New Day, New Week

The last few weeks have been rough. So many things seemed to happen at once. Just one unhappy event would have been managable. But it felt like we were being flooded with unhappy events. Add to that the fact that Joe was rightfully feeling sick of being sick. I was feeling helpless and useless. And even more, I was being haunted with the belief (which I'm sure was mostly imagined) that people just weren't understanding how tough things have been for Joe. I felt that his extreme positivity was masking the fact that it is not easy going through what he is going through. Not easy to feel less than 100% for months on end. Not easy to get a piece of hopeful news and then 3 pieces of not so hopeful news. Not easy to feel isolated from your friends and tell them that no...this week isn't a good week to visit, and neither is next week. I had these visions of people wondering why we are being so anti-social and overprotective, thinking that we're probably sitting at home day by day enjoying an extended vacation from life. Joe really does do a grand job of creating the illusion that getting diagnosed with high-grade MDS and going through a PBSC transplant is easy peasy. But while this has always made me so extremely proud of him, these past couple of weeks it made me sad. I felt this desire to shout and scream and say, "do you really, really, really, understand all that Joe is going through? Can you truly fathom the idea that he is only making it look easy?" I think it is natural to have emotional periods like this when experiencing tough times. Or maybe, I'm just crazy!

Well nevermind, because this is a new day, a new week, and we are both feeling renewed and ready to exude extreme positivity once again! Today was Joe's last dose of Vidaza. He received a quarter dose of what he was receiving pre-transplant. It was administered across five days through a 20 minute IV. Despite getting Zofran prior to the chemo, Joe has experienced bouts of nausea and decreased appetite these past few days. Hopefully the Vidaza will suppress Joe's cells, and the donor cells will be able to more effectively take over. Joe will be getting bone marrow biopsy #7 in about 25 days to see what is happening. We are also praying that Joe's appetite returns, and the nausea goes away now that his Vidaza treatment has ended.

So far Joe has gotten two negative CMV results. Hurray! Tomorrow we'll have the results from today's draw, and we just know it will be negative as well. Then Joe will receive Foscarnet once a day until he gets three more negative CMV results. We are hoping and praying and hoping and praying that after the next three negatives, his hospital visits will be tapered.

Joe's skin continues to peel. This just means that the rash from the GVHD is healing. It is a sight to behold. Combined with his swollen and also peeling eyes, Joe looks a little bit like a snake. Joe humors me by hissing. Joe also likes to remark that his skin is simply peeling from the sunburn he got while we were in Fiji (remember, the trip to Fiji was in Joe's head!) Then there is the nurse who said, "You're simply a-peeling (appealing)! I'm sure your wife tells you that all the time." You gotta laugh, you gotta groan.

Things are definitely looking up. :)

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Now for prayer requests.

* Please continue to pray for Baby Livi. She is 9 days out from her transplant, and she is just amazing. This week she turns two. Hospitals are not a fun place to celebrate a birthday. Fortunately, she has an extremely wonderful family.

*Continued prayers for Amy W. She just finished another round of chemo, more than 100 days post-transplant. At the end of the month, she'll be receiving a booster of stem cells from her brother.

* Also pray for Amy Katz. She has an army of people behind her raising money and holding bone marrow drives. They've added over 7000 people to the registry, and found donors for 13 people. Yet after 4 years, Amy is still searching for her perfect match.

Which brings us to the next announcement...(come on, stay with me here. i'm on a roll!)
Amy's Army is holding another bone marrow drive on

March 27th, 2007
7am - 7pm
Wintergarden in PPG Place
Downtown Pittsburgh
(You can download the forms necessary and fill them out in advance to make registration faster. Amy's Army)

All fees are covered by Amy's Army and the HLA registry. Please, please, please (yes, I realize I'm begging) if you are in the Pittsburgh area and you have not yet registered to be a donor, consider signing up on March 27. So many people approached us about signing up for the registry when Joe was diagnosed. I know many were discouraged when they discovered that the drives we held were minority-based. Well, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO REGISTER! It is an absolute miracle that Joe was able to find a donor within 6 months, especially since he is Asian. We are so blessed that a girl of 21 was brave enough to give Joe a chance at a longer life. Amy Katz has been waiting for years! Imagine that it is your child, parent, spouse, or sibling who needs a transplant. This is the opportunity to give the gift of life. Most people register and will never get called. If you do get called, don't think of the needles and other fears, think, "Wow! I've won the lottery! I've been given the privilege of being able to help another person - another family."

If you are in the area and have already registered, are not between 18-60, or are unable to register due to health reasons, consider helping another way. SPREAD THE WORD!!!! On the Amy's Army site you can download fliers or send emails with all of the information necessary. Amy's site also has information for those interested in volunteering for the day.

Finally, there is an Amy's Army Benefit Concert

Sunday, March 25, 2007
4pm-11pm
Hard Rock Cafe
Station Square, Pgh, PA

Cost: $10.00 donation.

Events like these are what make it possible for Amy's Army to hold bone marrow drives and defer costs. Many people aren't keen on spending $52+ to register, but $10.00 for a concert that will help defer costs for others sounds fair, right?

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Last but not least, thank you, thank you, thank you to
A.M. & A.D.
April & Paul
Auntie KT
Auntie SB & Uncle RC
Beth and Dave
Brian
Caryn
Cousin Van
GLA
Greg
Joanna
Lauren
Lih Jen
Lilly P.
Lou Ann
Neysa
Pastor Jim
PCC "head honchos"
PM
Sheena
Shelley
Sara and
Tina

for the encouragement you provided for us this past couple of weeks. It meant so much to us, and we really appreciate it! Thank you to everyone for continued prayers through all of our ups and downs. This would all be so much more difficult if we didn't have the support that we do. God bless!

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perserverance; perserverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
~Romans 5:1-5

Random

It seems that everyone wants to be like Joe. Apparently, even Britney has gotten the "I-wanna-be-like-Joe" bug. Either that or she has decided to become an avid supporter of AAMDS. Then again, maybe she is just being Britney. I think that as long as Joe doesn't try to be like Britney and get "something dainty" like a tattoo of "cute little lips on [his] wrist" everything will be okay.

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We had some more visitors yesterday. Ray is a new friend that we met...yesterday! Ed is the guy who helped to revamp the fliers used for the bone marrow drives held in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. We actually met him for the first time yesterday as well. Jurica was one of our small group leaders back in Philadelphia. She was totally awesome. Ed spoke at PCC-Oakland this morning, and Ray and Jurica tagged along to be supportive. We had a great time chatting with them yesterday and catching up on things as well as learning new things. Good times!

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Actually, this Friday there will be another CLLF sponsored minority based bone marrow drive at CMU. Once again, the Lambdas will be hosting. There will also be another bone marrow drive coming up in the next month or two at Pitt. APAMSA will be working with CLLF.

---

Our dear friend Lisa recently brought a relevant article to my attention.

Tuskegee's ghosts: Fear hinders black marrow donation

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Happy Chinese New Year everyone!
Thank you Julia for making Joe some homemade chicken soup. Yum!

Final Verdict.

I wanted to share a photo from a bone marrow drive at the end of November. Our friend Eddie, (who will always be a Pittsburgher even though he's now living in North Carolina) worked with Maria from CLLF and Pastor Elijah from Chinese Bible Church of N.C. to host a drive. We are so thankful to all three of them, as well as the church for their participation and prayers. If it weren't for all the people who are registering to be donors, Joe might still be searching for the right match.

Speaking of which...Joe's donor has officially been chosen, and the selection has been sealed! The winner is...the 21 year old female. Despite the initial doubts of the NMDP about her committment, she has been following through with all of her appointments. She was the ultimate winner because of her age, and because Joe's doctors prefer a PBSC donation to a bone marrow donation. (If you recall, the 37 year old male was only able to be a bone marrow donor.) Joe will be admitted to the hospital on January 3. That will be a tough day. Joe will be getting a bone marrow biopsy and a lumbar puncture. He'll also have a central line put in, and begin chemo. Joe will be given chemo for 5 days. On January 8th, Joe gets a "vacation day." At least from chemo. January 9th will be "Day 0" - transplant day. Meanwhile, Joe's donor will be getting five days of filgrastim injections. PBSC cells will be harvested on the 8th and the 9th. It won't be such a walk in the park for her either. We are SO grateful to her for doing this. Wow, everything is moving so fast.

Joe had his blood drawn today. Everything looks about the same. The good thing is that Joe still feels well, and there wasn't another drastic drop.

Thank you, thank you to everyone for being so loving and encouraging. As transplant day rolls near, and everything is actually being scheduled, we are realizing how real this is! Everyone has been amazing. Simply amazing.

Thank you to Mike & Amy, and Crystal for the fun gifts. You are each so sweet.
Thanks to mom and dad for the food! And thanks to Victor for playing with us and being such a great brother. (Awwwww...)

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

~Isaiah 9:6

Happy November!

Joe had a dentist appointment today. Now his smile is even brighter than before! His hygienist was really sweet. She has her own inspiring story, which she shared with Joe. After Joe's appointment, the hygienist actually called me back so she could share a bit with me, and give me some encouragement. I thought that was so sweet. :)

On Friday, Joe has his appointment with the doctor. I can't believe that next week will be round 5 of his chemo treatments. I imagine on Friday we'll have a better idea of what our next few months will look like. I'm not sure if this makes me relieved or anxious. Both I guess.

Here's something cute my mom passed on to me after receiving it from a missionary back home...

Daily Christian Wisdom

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you...Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.
-Unknown
***

Lot of praise and thanks today.

Praise God, because 355 registered to be donors at the drive in honor of Baby Livi. How awesome is that? Yay for everyone who attended.

Thank you to our neighbor Cathy for the really yummy pumpkin bread. Made from scratch even.

Thank you to Myra and Sheru for dinnering with us last night. It was really fun hanging out with the two of you and hearing all of your stories!

Thanks to Eddie who has been working with CLLF hold a drive in North Carolina! We miss you Eddie!

Thank you to my CrossRoad girls. It is so wonderful to have your love, support and encouragement.

***

I have info on Cammy Lee drives for November! Spread the Word!

Nov. 8
Virginia Commonwealth
College Avenue
Richmond, VA
11am-5pm

Nov. 10
Columbia University
New York, NY
11am-5pm

Nov 14-15
Virginia Tech
Williamsburg Room of Squires Student Center
Blacksburg, VA
9am-9pm ,9am-8pm

Nov 15 or 16
Stonybrook University, NY
11am-5pm
(not confirmed at this time)

Nov 26
Apex Chinese Church
Apex, NC
11am-5pm

Nov 27
Duke University
Durham, NC
11am-5pm

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
~Isaiah 41.10

Happy Friday

Joe had his blood drawn again today. His counts are about the same...slightly on the low side. Not too low though. Joe is still looking great and feeling great. Yay for that. :)

I helped with the harvest festival today at our church. It was a lot of fun. The kids were just too cute. So many people came over to ask about Joe and to let me know they were thinking about him and praying for him. Thank you so much for that. It really means so much to have so many people watching out for Joe.

My cousin-in-law's birthday is on the 28th. HAPPY BIRTHDAY OSAMU! Hope it's a fun one. :)

Also on Saturday is Sha's recital. :) Sha is a professor at Geneva College, and she is a wonderful pianist. You can hear her play at Geneva College, John H. White Chapel in Old Main Building from 4pm-5:15pm.

And for those in the Lancaster, PA area, there will be a Community Bone Marrow Drive "in honor of Baby Livi and thousands of children and adults like her."

Sunday, October 29th
noon-4pm
Cimbrian Offices
333 North Arch Street
Lancaster, PA 17603

Fundraising is taking place to cover the cost and it is open to everyone, so SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!!!

End of Round 4!

We didn't get a call today stating that Joe's perfect match was found. We haven't lost hope either. There is always next week!

Today Joe had the last of his injections for round 4. YAY!!!!! I know he is way happy about being done for a few weeks. Me too! The results of Joe's blood draw showed a little dip in his WBC, so they are back to "right under average." Not too bad. Joe's platelets look good. And funny enough, his RBC are now on the high side of normal. Hopefully they stabilize. It seems weird that they suddenly just keep going up.

I snapped a picture of the view from the top floor of the hospital parking garage. Can't tell from the photo that the weather is getting COLD!

Please pray for Christine. I've mentioned her in the past, and posted some of her poems. She is an amazing person, and is very much a poster girl for minorities who need bone marrow and PBSC transplants. We were so excited a few weeks ago when we found out that after a very risky partial-match transplant the marrow had grafted. Unfortunately, this past week things haven't been looking so good. Christine is experiencing many complications. We don't know her, but she has been such a source of inspiration. Keep her in your prayers.

On the same note, there will be a fundraiser and bone marrow drive in LA, in Christine's name as well as her friend Jeremy. Click here for more info.

And of course, lest you think I've been slacking! I have more bone marrow drive info from CLLF!

Friday, Oct.20
11am-6pm
Drexel University
Creese Student Center
Philadelphia, PA

Mon, Oct. 23
11am-4pm
John Hopkins University
3400 Charles St.
Baltimore, MD

Wed, Nov 8
11am-5pm
Virginia Commonwealth
011 College Ave
Richmond, VA

Tues, Nov 14-15
10am-8pm
Virginia Tech
Williamsburg Room of Squires Student Center
Blacksburg, VA

Spread the word, spread the word, spread the word!!!!!!

Thank you to Yi-Ting and my 3rd auntie and uncle for the sweet cards. You are the best!
Thank you to hubby Joe for the second best gift ever. (You being all better will be the BEST gift ever! Of course, if we want to get all technical and sappy, you are the best gift ever.) I'm praying for you always!

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life - in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
~Philippians 2:14-18

Blood drives.

I realize this is really last minute. I just discovered this information though, and felt it was worth sharing. Just in case. :) (This is for October 4.)

"The Bengals and Hoxworth Blood Center are scoring one for patients in local hospitals today by hosting the Fifth Annual Bengals/Hoxworth Community Blood Drive at Paul Brown Stadium.Presenting sponsor of the event is Champion Windows and Patio Rooms. The Blood Drive will be open until 7 p.m.The event is located in the stadium's East Club area, and free parking is available on the East Plaza level (enter off Elm Street.No advance registration is required, and all donors will receive a free Bengals blood drive t-shirt. Visitors can also sign up to become an organ donors, or to join the national bone marrow registry.Last year's Bengals/Hoxworth Community Blood Drive attracted 436 donors, making it the largest single-day, non-emergency drive in Hoxworth history."

Also...

Blood Drive
Sponsor: Alle-Kiski Medical Center
Date(s): Wednesday October 04
Time(s): 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Highlights: Help your friends, family, and neighbors by donating blood.
Location: Destination Wellness
556 Pittsburgh Mills Circle
Tarentum, PA 15084
Location Contact:Megan Klucinec
724-274-5208724-274-5210
mklucine@wpahs.org


Blood Drive
Sponsor: Alle-Kiski Medical Center
Date(s): Saturday October 07
Time(s): 10:00am - 2:00pm
Highlights:Help your friends, family, and neighbors by donating blood.
Location:Destination Wellness
556 Pittsburgh Mills Circle
Tarentum, PA 15084
Location Contact:Megan Klucinec
724-274-5208724-274-5210
mklucine@wpahs.org

In other news, Joe has been fighting off a cold for the past week. Fortunately, his counts have been high enough that he has been able to handle it. Joe's just been a bit sniffly and stuffy at times.
Yesterday, Joe went to the dentist for a thorough check-up that is required before transplant. It went well for the most part. He just has to floss and stimulate his gums more. :) And just so you know, Joe is normally very good about flossing...he was just getting mixed messages about flossing when he was neutropenic. Fortunately, for now, that is not a concern. Plus, when it comes to Joe's teeth, we trust his dentist. :)
Our buddy Eddie is working with Maria at CLLF to hold a bone marrow drive in North Carolina. Yippeeeee! Thanks Eddie.

Congratulations to Ming-Chen and Bill who are parents of a darling baby boy as of September 21. So many baby boys this year!

Photos.

Joe sportin' his blue bird in the forest shirt designed by Lisa
and a pink ribbon supporting Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Lilly sportin' her Bravery Bracelet as part of the AA&MDSIF Awareness Campaign.

Cammy sportin' her Carnegie Mellon shirt from the CMU Lambdas!


Joe, Lilly, and Mrs. Li


Lilly, Mrs. Avery, and Joe

Big weekend!

The weekend is here! It is a big weekend. This afternoon, Cammy Lee arrives from New York. We'll be checking out the church, and then tomorrow is the drive at the church! Tomorrow afternoon my dear Cousin Lilly is going to be stopping by for a visit. It will be SO wonderful to see her. Monday is the drive at CMU. Next week is busy too. I can't believe tomorrow is October. That is just crazy.

Congratulations to Connie and Anthony who had a handsome baby boy on the 25th. :)
Happy early birthday to Megumi and Michael.

Happy day!

Updated drive info.

I apologize for taking so long to post this. Somehow, I just got the info today. However, I do believe that the info has been shared with people all over Pittsburgh already. Yay! In any case, here we go!

Sunday, October 1
10:30am-4:00pm
Pittsburgh Chinese Church
Oakland Location
134 North Dithridge St
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(by the way, if you are interested in attending church service, the service begins at 10am.)

October 2
Carnegie Mellon (Lambda Phi Epsilon)
10:00am-6:00pm
University Center - Outside Tables
5032 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh , PA 15213

As before, the target audience is Asian, but all minorities can register for free. Here is the info you'll need to provide...

All donors will be required to fill out a confidential donor information and consent form. (Donors must be between the ages of 18-60). The form will ask for:
* Name, DOB, Age, Sexm and either SSN or Driver's License Number
* Donor telephone and email information
* Race and Ethnicity information
* Contact info for two close relatives or friends who may know how to reach you if your address changes or you are unable to be contacted. (Different from your contact info)
* A medical evaluation (yes and no questions.)
Donors also fill out a confirmation card.
Then one just needs to do a cheek swab from four areas of the mouth to complete the registration. Remember, even if you are not a match for Joe, you could possibly be a match for someone else who is praying for one.

Spread the word!!! Thank you so much to CLLF, PCC Oakland, and the CMU Lambda Phi Epsilon fraternity for all of your help. We of course have a million other people to thank as well. Thank you!!!!!!

Joe is still doing well. People who see him can not believe how great he looks...especially those who saw him a few months ago. We're in this weird place where having no definite donor yet makes the transplant feel far away and like a bad dream we can just push out of our minds. But when the house gets quiet and Joe and I run out of things to chat about, our minds go crazy. That can be hard to say the least. Fortunately, our faith has become stronger than ever through all of this. God is keeping us strong. All we can do is trust in God's good and perfect will. Praying every day...

Prayers also for Alivia. She's only a year old and her family has just learned that she will need a bone marrow transplant. I've know her amazing grandparents forever. Through the wonders of modern technology, I've also learned that Alivia has amazing parents. Pray she finds her miracle match! If you're registered, make sure your info is up to date. If it isn't go register! Refer to the end of this post to learn the different ways you can help.

Happy birthday Jenny Lin! You have been such an encourager, and we are blessed by that. :)

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
~Ephesians 4:1-6

How you can help!!!!

It is official! There will be a bone marrow drive in Philadelphia thanks to CLLF, S & L Fellowship, and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital! Thank you to everyone involved! Special thanks to Susan and S&L for agreeing to host, Ed for working on flyers, and of course Cammy!!!! Here is the info I have so far, I'll post more as I get more information...

Sunday, September 17th
12:30pm-4:30pm
Vine Street Campus (Chinatown)
11th & Vine Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19107-1820
Conference Room.

The exciting thing about this drive, is that there is funding available for HLA typing, which means that everyone is welcome to attend the drive. Yippeeeee!!!!!

For those near U. of Virgina, CLLF is holding a drive...
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
9am-4pm
University of Virginia
Newcomb Hall Room 389

For West Coasters, don't forget...
Karin and Bryan, Karin's parents, and their pastor have been working with Anna from A3M to set up a bone marrow drive in the LA area.

September 24
Evangelical Formosen Church East Valley
20625 La Puente Rd
Walnut, CA 91789

For those of you who missed the last PGH drive, STAY TUNED!!! We're working on two back to back drives, either the end of September or the beginning of October. They will both be in the Oakland area.

So how can you help? Well, if you are in an area where there is a drive. Go and register!!!! If you are already registered, or you're ineligible, SPREAD THE WORD! If you are a minority, far from all of the drives, and wanting to register - you should be able contact your local blood bank and register for free. If you are caucasian, you may have to pay a fee to register - BUT many places will waive the fee if you donate a pint of blood at the time of registration. So have a registering party! Grab some buddies, call your local blood bank to make an appointment and go as a group. Could be fun, and you could go out for dinner afterwards and celebrate the fact that you are making a difference!!!!

Since I'm on a roll. :) I'm going to remind all of you about cord blood donations. You can find more information here. If you have already decided to make arrangements for personal storage, that is a personal decision and totally cool. If not, then the umbilical cord and placenta are commonly tossed after birth. Consider making arrangements to donate the blood. It could help save a life! If you will be giving birth in a hospital that is not affiliated with a cord blood bank (for example, Pittsburgh does not have a cord blood bank yet) you may call Cryobanks International, and visit their site for more information. The number is 1-800-869-8608. They accept donations from all over the U.S. You must register between the 28th and 35th week of your pregnancy. Spread the Word!!!!!

I keep saying it, but seriously...SPREAD THE WORD, SPREAD THE WORD, SPREAD THE WORD!!!!! Joe and I are not the only ones praying for a miracle match. And we are not the only ones you should be praying for either. So many people are praying for a match...and the fact is that finding a match is only possible when wonderful people like YOU make the decision to register to be a donor, and then follow through. Yes, I know that God has everything under control. But I also know that I don't always listen to God because of my own personal fears. Joe and I have had so many discussions since his diagnosis, and we strongly believe that God is teaching us more than ever how to face our fears. Not only that, but even as He's lighting a fire under our butts, God is using us to light a fire under everyone else's butt too!!!!! What better way to show love than to give - and in this case, to literally give from within.

We do realize that so very many of you have already registered, are making plans to register, have been helping us with drives, and helping us spread the word. We are so grateful. Words can not express how thankful we are. Honestly. We will be thanking you forever!

Thank you to Liann and Dr. Beasley for the lovely card and gift card. We were so touched to receive such a lovely and generous surprise in the mail. Joe and I often talk about what a great couple you are. We admire and respect the two of you so much and thank you for your love!

Adventure. :)

I'm not quite sure if Joe was simply up for an adventure...or if he was just missing the hospital. In any case, he had quite an adventurous day!

We slept in. Then we decided to wait for the home care nurse to come do his semi-weekly blood draw and change his dressing before having some food! All was going according to plan- Joe's lines were flushing properly and they all had good blood return. Joe vital signs were all normal. He was feeling great and he was looking great. Then the nurse began to change Joe's dressing that protects the insertion site of his triple lumen. She notices a tiny drop of what she felt could be pus. It was a bit yellow. Fearing it might be a sign of a line infection, the nurse called the doctor's office. They asked her to pull Joe's line and send it in for a culture. Joe's counts have been staying up and he hasn't been requiring transfusions or IVs lately, so there had already been talk about possibly pulling the line until he needs it again. The line was pulled. It was quick and painless and Joe looked pretty relieved to be rid of it. However, about a minute later, he started coughing...and then sweating profusely, and it wasn't stopping. Joe kept saying he would be fine momentarily. Our nurse looked worried though, and she didn't like the sound of Joe's cough. Not wanting to take any chances, she called the paramedics. She just wanted to be absolutely positive that it wasn't something serious - such as bleeding due to unexpectedly low platelet counts.

Well, the paramedics came, and Joe was starting to feel better. But just to be certain, he agreed to go to the hospital. Joe got to ride in an ambulance! They didn't turn on the lights and sirens for him though. :) I followed them in my car and met Joe in the ER. By this time he was feeling completely fine and ever so slightly annoyed to be in the hospital! We were only there for a little over 5 hours. :) Apparently, the "pus" was quite possibly just some skin or something. And the coughing and sweating was likely a vasovagal response. Just to cover all the bases, Joe was given a gram and a half of Vancomycin. I noticed Joe getting a bit red. But he was acting so calm and nonchalant. The redness started inching down slowly. I kept pestering Joe and asking him how he was feeling, and he kept saying he was fine...maybe a little itchy. Near the end of the Vanco, the "little itchy" became one HUGE itch, and Joe's whole head and chest area looked red. He was given Benadryl which made him immediately drowsy and caused the rash to fade. Of course NOW we now that he had red man syndrome! Fortunately, it is not uncommon, and was an easy fix. So Joe's back home! Once again, the results of his blood draw were good! And Joe is FREE from his line for now, so he was able to take a REAL shower, by himself, and without a huge covering of saran wrap and tape! He is a happy man this evening. :)

The bone marrow drive yesterday was wonderful! Thank you to every single person who registered to be a donor. We were SO touched by all the people who were signing up. In total there were 88 people who registered. Yeah, I was praying for HUNDREDS. But 88 is a good number. We are hoping to have another drive in the future - in Oakland! So stay tuned for details. :)

So, I arrived at the church a little after 9am. Of course, Lisa, Louis, and Cammy were already set up and ready to go...and there were already people signing up, including Eric who helped with registration as soon as he finished swabbing! My dear parents showed up shortly after I did. They were great for moral support. They let me sit next to them during church service, and I literally had to force my mom to go grab some lunch with my dad...close to 2pm! I'm so grateful for them. My mom stayed up all night Saturday to make flan for Joe! Then my parents spent the whole day at the drive - mostly thanking people for being so wonderful. Afterwards they made sure that Cammy and Louis wouldn't go home hungry, and drove Cammy to the airport. I'm so blessed to have such great parents. :)

Lisa was sporting a "Blue Bird in the Forest" shirt that she designed, and was giving away darling "Blue Bird in the Forest" pins! How cool is she? (The answer is very very cool!) Lisa has been so passionate about helping us and spreading the word about registering with the NMDP and MDS and Leukemia. She even refused to leave her post, even though my mom offered to take over so she could grab lunch. I got her a plate, but I don't even know if she stopped to eat!

Then there was Louis. I totally forgot to ask if I could get him a plate of food...and he missed lunch. I felt so bad! Fortunately, my parents took him out for food afterwards! Louis also worked the whole day, and he even brought a bag of movies for Joe and I to borrow. Fun!!!!!

Erica, I have met once for a couple hours. However, we have talked weddings a lot online. Well, she kindly gave up her Sunday morning to help with the drive. It was so nice to see her, and it meant so much that she was willing to come out to help! She was good for hugs too!

Camille...I met her for the first time yesterday! She is another girl that I've chatted with about weddings and married life. She kindly gave up her Sunday afternoon to help with the drive. She was working so hard, and people thought she was with the Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation! My friends and family were so amazed that these girls I met online were so willingly going out of their way to help. It was amazing. :)

It was great fun to meet Cammy Lee this weekend. And yes, it really was THE Cammy Lee. (She swears she had nothing to do with the naming of the foundation - and she has had to tell a lot of people that yes...she is in fact alive and well! She does have quite a survivor story though.) She is sweet and funny and understandably passionate about what she does. We are SO thankful that Vince hooked us up with her!

Since Joe's counts have been good, he was able to visit the drive in the afternoon. He was wearing a mask of course. :) He also made me his DH - Designated Hugger! This made me laugh, because on message boards, he's my DH - Dear Husband. :) Joe was SO THRILLED to be able to see so many friends from the church and from outside of church. It really did wonders for his spirit to be able to see everyone! Joe had a smile on his face straight through the end of the day.

So the drive was a success. Cammy was happy with the turn out, and so were we. I tell you though, next time we're shooting for HUNDREDS!!!! :) Thank you so much to Pastor Jim and Pastor Caleb for so willingly opening the church up for the drive. Thank you also to their wives Kathy and Esther - because I dunno...but every awesome pastor that I know has the support of a very awesome wife. :) Thank you again to everyone who registered. It was SO wonderful to see and feel all of the love and support! Thank you to everyone who had the heart to donate but were not eligible for whatever reason. Thank you to everyone who has been faithfully praying with us. Thank you to Margaret who was visiting for the first time and decided that she wants to help set up a drive at her church in Virginia. Thank you to Liz, Rachel, Chris, Melissa, Alex, Dorothy, Lauren and Tony for the *beautiful* handmade cards. We loved every single one of them!

We just felt so blessed and so loved this weekend. But then, we feel so blessed and so loved all the time! Praise God for that, right?

Thank you to Precious for the card and the licks. :) *Arf Arf*

Doctor's orders!

Joe was "prescribed" a night out for dinner by the doctor's office. This was such an exciting moment for us!!!! Joe still needs to be cautious, as his counts may still fluctuate while he's on chemo. But we don't need to be as strict as we were before! So we went to a restaurant nearby that we knew wouldn't be very crowded. We were both a little nervous. It has been weeks and weeks since Joe has been anywhere besides home and the hospital. We did enjoy a lovely dinner, and then we came right back home! So, Joe is still expected to avoid crowds and people who are sick. He doesn't have to wear a mask when we go out unless Joe will be around people for prolonged periods of time. And, he needs to be armed with Purell at all times! We can handle all of that. :)

Joe and I are really excited about the drive coming up on Sunday. We continue to hope and pray that there is a great turn-out. I'm going to be there! Who's with me? Information about us and the drive was published today in the World Journal and the Erie Chinese Journal. The articles are online as well as in print. Exciting!!!! Cammy Lee will be arriving tomorrow afternoon, and we're so excited to meet her! Thanks Louis for picking her up from the airport for us.

As a reminder, here is all the drive info again. If you are Asian, unregistered, between 18-60, and in the area come on out!!!! (All the cool kids are doin' it! ;) )

Bone Marrow Drive set up by Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation
hosted at
Pittsburgh Chinese Church
8711 Old Perry Highway
Pittsburgh, PA 15237

from 9am-3pm.
(For those who are interested, there will be a combined service that Sunday with the Chinese-speaking congregation and the English-speaking congregation. Service is from 10am-11:30am. Sunday School is from 11:30am-12:30pm.)

It is a minority based drive.

All donors will be required to fill out a confidential donor information and consent form. (Donors must be between the ages of 18-60). The form will ask for:
* Name, DOB, Age, SSN, Sex, and Driver's License Number
* Donor telephone and email information
* Race and Ethnicity information
* Contact info for two close relatives or friends who may know how to reach you if your address changes or you are unable to be contacted.
* A medical evaluation
Donors also fill out a confirmation card.
Then one just needs to do a cheek swab from four areas of the mouth to complete the registration. Remember, even if you are not a match for Joe, you could possibly be a match for someone else who is praying for one!

Check out this NMDP site for more information.

Thank you to Frank and Janet for the lovely card. We love that you are always looking out for Joe. Thank you for your love! Thank you to Pamela for your sweet card. You are a sweetie, and sure make me proud to be related to you! And thank you to Gordon and Julie for the book and box of chocolates you left at our front door. What a lovely surprise! Hope to see you soon. :)

Happy day!

Happy day!

Yet another good day. Joe had his semiweekly blood draw today. The results were better than ever! We were just so thrilled. We still need people to come out for the bone marrow drive on Sunday though! The best case scenario is for Joe to be in remission when he gets his bone marrow transplant. However, even if his perfect match is found tomorrow...or Sunday (!) all the logistics and procedures that need to take place would put the transplant 6-8 weeks from now. He's pretty darn close to remission...but that does not mean cured. We are hoping and praying though that his counts continue to stay high until transplant time. Then he would be able to go back to enjoying some of the things we've taken for granted in the past, without fear.
Cammy Lee is coming to Pittsburgh on Saturday, and the drive will be on Sunday. We are really praying that all of these drives being held in honor of Joe will help in finding him and many others a donor.

We got news that more people have donated vacation time. Joe and I tear up...and sometimes cry (happy, thankful tears!) thinking about how generous people are. It just doesn't get old. It continues to be overwhelming, and we continue to feel far more blessed than we know we deserve.

Another drive. :)

Another fever free day in the Lin household! Joe continues to be doing well. He is reading a lot lately! His injection sights are still sore, but he's experiencing far less nausea than before. Joe was able to eat quite a bit today. Yay!

We're getting really excited about the upcoming bone marrow drive. Don't forget to come! August 20th. You'll be really happy you did it!

I also wanted to tell you about another drive that is coming up in September - also hosted by CLLF. It will be held at Cornell University. If you or your friends are in the area, send them over! Here are the times and locations...

Monday, September 4, 2006
11am-2:30pm
Cornell University
Willard Straight Hall

Monday September 4, 2006
5pm-7:30pm
Cornell University
Appel Center

Tuesday, September 5, 2006
11am-2:30pm
Cornell University

Tuesday, September 5, 2006
5pm-8pm
Cornell University
Robert Purcell Center