June 25, 2009

I really like this picture of Zack on the slip & slide

It has been 15 days since my last post & I have had many phone calls asking for updates so here goes: My 6th Bone Marrow Biopsy results came back at 1% Blast cells, this means I am still in remission. As long as the Blast cells are less than 5% I am considered in remission. I finished my fourth cycle of Maintenance chemotherapy, Dicitabine, last Thursday. This is the halfway point, we have 4 more maintenance cycles to go. I should finish up somewhere around October. My Dr. released me to return to work full time effective next Monday. I have been building up to this & although I am not 100% I am pretty sure I can handle it. Here are a few pictures of the Biopsy, a lot of over the shoulder shots since Marc was not able to be there with me. I can't get over how fast may hair grew it is a little over an inch long in certain areas now. If it was not or my eyeballs most people cannot tell that I am still sick anymore.



The Union re-instated me as a steward at work & I already filed a grievance for someone. I also threw together a 3 year Training & Exercise Plan for the Agency over the past 2 days so I have been jumping right back into work without to much difficulty. I am still coming home & crashing every night though. I really don't have the energy like I used to have but once the Chemo is over I hope that it will eventually come back.


This is a good picture of Zack & Marc a couple of weekends ago


this is the last picture I got of Katie before she left to go to her dads

This is a cute picture of Paige in the egg toss during Circleville's Community day

We are taking a break from riding this weekend & staying home. Friday night we are taking the kids up to the Strawberry Festival & just hanging out at home all weekend & then next weekend we are taking them camping for the whole weekend. Brandon will be going with Tiffany & her family camping in Cambridge the same weekend. After Brandon's girlfriend slept over the weekend while we were up at the lake I was not so sure we were ever going to let him do much of anything, but he is almost 18 & we have to start letting him make his on way. I am hoping her parents will keep close tabs on them.

This is a picture of Marc & I the weekend we went up to Lake Erie for Sandusky Bike Week. If you look real close you can see the senic Davis-Besse nuclear power plant in the background...

I have not seen my sister since I got sick & she is coming home the weekend of July 18th. She will be bringing my nieces with her, Copper & Sierra. It will be great to see them all. I have only seen pictures of Copper & Sierra is the same age Zack was the last time they were up here so I know her & Zack will have a lot of fun together. I will have to keep on Marc to make sure he stays on top of the pool especially with it being so hot here lately. I told Sharon we will have to go on a ride while she is up here, she used to ride a little Honda Rebel. Can you see me riding Marcus bike with the Ape Hangers...

My Aunt Lynn is also coming to town in August so I am anxious to see her & Dennis as well. I really hope that they can come down and stay for awhile. I really feel that we have gotten closer especially when I got sick. My Lynn & Aunt Debbie both have been very supportive & close to me through this. When I moved away from Lima I have been real bad about not making it home & staying connected to the family. I can't say that it is any easier now but I am not making any excuses for it. I think I did that a lot when I went from 1 child to 4.

This is Marc's mid life crisis bad hair day!!!

Zack got his 2nd annual summer mohawk yesterday, as if he does not look rotten enough already.

This is me & my buddy Bill Larue in the background, we meet up during Bike week & finally got to ride together for the first time.

I found this picture from a ride Marc & I went on down by Jimbo's earlier this year & I can't remmber if I posted it once already.


Marc was back on his camera kick tonight when the severe storms rolled in & he got picture happy with the raindrops.there were a lot more than this.

June 10, 2009

Katie made it off safe & sound to her Dad's, I talked to her this afternoon, she said she was babysitting her brother Jonah & they were having a good time. I know she was ready to get a break from the pace of our house. I sent her report card with her & she told me she has not shown it to her Dad yet, her grades are not that bad but she could have done much better if she would have applied herself a little more. She said she is starting Art classes in July so I am sure she will really enjoy that.

I took Zack for a very short motorcycle ride last night, he loved it. Brandon started Drivers Ed today & is lifting for football daily except the weekends. Paige coned me into hair dye & baking goods at the grocery store tonight. I am going to enroll her the next time the Red Cross offers their CPR/First aid course here in town so she can get a baby sitting job if one comes along this summer. She took Zack to the Park on Tuesday afternoon & they had fun, they stopped at McDonald's afterwards & had a Happy Meal.

I will be back down at the base again on Friday. Only 2 more weeks of part-time hours at ODH & then I am back to Full Time. We decided we are not going to try & go to Sturgis this year, wishful thinking but it just isn't going to happen.

As far as my condition I have really been slacking when it comes to keeping up with my lab draws. My lab order expired & I forgot to call & get an updated order. They still drew them on the expired order at Madison County Hospital but it was a pain, no pun intended. I did call the Hospital again & they said they sent it but I had them fax it again only to find out they re-faxed the expired lab order. Needless to say I am not having my lab draws done twice weekly...

So here are my Lab Updates:
Day----WBC----ANC--------Hgb--------PLT---- Transfusions
6 Mar---185-----1.4------80---------11.3---------120------------N/A
I had a couple of lab draws when I went in for treatment in April but I do not remember what the labs were. So like I said earlier & as you can see below, I have really been slacking...
28 May---268-----1.3-----400---------11.4---------200------------N/A
10 Jun---287-----3.5----2200---------12.5---------198------------N/A

I am sure my Dr will give me a long lecture when I go in tomorrow, I will have my 6th Bone Marrow Biopsy. My ANC counts are good so we should be a go for the Biopsy. Marc is fighting with his work for FMLA so he cannot go with me, that will be a first & I am really not happy about this plus who will take the pictures? I will have to do the Biopsy without any drugs other than a topical numbing agent, I do not want to risk driving & getting in an accident afterwards & I will be going to the James straight from work.

This week after completing 3 day's in a row of the Homeland Security Exercise & Evaluation Program course, it has deflated me. The only reason I think I survived was due to my colleague's Paul from ODH & Kristen from Sandusky County HD, thanks guys my cheeks hut from laughing!

The weeks keep going by faster & faster & it seems like each time there are many tasks that I do not get done. Marc who is normally a morning person & up at 4:30 am every morning has been not getting up until about 5:30am. To my surprise he has been hitting the snooze button several times. this is very not like him. We both seem to be really tired a lot here lately. I will blame it on the nice weather & endless list of things that always seem to be done, such is life. As soon as I get the results back from the Biopsy I will update the Blog, I hope I am just being paranoid but for some reason I have been real nervous for this appointment, we'll see.