Hey everyone – I figured it was getting close to the time for another update.
We really hope that you all had a safe and happy holiday season. We were blessed to be able to spend Christmas and New Years with our family and friends up north. Mike did very well throughout his break from treatments and it was a big breath of fresh air for us to just feel “normal”. It was frigid, but worth it to be able to see everyone for the holidays. We came home to surprising temperatures – not much higher than those in Maryland. It’s been in the 20s and 30s here in Florida, but looking forward to a warm up back in the 70s by the end of the week! :)
Our first week back in FL gave us a large dose of reality as Mike had to start his treatments up the very next day and I had a full work week. He had to go everyday Tuesday-Sunday, sometimes for 8-10 hours at a time. It is obvious to see the strain that the chemo has put on him already. He has been very tired, but unable to sleep, which makes him grumpy (ssshhh – I didn’t say that!!) and the steroids he is on make him retain water and feel hungry constantly. We are attempting to start a healthier lifestyle with our food choices, starting with a 5 day juicer detox fast (we juice all of our fruits and vegetables and drink them) and then going into the South Beach Diet. Mike is trying to be on board with me, but his junk food cravings are hard to fight. He has done very well to kick the bad habits, as we both believe that our foods choices make a great impact to our overall health.
We had planned to take some time to meet with Dr. Hesdorffer at Johns Hopkins regarding a second opinion for a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately we did not make that happen, but we believe that everything happens for a reason. We have not come to a definite decision, but we both feel in our spirit that the transplant is not something that he should proceed with at this time. The research on the transplant is still so sketchy and cannot promise a much better outcome than if he were to just finish out his chemotherapy plan. If new research comes available that shows that the transplant will give him better odds in the future, we will reconsider, but until then, we are going to continue with the treatment plan as originally scheduled. We both feel very good about that decision.
We are really looking forward to 2010. We have such high hopes that Mike’s health is going to recover and we are going to be a stronger and happier family through these trials. We have been inspired by Mike’s strength and determination and given a new perspective on the value of life and family. These trials are quickly turning into blessings, as I knew all along that they would. Please continue to pray for us as fight through to come out on top.
We love all of you so much and are so grateful for the support and encouragement that you have been providing along the way. We pray that 2010 will bring many blessings and fresh, new perspectives to you and your loved ones!
God Bless!!
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