Remembering One Year Ago

One year ago today my husband was in the fight of his life. On July 31, 2008 it was Day 22 post transplant and still no stem cell engraftment. Charlie had a Care Page that I posted on almost daily to keep friends and relatives informed. The following is a post from July 30, 2008:

Today's bone marrow biopsy was painless for Charlie. Praise God!! He did feel some pressure but that is all. The staff here did a great job in giving him the proper medicine to deaden the pain. They also allowed me to be at his side. Once again, Charlie's tough bones bent the instrument that they used to extract the marrow. We should get some answers starting tomorrow. It will take 3 days to get all the results. Tonight Charlie also received the immune globulin that will boost his immune system. Charlie's primary oncologist told us today that she looked up data on slow engrafters. There have been some of their patients engraft as late as Day +35. She believes that Charlie is just a slow engrafter. She also said that out of the approximately 1400 stem cell transplants that they have performed here only one person didn't engraft. She said that she doesn't believe that Charlie will be no. 2. His doctors and nurses all say that he is doing so well in all of the other areas of healing. All of this was such an encouragement to us on a most stressful day.

When I remember what God has done in the healing of my husband, I have to rejoice. The Lord was with us through the entire battle. I am convinced that HE will be with us through future battles also.

Summer is So Wonderful This Year

Summer is so wonderful!!! When you live in Northern Indiana you learn to appreciate the warmth that summer brings. The plants in our garden are growing rapidly. We have enjoyed lettuce, broccoli, beets, spinach, chives, and two tomatoes already. More types of veggies are on the way.

Thinking back on what we were doing last year at this time, I am even more thankful than usual for the simple pleasures of life. Last July my wonderful husband was having a stem cell transplant that kept him in the hospital for 37 days. There was a point when we didn't think that his stem cells would engraft, but God did a miracle in his life and caused the stem cells to start making new cells again. Now one year since the transplant Charlie says that he feels as though he has never had cancer at all. He is working a full-time physically demanding job, playing golf, and most importantly, working as a layman in our church.

When my husband was going through his health battle, I have to admit that I thought that God was preparing me to either say goodbye to Charlie very soon or HE was preparing me to care for a disabled husband for the rest of his life. Boy, was I wrong. Praise God I was wrong!!