am going through, I am still thankful that things are as good as they are. The doctor is always pleased that I am doing as well as I am. They also gave me a medal for completing the 11 rounds of radiation. Nice touch.
Please pray that my body will be ready to receive the new stem cells on Wednesday with minimal rejection. Please also pray that the doctors and nurses will have the wisdom to give me the best care. Once again, please pray that my family and I will continue to be positive and happy throughout this challenge.
Thank you very much for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family.
I still feel tired now, but I had to force myself out of bed. Apparently, it is not good to be in bed all the time. I just wanted to stay in bed and play on my cell phone. But, I had to force myself out of bed to do some mild exercises so I can get more oxygen to flow through my body. I generally feel better after doing some exercise.
I am now a walking pharmacy. I have more medication going through my body than food. There are a couple of antibiotics, anti-fungal, heparin, IV fluids, immune suppressants, medication to protect my kidney and to protect my mouth and GI tract. And once in a while, I also get platelets and blood as needed.
I'm back to my G.I. Jane look. It took nine months to grow my hair to an acceptable length and now it's back to nothing. At least, this time, Rob didn't have to shave it off. The hospital had a professional come do it for me. I am continually amazed at the breadth of care they provide at this hospital. It doesn't matter to me at this time that I have no hair. It's not like I'm not going anywhere soon. I will most likely be here until mid-September. After that, I will just be holed up at home except for short trips to the grocery or pharmacy. By the time I can freely go anywhere without a mask, my hair might have grown back.
In spite of what I am going through, I am still thankful that things are as good as they are. The doctor is always pleased that I am doing as well as I am. They also gave me a medal for completing the 11 rounds of radiation. Nice touch.
Please pray that my body will be ready to receive the new stem cells on Wednesday with minimal rejection. Please also pray that the doctors and nurses will have the wisdom to give me the best care. Once again, please pray that my family and I will continue to be positive and happy throughout this challenge.
Thank you very much for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family.
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