I’ve Made It To 100 Days Publish Transplant!

Within the bone marrow transplant world, reaching 100 days is a giant milestone. The chance for crucial unwanted effects is much less, blood counts have returned to regular, and a little bit of power begins to come back again. Not a lot adjustments for the affected person, within the sense that I’m nonetheless on immunosuppressants, which suggests I’m nonetheless prone to sicknesses. Due to that, I nonetheless don’t wish to come down with an an infection as a result of it might most certainly find yourself in one other hospitalization. I’ve been requested just a few instances what number of weeks I’ve spent within the hospital, and it has been months and months. Three open coronary heart surgical procedures, a number of coronary heart procedures, coronary heart failure issues, two 3-week lengthy chemo remedies, with 4 extra weeks of remedy after that, after which my few days stays right here and there. I used to be speaking with a candy girl from church just a few years in the past, and he or she needed to be admitted to the hospital within the first time in her life, and he or she was in her 80s. She mentioned she made it that lengthy with out ever having to be hospitalized and I believed, man, I’ve gotta get it collectively!

However outdoors of my atrial flutter I had on the finish of March, which was not bone marrow transplant associated, I’ve been in a position to keep out of the hospital. I did get admitted for 2 days after being discharged for neuropathy, however it was a really quick keep. God has protected me in so some ways! Now granted this wasn’t my first rodeo in relation to isolating. Being the transplant is due to a relapse, I believed no matter I did final 12 months throughout these 6 months of remedy with no infections, I knew I needed to stay the same life. And up to now, God has graciously protected me from any loopy sicknesses, throughout essentially the most prevalent “illness” months!

You’ll nonetheless see me sporting a masks as I hopefully begin to wean off my immunosuppressants over the subsequent 6 months. Round household and mates I’m slightly extra free, however I’d hate to undo what we’ve labored so onerous to get to! And that is the place concern is tough to battle. As a BMT affected person, concern appears to be a given as a result of the entire objective after being transplanted is “to not get sick”. So that you do every little thing in your energy to remain as wholesome as attainable. We’ve had just a few sicknesses undergo our residence over the previous 100 days as a result of we now have a daughter that goes to high school, however God has as soon as once more, graciously protected me from having something severe.

One other massive purpose 100 days is a milestone is I’m scheduled to have a bone marrow biopsy this week to find out if any most cancers cells are rising again. This was the check that found I relapsed final summer season, so in fact we’re desirous to get this one executed. I nonetheless have 99.63% donor cells, which is just about good, so we’re trusting ahead that God will proceed to guard my physique from one other relapse, however we additionally know {that a} relapse can occur at any time. So we’re entrusting my future and our household’s into God’s palms, who already is aware of the long run and the outcomes of those checks. In Grand Rapids, you’re put out for this process, the place at Michigan I all the time selected to not be sedated as a result of it was a a lot quicker course of that manner, however boy I had some painful biopsies! So to not should get equipped mentally to struggle the ache on Tuesday, isn’t all dangerous both. We all know most cancers begins with one cell being inverted (in my case), so we simply pray for God to guard this physique from having to struggle once more!

This complete BMT course of has taught me that God prunes in essentially the most surprising methods. By no means in my wildest goals, once I was 20 and interested by the life forward of me, that I’d face a number of open coronary heart surgical procedures and battle most cancers twice. I nonetheless can’t truthfully consider it, though we live in it. However God has given me simply what I wanted to run every of those races. He has sustained my life from ailments that might’ve taken my life. And that solely spurs me on to honor God in no matter He has set earlier than me, realizing He has sustained my life and blessed me with life, for a really particular purpose. Nonetheless being considerably remoted and needing to watch out, I do surprise how God will use this for His better glory, however I pray indirectly He has already.

I consider that one that is preventing their very own battle. Whether or not or not it’s relationally, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, you title it. All of us have a battle we’re preventing. All of them simply occur to look completely different. However God continues to maintain you thru this as a result of He has a a lot better function than our human eye can see. And we get a entrance row seat to showcase His glory by means of them. God takes a lot pleasure once we do what we have been created to do. In no matter path God has us on. So what street is God main you down? How will you give Him pleasure as you serve Him by means of your battles?

I’m excited to see what the subsequent 100 days deliver. My prayer is that my coronary heart will relax, that the meds I’m on will work to alleviate the additional beats, that God would forestall any most cancers cell from rising in my physique once more, and that He would disclose to me how He’s going to make use of this for His glory. We march ahead realizing He’s acquired all of it in His palms!

Right here’s just a few footage…

I didn’t get an opportunity to make it Mazy’s Spring Program this week, as a result of all the individuals, however it was enjoyable to assist her prepare and cheer her on!

Candy Mazy Grace made me a countdown chain with this signal, as we regarded ahead to my one centesimal day!

We determined to make early reservations at a restaurant to have a good time! We consider this may’ve been the primary time we went out to eat since this fall! I began chemo in October, and so to take a seat down at a restaurant felt odd and but so rewarding. I can inform my system isn’t used to restaurant meals, nonetheless paying for that! I do know chemo and all of the meds fully destroy the intestine, and ya know, it was fully value it! Then we drove round Holland to have a look at all the tulips. An ideal strategy to have a good time!

I’ll hold you posted as we get check outcomes again and thanks for strolling with us on this journey! We’re so grateful for the assist God has tangibly proven us by means of His individuals! We actually couldn’t do that with out you!