One Hundred Days!

Joe has officially hit Day +100. It has been 100 days since his PBSC transplant. It seems like just yesterday that our families were seated around a long table talking to Joe's doctor about the upcoming transplant. It was mentioned that Day +30 and Day +100 were big milestones. At the time, Day 100 seemed so very far away. And now we are here. Some days, when Joe was admitted to the hospital again, or while Joe was enduring the seemingly-never-ending-rash, each day seemed to pass SO VERY SLOWLY. Other days, we would look at each other and say, "wow! it's Friday already...again." The wonderful part about today is that the seemingly-never-ending-rash is barely visible now. Yes, there is a bit of redness here and there, but nothing even close to what it was. In fact, during the days of the seemingly-never-ending-rash, Joe would wake up in the morning and his face would look all hairy from the skin peeling on his head, eyelids, cheeks, chin...basically everywhere. Now, when Joe wakes up, he actually has some oil on his face. Remarkable. The doctors were really excited when they saw how much Joe's rash has faded. It feels as though we are rounding a corner and finally heading in the right direction. Hopefully we'll be encountering far fewer bumps along the way.

Joe had another dose of Cidofovir today. As of this past Monday he is still CMV positive, but that was expected. We're hoping next week, and each following one will be a CMV negative week! While Joe was hooked up to his IV pole, I decided to trek downstairs where there was a blood drive and get punctured with a giant needle. It was the least I could do after all Joe has been through. I felt really good afterwards, and then a couple hours later I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I gained even more respect than ever for Joe and all the other people we pray for each day. One pint of blood had me all woozy, and here Joe's counts have been low for months and months, and he has been poked with so many needles, big and small. Overall, I had a really positive experience and am really anxious to donate more regularly. Speaking of Joe's low counts, he did need another shot of filgrastim today. Fortunately, those needles are really tiny. Let's go counts, think UP!

Today is a monumental day for another reason. Jim and Jesse made their way down to the Mexican border today and will officially begin the Marrow Trek tomorrow. We are really excited about what they are doing, and so blessed by their energy and spirit. You can track their progress by clicking here. They will also be keeping a blog which they will update each time they encounter a computer! Please keep Jim and Jesse, and their beautiful dogs Whistler and Scooter in your prayers. Also a gigantic thank you to the people who have made pledges or donations to Marrow Trek so far. The support that has poured in for CLLF and Dana-Farber has been overwhelming. We are so amazed and encouraged by the generosity of both friends and strangers. Thank you.

Now for those curious minds who don't read Chinese, and saw my dad's comment the other day...Essentially, he was teasing me for writing such a lengthy blog and using a well known Chinese saying to equate my post to the cloths that were once used to bind the feet of women in China - long and smelly. Thanks dad, I love you too! :P

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Thank you Cousin Lilly, Ben, Kristin, Alex, Lauren, and 1st Auntie & Uncle for the postcard!!!!! (Bet you didn't know that I just started teaching myself how to play ukulele and learning a song that mentions the humuhumu-nukunuku-a-pua‘a. I laugh every time I get to that word. So the postcard was perfect!)

Thank you Gordon & Julie for the food. It was so sweet of you. We appreciate it so much!

Thank you Nancy for sending such great photos. I can't stop looking at them. They are great.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord
~Psalm 27:14