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!
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
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
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
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Beautiful day!
Today was a beautiful day. Joe and I took a walk in the park. It was so nice to enjoy the fresh air, and the weather was just perfect.
Sunday, after church David came over to watch the game with Joe. Sheena also came over...we had a fun time being silly and acting like princesses. :) The outcome of the game was sad...but we did love the photos Kenny! Sunday was also the day of the drive in California! According to Karin, it went very well. Thank you again to Karin, her family, and her church for all of your help!!!!!!
Yesterday, Joe decided he was up for another half day of work. Once again, he got all dressed up and looked so handsome. It makes me nervous with so many colds going around, but I know that the department is taking good care of my Joe! Joe got his blood drawn, and his WBC went up slightly since last week. That was a good thing. His platelets dropped...but they are still within normal range. We're praying they stay where they need to be!
That's it. We're praying every day that Joe finds a miracle match. We're also praying for the upcoming drives in Oakland. It would be amazing if these drives were able to help people who are searching for a match! We are so thankful to everyone who has been jumping on board and helping us to spread the word about these drives and spread awareness as well. To everyone who is thinking about Joe all the time, praying and sending lots of virtual hugs, never forget how much it mean to both of us!
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance. Perserverance much finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
~James 1:2-4
Sunday, after church David came over to watch the game with Joe. Sheena also came over...we had a fun time being silly and acting like princesses. :) The outcome of the game was sad...but we did love the photos Kenny! Sunday was also the day of the drive in California! According to Karin, it went very well. Thank you again to Karin, her family, and her church for all of your help!!!!!!
Yesterday, Joe decided he was up for another half day of work. Once again, he got all dressed up and looked so handsome. It makes me nervous with so many colds going around, but I know that the department is taking good care of my Joe! Joe got his blood drawn, and his WBC went up slightly since last week. That was a good thing. His platelets dropped...but they are still within normal range. We're praying they stay where they need to be!
That's it. We're praying every day that Joe finds a miracle match. We're also praying for the upcoming drives in Oakland. It would be amazing if these drives were able to help people who are searching for a match! We are so thankful to everyone who has been jumping on board and helping us to spread the word about these drives and spread awareness as well. To everyone who is thinking about Joe all the time, praying and sending lots of virtual hugs, never forget how much it mean to both of us!
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance. Perserverance much finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
~James 1:2-4
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Still doing well.
These past few days have been good. On Thursday, we got to hang out with my mom in the evening while my dad went to a meeting. My dad had a blast with David from radiology. :) On Friday we went to CrossRoads in the evening. It was great to fellowship with our brothers and sisters, and get to know some of the new members. Today we were good and hung out at home. Joe continues to read like crazy!!!!!! Thank you to LihJen for bringing us some food this afternoon!!!! It was sweet of you to think of us.
We're ironing out details for the drives in in the 'Burgh. If you'd like to help by posting a flier, and we haven't already emailed you, contact us and we'll hook you up! I'll post about the October 2 drive as soon as I learn more. For everyone near LA, don't forget that tomorrow is a big day, thanks to Karin and her church!!!!!
Sunday, September 24
12pm-3:00pm
Evangelical Formosan Church East Valley
20625 La Puente Rd
Walnut, CA 91789
If that's not convenient, no worries. There are more bone marrow drives in the area! I'm posting them here, so no excuses. These are drives that are being held in the next week. Show up and register if you're in the area, or help and SPREAD THE WORD!
These drives are being hosted by A3M:
Sunday, September 24
5:30pm-7:00pm
Ascension Ministry
LA KUMC
7400 Osage Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Monday, September 25
8am-11am
Monterey Park Fire Department
Station 1 Headquarters
350 W Newmark Avenue
Montery Park, CA 91754
Saturday, September 30, 2006
11am-5pm
Phil-Am Expo And Auto Show 1
Los Angeles Convention Center Booth 536
1201 Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Saturday, September 30
2pm-7pm
Moon Festival S. Pasadena
South Pasadena High School
1401 Fremont Avenue
South Pasadena, CA 91030
Saturday, September 30
5:30pm-10pm
Los Angeles Korean International Film Festival
Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater
8000 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Saturday, September 30, 2006
6 pm - 8 pm
St. John the Baptist Church
1015 BakerCosta
Mesa, CA 92626
Sunday, October 1, 2006
11 am - 5 pm
Phil-Am Expo And Auto Show 2
Los Angeles Convention Center Booth 536
1201 Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Sunday, October 1, 2006
4:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Los Angeles Korean International Film Festival
Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater
8000 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Here are drives hosted by AADP in Northern California:
Sunday, September 24
3pm-7pm
Shri Swaminaryan Mandir
1425 W. Pine Ave.
Fresno, CA 93728
Sunday, September 24
11am-3:30pm
San Francisco International DragonBoat Festival
Treasure Island
San Francisco, CA
Tuesday and Wednesday, September 26-27
11:30am-1pm
Pacific Gas & Electric
245 Market Street
San Francisco, CA
Day 1 - Atrium /Day 2 - Campaign for Community Kickoff
Auditorium Lobby
Saturday and Sunday, September 30 and October 1
11am-3:30pm
Moon Festival of the Silicon Valley
Cupertino Memorial Park
Stevens Creek Blvd. @ Mary Avenue
Cupertino, CA
And for the East Coast, in case you don't feel like scrolling down. :)
Sunday, October 1
10:30am-4:00pm
Pittsburgh Chinese Church
Oakland Location - held at North Dithridge St(Previously New Hope)
134 North Dithridge St
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
October 2
Carnegie Mellon
September 26-27
11am-4pm
Binghamton University
New Union Room
September 29-30
NYU Asian American Health Conference
NYU School of Medicine
New York, NY
In case, these drive postings are getting boring...well, I must say that I'm sorry...but I'm not really that sorry. :) For obvious reasons, this is a cause that Joe and I have become very passionate about. Because of this, we're going to be spreading the word, spreading awareness, and posting about drives until we're blue in the face and every person even remotely affected by our story can't help but spread the word as well. It is totally cliche, but it's true...if only one person shows up to one of the above drives because of this blog, my efforts were still worthwhile. After all, that is one more person who is on the registry and has the potential to save a life. Please help in some way if you can. I was sharing with the girls in my fellowship yesterday that it made me sad to know that I didn't register until someone so very dear to my heart was affected - my husband. I honestly have no clue how many posters and signs I've walked past and ignored that cried out, "Help save my husband, sister, mother, daughter..." This hurts my heart. But now my eyes have been open to realize that thousands of people are searching for a miracle donor. So I will continue to shout from the rooftops. :) SPREAD THE WORD!
Happy birthday to dear sweet Sara (23rd). And a very happy first anniversary to amazing Lisa and Andrew (24th).
Thank you so much to 2-degree Louis who will be "Running for Joe" in November. Hope it's not too cold!!!!
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in
difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
~2 Corinthians 12:9-10
We're ironing out details for the drives in in the 'Burgh. If you'd like to help by posting a flier, and we haven't already emailed you, contact us and we'll hook you up! I'll post about the October 2 drive as soon as I learn more. For everyone near LA, don't forget that tomorrow is a big day, thanks to Karin and her church!!!!!
Sunday, September 24
12pm-3:00pm
Evangelical Formosan Church East Valley
20625 La Puente Rd
Walnut, CA 91789
If that's not convenient, no worries. There are more bone marrow drives in the area! I'm posting them here, so no excuses. These are drives that are being held in the next week. Show up and register if you're in the area, or help and SPREAD THE WORD!
These drives are being hosted by A3M:
Sunday, September 24
5:30pm-7:00pm
Ascension Ministry
LA KUMC
7400 Osage Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Monday, September 25
8am-11am
Monterey Park Fire Department
Station 1 Headquarters
350 W Newmark Avenue
Montery Park, CA 91754
Saturday, September 30, 2006
11am-5pm
Phil-Am Expo And Auto Show 1
Los Angeles Convention Center Booth 536
1201 Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Saturday, September 30
2pm-7pm
Moon Festival S. Pasadena
South Pasadena High School
1401 Fremont Avenue
South Pasadena, CA 91030
Saturday, September 30
5:30pm-10pm
Los Angeles Korean International Film Festival
Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater
8000 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Saturday, September 30, 2006
6 pm - 8 pm
St. John the Baptist Church
1015 BakerCosta
Mesa, CA 92626
Sunday, October 1, 2006
11 am - 5 pm
Phil-Am Expo And Auto Show 2
Los Angeles Convention Center Booth 536
1201 Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Sunday, October 1, 2006
4:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Los Angeles Korean International Film Festival
Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater
8000 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Here are drives hosted by AADP in Northern California:
Sunday, September 24
3pm-7pm
Shri Swaminaryan Mandir
1425 W. Pine Ave.
Fresno, CA 93728
Sunday, September 24
11am-3:30pm
San Francisco International DragonBoat Festival
Treasure Island
San Francisco, CA
Tuesday and Wednesday, September 26-27
11:30am-1pm
Pacific Gas & Electric
245 Market Street
San Francisco, CA
Day 1 - Atrium /Day 2 - Campaign for Community Kickoff
Auditorium Lobby
Saturday and Sunday, September 30 and October 1
11am-3:30pm
Moon Festival of the Silicon Valley
Cupertino Memorial Park
Stevens Creek Blvd. @ Mary Avenue
Cupertino, CA
And for the East Coast, in case you don't feel like scrolling down. :)
Sunday, October 1
10:30am-4:00pm
Pittsburgh Chinese Church
Oakland Location - held at North Dithridge St(Previously New Hope)
134 North Dithridge St
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
October 2
Carnegie Mellon
September 26-27
11am-4pm
Binghamton University
New Union Room
September 29-30
NYU Asian American Health Conference
NYU School of Medicine
New York, NY
In case, these drive postings are getting boring...well, I must say that I'm sorry...but I'm not really that sorry. :) For obvious reasons, this is a cause that Joe and I have become very passionate about. Because of this, we're going to be spreading the word, spreading awareness, and posting about drives until we're blue in the face and every person even remotely affected by our story can't help but spread the word as well. It is totally cliche, but it's true...if only one person shows up to one of the above drives because of this blog, my efforts were still worthwhile. After all, that is one more person who is on the registry and has the potential to save a life. Please help in some way if you can. I was sharing with the girls in my fellowship yesterday that it made me sad to know that I didn't register until someone so very dear to my heart was affected - my husband. I honestly have no clue how many posters and signs I've walked past and ignored that cried out, "Help save my husband, sister, mother, daughter..." This hurts my heart. But now my eyes have been open to realize that thousands of people are searching for a miracle donor. So I will continue to shout from the rooftops. :) SPREAD THE WORD!
Happy birthday to dear sweet Sara (23rd). And a very happy first anniversary to amazing Lisa and Andrew (24th).
Thank you so much to 2-degree Louis who will be "Running for Joe" in November. Hope it's not too cold!!!!
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in
difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
~2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Real shoes!
This morning, Joe decided he wanted to spend a few hours in the radiology department. He has been feeling a lot better, and he just wants to keep his feet wet as for as radiology goes. So Joe made the announcement that he was going to drive to the hospital by himself and stay for a few hours. Joe then proceeded to put on a nice button down shirt, slacks, and dress socks! When he got to his shoes, he said, "Wow! I'm wearing real shoes!" (He's been living in sneakers and flip-flops.) I'm not a parent yet (although, I pray that Joe and I have that privilege someday.) but I felt like I was sending my boy off for his first day of school!!!! For the past three months, Joe and I have spent most of our time together. People love to ask if he's driving me crazy yet. Joe can be silly and crazy, and I sometimes joke around and call him a slave-driver. But honestly, I LOVE spending time with him! Sappy me can't get enough of him. I'm just speaking for myself though. I'm too smart to speak for Joe. :) You'll have to ask him yourself if I'm driving him crazy!
Joe got his blood drawn. His hemoglobin and platelets continue to be within normal levels. His WBC was just below the normal range before, and today's results showed that they went down more. He is still in the "safe" zone, but we have to be more cautious now just in case they drop more. The first week after chemo is always when there is a possibility that his counts will drop. This is the lowest his WBC has been in several weeks though. We pray it is just for this week, and then they'll go back up again!
Joe attended conference today and then spent some time in the department. I don't know how much work he got to do, but at least he was able to spend some time with the residents and attendings! Thanks to Dr. Tabor for giving Joe some good reading! He's already started.
Today I'm actually going to post about a fun event for those in the Philly area that has absolutely nothing to do with drives or MDS or hospital stuff. Imagine that!!!!! I have a friend I met in high school at PGSA ( Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts). He is an incredible saxophone player, and an all around cool guy. Well, his quartet is performing this weekend at the Philadelphia Museum of Art! So a shout out to Jaleel Shaw!!!!! (I have his CD, and it is amazing!) Here are the details.
Hosted By::Philadelphia Art Museum
When:Friday Sep 22, 2006 at 5:00 PM
Where::Philadelphia Art Museum
26th st. and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19130
Jaleel Shaw Quartet:
Jaleel Shaw - Alto Saxophone
Aaron Goldberg - Piano
Joe Martin - Bass
Greg Hutchinson - Drums
The show is Free with a paid adm. to the Museum ($12)
Joe got his blood drawn. His hemoglobin and platelets continue to be within normal levels. His WBC was just below the normal range before, and today's results showed that they went down more. He is still in the "safe" zone, but we have to be more cautious now just in case they drop more. The first week after chemo is always when there is a possibility that his counts will drop. This is the lowest his WBC has been in several weeks though. We pray it is just for this week, and then they'll go back up again!
Joe attended conference today and then spent some time in the department. I don't know how much work he got to do, but at least he was able to spend some time with the residents and attendings! Thanks to Dr. Tabor for giving Joe some good reading! He's already started.
Today I'm actually going to post about a fun event for those in the Philly area that has absolutely nothing to do with drives or MDS or hospital stuff. Imagine that!!!!! I have a friend I met in high school at PGSA ( Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts). He is an incredible saxophone player, and an all around cool guy. Well, his quartet is performing this weekend at the Philadelphia Museum of Art! So a shout out to Jaleel Shaw!!!!! (I have his CD, and it is amazing!) Here are the details.
Hosted By::Philadelphia Art Museum
When:Friday Sep 22, 2006 at 5:00 PM
Where::Philadelphia Art Museum
26th st. and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19130
Jaleel Shaw Quartet:
Jaleel Shaw - Alto Saxophone
Aaron Goldberg - Piano
Joe Martin - Bass
Greg Hutchinson - Drums
The show is Free with a paid adm. to the Museum ($12)
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Hospital-free. :)
Yesterday Joe and I were so pleased to have a hospital free day!!!!! We picked up Joe's car from the car doctor. She's as good as new now! Then we actually ventured to the newly remodeled Sam's club, figuring Monday would not be a very busy day. It wasn't. Joe loved being able to go out and do some shopping, even if it was just for Kleenex. :)
We returned home to find a lovely surprise. A package from Mike and Amy! We love all things crafty, and crafty plus Steelers is a super plus. Thank you so much!!!!!! You two are too sweet.
Today we had a lovely visit from Pastor Jim! It was wonderful to just sit around and chat. Pastor Jim even brought over some yummy brownies that Angela made. (We gobbled them right up!) What a treat! Joe and I feel so blessed to attend a church with such a great Pastor. One of our fondest memories is of Pastor Jim showing up for a BBQ we held for our fellowship, and staying all night to play Cranium with us! How cool is that?
In the evening we had a surprise visit from Julie and Gordon. They brought over some entertainment and some yummy goodies that we dug into immediately!!!! Thank you!
Yeah, so we're feeling pretty loved this week. Joe looks amazing. Anybody who saw him a couple months ago can attest to that. It's funny, because sometimes when I walk around I feel like I must have a sign on my head that says, "my husband has MDS," and Joe has a sign that says, "I have MDS." But the world continues to revolve...and not around me...not even around Joe! People still cut me off when I'm driving. People still shove in front of us to get on the elevator. People still smile and nod and go about their daily routine. It's just funny, that to people who don't know us, now that Joe has no mask or triple lumen, we just look like any old couple. For now that feels good. At the same time, it also makes me more aware than ever that I never have the right to judge another person. You just never know. You just never know.
Moving on. :) Mark your calendars!!!!! For everyone who was begging and pleading and wondering about a drive in Oakland, it is now OFFICIAL!!!!!!! There will be not one, but TWO bone marrow drives in Oakland. So spread the word, and SHOW UP!!!!!
October 1
Pittsburgh Chinese Church
Oakland Location - held at North Dithridge St
(Previously New Hope)
134 North Dithridge St
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
October 2
Carnegie Mellon
I'll post more details as I get them, and I'll be contacting many of you to help post fliers and spread the word!!!!!
Here are more drives that are coming up. Please share with people in the area and ask them to register! I know it's so easy to ignore these postings and go on with your life. But you could be SAVING a life. It's just as important to register (Thank you to everyone registered!!!!) as it is to share with others and promote awareness. I realize that begging isn't becoming, but I'm trying to be very nice about it. :)
September 24
12pm-3:00pm
Evangelical Formosen Church East Valley
20625 La Puente Rd
Walnut, CA 91789
September 26-27
11am-4pm
Binghamton University
New Union Room
September 29-30
NYU Asian American Health Conference
NYU School of Medicine
New York, NY
October 6 and 13
11:30am-4pm
SUNY Albany
Patroon Lounge
October 20
11am-6pm
Drexel University
Creese Student Center
And now a couple cute pictures.
Joe and his parents.
Joe and Pastor Jim.
Camille celebrated a wedding anniversary this week. Happy anniversary!
We love you. :) All of you!
We returned home to find a lovely surprise. A package from Mike and Amy! We love all things crafty, and crafty plus Steelers is a super plus. Thank you so much!!!!!! You two are too sweet.
Today we had a lovely visit from Pastor Jim! It was wonderful to just sit around and chat. Pastor Jim even brought over some yummy brownies that Angela made. (We gobbled them right up!) What a treat! Joe and I feel so blessed to attend a church with such a great Pastor. One of our fondest memories is of Pastor Jim showing up for a BBQ we held for our fellowship, and staying all night to play Cranium with us! How cool is that?
In the evening we had a surprise visit from Julie and Gordon. They brought over some entertainment and some yummy goodies that we dug into immediately!!!! Thank you!
Yeah, so we're feeling pretty loved this week. Joe looks amazing. Anybody who saw him a couple months ago can attest to that. It's funny, because sometimes when I walk around I feel like I must have a sign on my head that says, "my husband has MDS," and Joe has a sign that says, "I have MDS." But the world continues to revolve...and not around me...not even around Joe! People still cut me off when I'm driving. People still shove in front of us to get on the elevator. People still smile and nod and go about their daily routine. It's just funny, that to people who don't know us, now that Joe has no mask or triple lumen, we just look like any old couple. For now that feels good. At the same time, it also makes me more aware than ever that I never have the right to judge another person. You just never know. You just never know.
Moving on. :) Mark your calendars!!!!! For everyone who was begging and pleading and wondering about a drive in Oakland, it is now OFFICIAL!!!!!!! There will be not one, but TWO bone marrow drives in Oakland. So spread the word, and SHOW UP!!!!!
October 1
Pittsburgh Chinese Church
Oakland Location - held at North Dithridge St
(Previously New Hope)
134 North Dithridge St
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
October 2
Carnegie Mellon
I'll post more details as I get them, and I'll be contacting many of you to help post fliers and spread the word!!!!!
Here are more drives that are coming up. Please share with people in the area and ask them to register! I know it's so easy to ignore these postings and go on with your life. But you could be SAVING a life. It's just as important to register (Thank you to everyone registered!!!!) as it is to share with others and promote awareness. I realize that begging isn't becoming, but I'm trying to be very nice about it. :)
September 24
12pm-3:00pm
Evangelical Formosen Church East Valley
20625 La Puente Rd
Walnut, CA 91789
September 26-27
11am-4pm
Binghamton University
New Union Room
September 29-30
NYU Asian American Health Conference
NYU School of Medicine
New York, NY
October 6 and 13
11:30am-4pm
SUNY Albany
Patroon Lounge
October 20
11am-6pm
Drexel University
Creese Student Center
And now a couple cute pictures.
Joe and his parents.
Joe and Pastor Jim.
Camille celebrated a wedding anniversary this week. Happy anniversary!
We love you. :) All of you!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
:)
I was able to attend church again this Sunday. It was great to be able to catch up with some people and bring back fun stories for Joe!!! Besides being sore, Joe is feeling great. Praise the Lord! In the evening we were both able to join Joe's parents for dinner. That was a fun treat.
Today was the day of the bone marrow drive in Philly. I'll post more about it as soon as I hear! Thank you to everyone who played a role in making it a success. :)
And now it's time for those in the LA area to get ready!!!!!!
September 24
12pm-3:00pm
Evangelical Formosen Church East Valley
20625 La Puente Rd
Walnut, CA 91789
As always, SPREAD THE WORD, SPREAD THE WORD, SPREAD THE WORD!!!!! I also heard from Karin that A3M hosted a succesful drive at a sister church recently - Evangelical Formosan Church Irvine. YAY!
I know so many people are praying for us each day, because we can feel it. Really we can. Thank you. Along this whole journey we have felt so very blessed. It's our prayer that others facing challenges of any kind are finding blessings as well.
Today was the day of the bone marrow drive in Philly. I'll post more about it as soon as I hear! Thank you to everyone who played a role in making it a success. :)
And now it's time for those in the LA area to get ready!!!!!!
September 24
12pm-3:00pm
Evangelical Formosen Church East Valley
20625 La Puente Rd
Walnut, CA 91789
As always, SPREAD THE WORD, SPREAD THE WORD, SPREAD THE WORD!!!!! I also heard from Karin that A3M hosted a succesful drive at a sister church recently - Evangelical Formosan Church Irvine. YAY!
I know so many people are praying for us each day, because we can feel it. Really we can. Thank you. Along this whole journey we have felt so very blessed. It's our prayer that others facing challenges of any kind are finding blessings as well.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Round three is over!!!!
YAY! Joe finished his last day of chemo for round three yesterday. Joe had a bit of nausea yesterday, and he was feeling especially sore and tired. He made it though! In the morning, we stopped by Borders so that I could wait in line with a bunch of other crazy people and get a ticket for a Jerome Bettis book signing. Joe is such a HUGE Steelers fan, and so I wanted to get him an autographed book! It was the least I could do after all he's been through. The line wasn't bad at all.
We then proceeded to the hospital. Joe got his blood drawn and then his Vidaza injections. Afterwards we decided to go visit a bunch of people in the radiology department. It was great to see everybody again! Everyone just loves Joe (or they do an amazing job pretending they do! But honestly, what's not to love?) . It was great for Joe to catch up with everyone. We even got to hang out with Joe's dad for awhile, which was nice. We checked Joe's lab results while we were there, and everything still looks great! Thank you to everyone for the love and the smiles!!!!!
After the hospital visit, we picked up Joe's car and dropped it off at the car doctor. Poor thing has an engine problem. Booooo.
In the evening, I went back to Borders for the book signing. I heard from some people that they gave out 500 tickets. Others said closer to 350. All I know is that the place was just teeming with people. I was number 166. I only had to wait for around 2.5 hours...which meant I only had to listen to "Here we go Steelers, here we go! Pittsburgh's going to the Super Bowl!" about 573 times. The wait should have been much shorter, but the BUS was about an hour or so late. People were pushing and grouching in the area where the line was. This was super silly since they were calling groups of 50...and then lining everyone up in order based on their ticket number. I found myself a nice cozy spot by the magazines. Then when that got crazy, I found a completely empty corner of the bookstore. Haha. My dad saw coverage on TV and was wondering where I was! I was hiding. :) Silly people. I was feeling bad all night that Joe wasn't the one who would get to meet Jerome. But it ended up being quite underwhelming. He's a good looking guy, and I love seeing him on TV, and it was cool seeing him in person...but the folks in charge had everything set up very machine-like. A couple people stuck post-it notes in the books so that Jerome could just look at it and dedicate it. One person opened the book for you. One person took the book and handed it to Jerome. One person handed the book back to you, and that was it! I actually felt sorry for Jerome, because he was just signing and signing and signing. At one point, he looked like he was going to sign a bear a kid put in front of him...but one of the folks in charge said, "he can't sign that!" And so the kid walked away crying. Poor guy. So yeah. That was it. Joe ended up having a blast at home, because his buddy Mike called, and the two of them can talk forever! I really didn't mind the long wait though. It was still worth it to be able to give Joe and autographed book. :)
Tomorrow is the drive in Philly!!!!! If you can go, go! If you can't, try to convince at least one person to go! So many people are praying for a miracle match it hurts my heart. Let's do what we can to help. Here's the latest drive info...
Sunday, September 17, 2006
12:30pm-4:30pm
Chinese Christian Church
Vine St. Building
1101 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 627.2360
September 23
NJ Chinese Festival
Jersey City, NJ
September 29-30
NYU Asian American Health Conference
NYU School of Medicine
New York, NY
Here is a fun way for people in the Pittsburgh area to help people...
Happy day to Sarah and Mike and their families. :) Happy belated birthday to Pearlie. :)
We then proceeded to the hospital. Joe got his blood drawn and then his Vidaza injections. Afterwards we decided to go visit a bunch of people in the radiology department. It was great to see everybody again! Everyone just loves Joe (or they do an amazing job pretending they do! But honestly, what's not to love?) . It was great for Joe to catch up with everyone. We even got to hang out with Joe's dad for awhile, which was nice. We checked Joe's lab results while we were there, and everything still looks great! Thank you to everyone for the love and the smiles!!!!!
After the hospital visit, we picked up Joe's car and dropped it off at the car doctor. Poor thing has an engine problem. Booooo.
In the evening, I went back to Borders for the book signing. I heard from some people that they gave out 500 tickets. Others said closer to 350. All I know is that the place was just teeming with people. I was number 166. I only had to wait for around 2.5 hours...which meant I only had to listen to "Here we go Steelers, here we go! Pittsburgh's going to the Super Bowl!" about 573 times. The wait should have been much shorter, but the BUS was about an hour or so late. People were pushing and grouching in the area where the line was. This was super silly since they were calling groups of 50...and then lining everyone up in order based on their ticket number. I found myself a nice cozy spot by the magazines. Then when that got crazy, I found a completely empty corner of the bookstore. Haha. My dad saw coverage on TV and was wondering where I was! I was hiding. :) Silly people. I was feeling bad all night that Joe wasn't the one who would get to meet Jerome. But it ended up being quite underwhelming. He's a good looking guy, and I love seeing him on TV, and it was cool seeing him in person...but the folks in charge had everything set up very machine-like. A couple people stuck post-it notes in the books so that Jerome could just look at it and dedicate it. One person opened the book for you. One person took the book and handed it to Jerome. One person handed the book back to you, and that was it! I actually felt sorry for Jerome, because he was just signing and signing and signing. At one point, he looked like he was going to sign a bear a kid put in front of him...but one of the folks in charge said, "he can't sign that!" And so the kid walked away crying. Poor guy. So yeah. That was it. Joe ended up having a blast at home, because his buddy Mike called, and the two of them can talk forever! I really didn't mind the long wait though. It was still worth it to be able to give Joe and autographed book. :)
Tomorrow is the drive in Philly!!!!! If you can go, go! If you can't, try to convince at least one person to go! So many people are praying for a miracle match it hurts my heart. Let's do what we can to help. Here's the latest drive info...
Sunday, September 17, 2006
12:30pm-4:30pm
Chinese Christian Church
Vine St. Building
1101 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 627.2360
September 23
NJ Chinese Festival
Jersey City, NJ
September 29-30
NYU Asian American Health Conference
NYU School of Medicine
New York, NY
"This Sunday, September 17, 2006, big Burrito Restaurant Group invites everyone to join us as we serve up a generous helping for the Hillman Cancer Center. The big Benefit dinner kicks off at 5pm and runs throughout the evening at big Burrito’s restaurants: Casbah, Eleven, Kaya®, all eight Mad Mex® locations and Soba.
100% of all food proceeds from this night will be donated to the Hillman Cancer Center for research and patient care.
No paperwork to fill out. No checks to write. The more you order, the more we give. It’s that simple.
About the Hillman Center:
The Hillman Cancer Center is an international leader in cancer treatment, research and care. The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) is the only center in western Pennsylvania with the elite Comprehensive Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute. Working in tandem with UPCI are the UPMC Cancer Centers, the largest and busiest cancer center network in the US, treating over 37,000 new patients each year. The network includes 43 cancer centers throughout the region with the Hillman Cancer Center as its flagship."
And here's something fun for those in the California area...
Lani Misalucha with Society of Seven • Benefit Dinner & Concert | |
| TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE |
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Round 3, Day 3.
Joe received his third day of chemo round three today. Usually, when he gets his chemo he is sore and tender for a little over a week, and he experiences nausea which affects his appetite. This time he still feels the soreness and tenderness, and some of the old injection sites have flared up a bit. The good news is that Joe is experiencing far less nausea, and his appetite is still great. Praise the Lord! We're still working on eating healthy...but at the same time, I secretly (or maybe not so secretly) want to "fatten" Joe up and get him as strong as possible before we need to seriously think about transplant time. So far, I feel like I'm still almost in a state of denial. Some days, Joe looks and acts just like he did when things were "normal" - and boy do I wish that they were! All in all though, I feel that we have embraced what is our life and have agreed that it sucks. But we have also agreed that we have learned and gained so much. So in many ways, it really has been a huge blessing. It just feels crazy and weird and awful to say that because it's my husband who is going through all the pain and not me. But it's true, I'd trade places with him in a heartbeat.
Joe's counts are still looking great. We are so very thankful for that. Woohooo!
The Philly drive is this coming Sunday. Joe and I are so excited about this drive and the prospect of many miracle matches being found! With the help of S & L Fellowship, and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and many friends that I've contacted, fliers and announcements are being posted all over Philadelphia. Thank you all SO very much for making this happen, for your prayers, support and participation!!!!! If you are in or around Philly, or know people who are, and you'd like to share a flier - contact me or Joe and we'll hook you up! Here's the info again...
Sunday, September 17, 2006
12:30pm-4:30pm
Chinese Christian Church
Vine St. Building
1101 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 627.2360
Only two more days of chemo. :)
Thank you to Miss Joan for the super sweet card and passing on love from "my kids!" I miss all of you!!!!
Happy belated birthday to swing dancin' Anthony. Happy birthday to sweet paper crane Doreen. And happy early birthday to my pizza eating buddy Caryn!
Thank you to everyone for loving us still. :)
Joe's counts are still looking great. We are so very thankful for that. Woohooo!
The Philly drive is this coming Sunday. Joe and I are so excited about this drive and the prospect of many miracle matches being found! With the help of S & L Fellowship, and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and many friends that I've contacted, fliers and announcements are being posted all over Philadelphia. Thank you all SO very much for making this happen, for your prayers, support and participation!!!!! If you are in or around Philly, or know people who are, and you'd like to share a flier - contact me or Joe and we'll hook you up! Here's the info again...
Sunday, September 17, 2006
12:30pm-4:30pm
Chinese Christian Church
Vine St. Building
1101 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 627.2360
Only two more days of chemo. :)
Thank you to Miss Joan for the super sweet card and passing on love from "my kids!" I miss all of you!!!!
Happy belated birthday to swing dancin' Anthony. Happy birthday to sweet paper crane Doreen. And happy early birthday to my pizza eating buddy Caryn!
Thank you to everyone for loving us still. :)
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Stayin' strong.
Joe continues to be doing as well as can be in his situation. On Friday, he had good blood draw results once again! We also met with the doctor. All went smoothly, and Joe was given the okay to start his third round of chemo on Monday. This way he got to avoid going to Short Stay over the weekend. He loves the nurses...just not the process of going to Short Stay. So this week we get to go to the hospital every day from Monday to Friday. Each of Joe's injection spots have been tender for about a week...and the 2nd round caused his 1st round injection sites to flare up a bit. But he is feeling pretty much back to his normal self, so I think he'll handle this 3rd round with flying colors! Now that football season is here, Joe has plenty of distraction too. :) Keep up the prayers of course - Joe's smile is back, the sparkle in his eyes are back, and he is eating and sleeping better than ever now. But I know that there is a lot on his mind and in his heart. We are constantly praying for him and countless others who are being challenged. I must say, I'm very proud of my hubby!
Joe and I went to CrossRoads on Friday. It is our fellowship group at church. It is growing little by little, but the group is still small enough that we felt comfortable attending. Joe was all smiles! It was great for both of us to fellowship with our brothers and sisters.
This morning I went to church. Joe stayed home, because now that summer is over, church can officially be called a "crowd." And now that cold and flu season is beginning, Joe has been told to continue to stay away from large groups! It was wonderful to see everyone though. Always I feel so blessed that we are surrounded by such a loving network of people!
Be thinking about Sarah and Mike (and their families!) because they are getting married this next weekend!!!!!!! They are such a great couple, and I just know they are going to have a great marriage. I don't know Mike's family, but I know that Sarah has one of the coolest families, and she has pretty great maid of honor (sister) too!!!!! Enjoy this last week of being single, kids! But know that married life is quite sweet. I highly recommend it. :)
And I just have to say thank you to Gretchen because you are just so faithful in showing your support for us, and we feel your prayers! Thank you SO VERY MUCH, and know that we are praying so much for your family too!
Joe and I went to CrossRoads on Friday. It is our fellowship group at church. It is growing little by little, but the group is still small enough that we felt comfortable attending. Joe was all smiles! It was great for both of us to fellowship with our brothers and sisters.
This morning I went to church. Joe stayed home, because now that summer is over, church can officially be called a "crowd." And now that cold and flu season is beginning, Joe has been told to continue to stay away from large groups! It was wonderful to see everyone though. Always I feel so blessed that we are surrounded by such a loving network of people!
Be thinking about Sarah and Mike (and their families!) because they are getting married this next weekend!!!!!!! They are such a great couple, and I just know they are going to have a great marriage. I don't know Mike's family, but I know that Sarah has one of the coolest families, and she has pretty great maid of honor (sister) too!!!!! Enjoy this last week of being single, kids! But know that married life is quite sweet. I highly recommend it. :)
And I just have to say thank you to Gretchen because you are just so faithful in showing your support for us, and we feel your prayers! Thank you SO VERY MUCH, and know that we are praying so much for your family too!
Friday, September 08, 2006
GO STEELERS!!!!!!!
Yay for the Steelers!!!!!
And here is a cute pic of my brother and parents. Victor is heading back to "Hah-vahd" this weekend.
We meet with the doctor again tomorrow, and Joe will be starting chemo round 3 sometime between tomorrow and Monday.
Congratulations to Alyssa and Ryan who are now parents to a beautiful girl! And another good luck to the radiology residents taking boards!
And here is a cute pic of my brother and parents. Victor is heading back to "Hah-vahd" this weekend.
We meet with the doctor again tomorrow, and Joe will be starting chemo round 3 sometime between tomorrow and Monday.
Congratulations to Alyssa and Ryan who are now parents to a beautiful girl! And another good luck to the radiology residents taking boards!
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Good luck WPH rads residents
Just wanted to drop a line to wish good luck to all the West Penn radiology residents who are taking board exams on Friday. Also, good luck to Paul and the 1st years for holding up the fort! We're cheering for you!
Joe & Karen
Joe & Karen
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!
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!
Fussy, fussy, fussy!
Our computer has been acting super fussy and moody lately. I think it's feeling a little better this morning though. :)
I don't have too much to report today. We got to spend some time with my family over the weekend. That was nice. Monday was labor day, so Joe didn't get his blood drawn until yesterday. We decided to be adventurous and travel to AGH Suburban campus. We took some crazy route to get there...and then discovered that it is super close to where we took dance lessons with Lisa! At least we know where it is now!
Joe's results came back pretty quickly. His WBC went down, which was not unexpected. And fortunately, it's not low enough to be worrisome. Everything else is still looking good. Praise the Lord!
There are some drives coming up in Philadelphia and Oakland (Pittsburgh). Yay!!!! I'll post more later today.
Thank you to Pei-chen for the sweet postcard. It was very touching! And thank you to Caryn for sending those beautiful song lyrics. We got really excited when we realized we have that song, so we had to listen to it. :)
Love to everyone! Hope you all had a nice and restful weekend.
I don't have too much to report today. We got to spend some time with my family over the weekend. That was nice. Monday was labor day, so Joe didn't get his blood drawn until yesterday. We decided to be adventurous and travel to AGH Suburban campus. We took some crazy route to get there...and then discovered that it is super close to where we took dance lessons with Lisa! At least we know where it is now!
Joe's results came back pretty quickly. His WBC went down, which was not unexpected. And fortunately, it's not low enough to be worrisome. Everything else is still looking good. Praise the Lord!
There are some drives coming up in Philadelphia and Oakland (Pittsburgh). Yay!!!! I'll post more later today.
Thank you to Pei-chen for the sweet postcard. It was very touching! And thank you to Caryn for sending those beautiful song lyrics. We got really excited when we realized we have that song, so we had to listen to it. :)
Love to everyone! Hope you all had a nice and restful weekend.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Poems
Today I'm just going to post two poems written by Christine Pechera. She is an amazing, beautiful and talented girl who has been all over the news as she courageously battles non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Her story was brought to our attention shortly after Joe was diagnosed. Today Christine is 59 days out from undergoing a risky partial-match bone marrow transplant. Despite a long a desperate search, she was unable to find a perfect match. She is still fighting though, and taking joy in living life, even as she is healing. Her story is so inspiring. Her poems speak volumes...
How Beautiful is this Life and how Blessed Am I aka I Thanked the Illness
There was a time when I could smell the blossom of a Rose,
When I could feel the warmth of the Sun on my skin,
When I could hear the Laughter of children
But then one day my whole life collapsed underneath me,
And I began to fall.
It became dark. It became painful.
It became lonely.
I curled up into myself and cried and said,
"I just want to die."
My subconscious Mind heard me,
And my Body said,
"Okay."
And soon the illness came.
When the illness came, I feared it.
I didn't know it was to become my greatest Teacher.
It showed me the Love of Family, Friends and Strangers
That I couldn't see before.
It revealed the Beauty and Presence of God,
Living and Vibrating all around Me.
It gave me Gratitude for this so very brief Gift of Time on this Earth
And it taught me to say,
"Thank You, for I am Alive."
I thanked the illness for coming and teaching me these things.
It nodded,
and then
went away.
So now today,
I can see the Soul in the Blossom of a Rose
I can feel the Power of the Sun within Me
And I can Laugh like a Child again.
The illness taught me how Precious is each Moment,
How Beautiful is this Life,
And how Blessed Am I .
November 2003
Christine Pechera
No matter the outcome(An open letter to my loved ones and caregiver)
I know you're scared. I'm scared too.
But no matter the outcome, I will always love you.
You tell me you don't know what to say.
Don't say anything. Just listen.
You tell me you don't know what to do.
Don't do anything. Just hold me.
No matter the outcome,
I need to know that I am loved.
I need to know that my love is accepted.
I need to see that my life has made a difference in this world.
No matter the outlook,
I need to hear "Everything is going to be alright."
I need to be supported, not smothered.
When I am exhausted or hurting, I need someone to hold onto.
And sometimes I just need time alone.
No matter the outburst,
When I shake with tears don't try to "fix" it.
When fear and frustration lead to shouts and anger, forgive it.
When the trials of the day leave me despondent, acknowledge it.
When I can find humor in the darkness and laugh, enjoy it.
Have courage. Keep faith. Be strong. Don't wait.
And please don't forget to hold my hand.
I know you're scared.
I'm scared too
But no matter the outcome
I will always love you..
Christine Pechera
How Beautiful is this Life and how Blessed Am I aka I Thanked the Illness
There was a time when I could smell the blossom of a Rose,
When I could feel the warmth of the Sun on my skin,
When I could hear the Laughter of children
But then one day my whole life collapsed underneath me,
And I began to fall.
It became dark. It became painful.
It became lonely.
I curled up into myself and cried and said,
"I just want to die."
My subconscious Mind heard me,
And my Body said,
"Okay."
And soon the illness came.
When the illness came, I feared it.
I didn't know it was to become my greatest Teacher.
It showed me the Love of Family, Friends and Strangers
That I couldn't see before.
It revealed the Beauty and Presence of God,
Living and Vibrating all around Me.
It gave me Gratitude for this so very brief Gift of Time on this Earth
And it taught me to say,
"Thank You, for I am Alive."
I thanked the illness for coming and teaching me these things.
It nodded,
and then
went away.
So now today,
I can see the Soul in the Blossom of a Rose
I can feel the Power of the Sun within Me
And I can Laugh like a Child again.
The illness taught me how Precious is each Moment,
How Beautiful is this Life,
And how Blessed Am I .
November 2003
Christine Pechera
No matter the outcome(An open letter to my loved ones and caregiver)
I know you're scared. I'm scared too.
But no matter the outcome, I will always love you.
You tell me you don't know what to say.
Don't say anything. Just listen.
You tell me you don't know what to do.
Don't do anything. Just hold me.
No matter the outcome,
I need to know that I am loved.
I need to know that my love is accepted.
I need to see that my life has made a difference in this world.
No matter the outlook,
I need to hear "Everything is going to be alright."
I need to be supported, not smothered.
When I am exhausted or hurting, I need someone to hold onto.
And sometimes I just need time alone.
No matter the outburst,
When I shake with tears don't try to "fix" it.
When fear and frustration lead to shouts and anger, forgive it.
When the trials of the day leave me despondent, acknowledge it.
When I can find humor in the darkness and laugh, enjoy it.
Have courage. Keep faith. Be strong. Don't wait.
And please don't forget to hold my hand.
I know you're scared.
I'm scared too
But no matter the outcome
I will always love you..
Christine Pechera
Transplant meeting.
Yesterday the whole gang, minus Albert who is working hard in Boston, got together briefly with Joe's bone marrow transplant coordinator and for over 2 hours with Joe's doctor. We love his doctor. He had a lot of scary things to share yesterday, but he explained everything in a way we could all understand, and spoke so confidently about getting Joe through this. And for any doctor to sit and spend so much time with a patient is just incredible. He in fact apologized at the end for keeping us so long!
The basic story is that Joe was diagnosed with high-grade/high-risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome 2 months ago. Because of Joe's age, his health previous to the diagnosis, and the fact that he was high-grade, it was decided that a bone marrow transplant...or more specifically a peripheral blood stem cell transplant would be Joe's best chance for a cure. Statistics show that a person who goes into a transplant while in remission or with a low-grade MDS fares better than one with high-grade MDS. In the past, there wasn't much that could be done though. If you had high-grade MDS, you simply had to go straight to transplant. Risky on many levels. However, in the past few years medicine has seen many advances. Hurray and praise God! For one thing, Vidaza, or azacitidine has been shown to be effective in treating MDS. Fortunately, Joe has responded extremely well to his chemo treatments - as well as he could actually - and so he is now considered to be in a sort of remission or low-grade MDS level.
We all wondered if it would be possible for Joe to be treated with chemo and move on with his life. However, because he started off high-grade, the chance of the MDS returning with a vengeance is very high. His current chemo treatments might keep him in check for a bit, but it wouldn't make things go away. Stronger chemo treatments have risks as well.
That brings us back to the transplant. Again, there are risks involved, but in Joe's case, the positives seem to outweigh the negatives. It is going to be tough, but Joe's tough and I know that he'll get through this, and I know all of you know that too! It is quite beneficial that we have God on our side too!
So, Joe has a couple *possible* donors. We are calling them the "back-up plan!" Joe's coordinator is still searching for a PERFECT match, and we're all very hopeful that will happen! Hopefully Joe will be able to have his transplant by the end of the year.
When Joe's definite donor is identified, a date will be set for the transplant. Joe will be admitted to the hospital about a week before the transplant day. During that time he will be getting chemo treatments that will kill off all of his bone marrow. Meanwhile, his donor will be getting filgrastim injections in preparation for donation. The "big" day is called "Day zero." It will be Joe's new birthday. (The lucky guy will have three birthdays! The day of his birth, the day of his baptism, and the day of his transplant!) The stem cells will be delivered to the hospital, and Joe will receive the transplant the same way he gets blood transfusions. Then...and this is the fascinating part...assuming all goes as planned, he will get to go home that day or the next. Hospitals are germy places, and home is therapeutic on so many levels. So Joe gets to go HOME to recover. But of course, there is a catch! We will be required to go to the hospital every single day for 30 days. That is the critical period. Joe will be closly monitored and tested to see whether his body accepts the new cells. All sorts of complications might occur and some are expected, but Joe will be in good hands! The hospital visits will then taper SLOWLY. The next huge marker will be day 100. If all goes well up to day 100, Joe can start easing into a more "normalized" life.
And so that is the summary. A lot to digest. But again, WE CAN DO IT! Or more importantly, JOE CAN DO IT! Do pray for him though. He has so much on his mind, and I think it is impossible to fully grasp what he is going through (even with his very eloquent and honest blog this week.) I know that he is strong and has what it takes to get through this. But I also know that he has hundreds of people who are fighting with him and praying for him and loving him. Hundreds of people fighting, and praying, and loving also equals hundreds of opinions on how he should think, act, live, and respond to his diagnosis. It gets tough when Joe is simply trying to wrap his brain around what he is living. Of course we need all of you to fight with Joe, and pray for Joe, and love Joe! We cherish all of that love. Just this week...pray for peace in Joe's heart. I love that boy with all of my heart, and like most of you, I wish I could do more, more more! But at the same time, I know that sometimes, I need to just be, so that he can just be.
It is crazy, but Saturday marks 2 months since his first hospital admission. It's funny how time seems to pass so quickly and so slowly at the same time. In many ways this was the longest summer ever...but at the same time, we missed it!
We got to visit with many attendings and residents and techs in the radiology department yesterday. Thank you for all the smiles and encouragement! We loved being able to see all of you!!!!
I leave you with one more request. Lift up Mayor Bob O'Connor's family in prayer.
The basic story is that Joe was diagnosed with high-grade/high-risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome 2 months ago. Because of Joe's age, his health previous to the diagnosis, and the fact that he was high-grade, it was decided that a bone marrow transplant...or more specifically a peripheral blood stem cell transplant would be Joe's best chance for a cure. Statistics show that a person who goes into a transplant while in remission or with a low-grade MDS fares better than one with high-grade MDS. In the past, there wasn't much that could be done though. If you had high-grade MDS, you simply had to go straight to transplant. Risky on many levels. However, in the past few years medicine has seen many advances. Hurray and praise God! For one thing, Vidaza, or azacitidine has been shown to be effective in treating MDS. Fortunately, Joe has responded extremely well to his chemo treatments - as well as he could actually - and so he is now considered to be in a sort of remission or low-grade MDS level.
We all wondered if it would be possible for Joe to be treated with chemo and move on with his life. However, because he started off high-grade, the chance of the MDS returning with a vengeance is very high. His current chemo treatments might keep him in check for a bit, but it wouldn't make things go away. Stronger chemo treatments have risks as well.
That brings us back to the transplant. Again, there are risks involved, but in Joe's case, the positives seem to outweigh the negatives. It is going to be tough, but Joe's tough and I know that he'll get through this, and I know all of you know that too! It is quite beneficial that we have God on our side too!
So, Joe has a couple *possible* donors. We are calling them the "back-up plan!" Joe's coordinator is still searching for a PERFECT match, and we're all very hopeful that will happen! Hopefully Joe will be able to have his transplant by the end of the year.
When Joe's definite donor is identified, a date will be set for the transplant. Joe will be admitted to the hospital about a week before the transplant day. During that time he will be getting chemo treatments that will kill off all of his bone marrow. Meanwhile, his donor will be getting filgrastim injections in preparation for donation. The "big" day is called "Day zero." It will be Joe's new birthday. (The lucky guy will have three birthdays! The day of his birth, the day of his baptism, and the day of his transplant!) The stem cells will be delivered to the hospital, and Joe will receive the transplant the same way he gets blood transfusions. Then...and this is the fascinating part...assuming all goes as planned, he will get to go home that day or the next. Hospitals are germy places, and home is therapeutic on so many levels. So Joe gets to go HOME to recover. But of course, there is a catch! We will be required to go to the hospital every single day for 30 days. That is the critical period. Joe will be closly monitored and tested to see whether his body accepts the new cells. All sorts of complications might occur and some are expected, but Joe will be in good hands! The hospital visits will then taper SLOWLY. The next huge marker will be day 100. If all goes well up to day 100, Joe can start easing into a more "normalized" life.
And so that is the summary. A lot to digest. But again, WE CAN DO IT! Or more importantly, JOE CAN DO IT! Do pray for him though. He has so much on his mind, and I think it is impossible to fully grasp what he is going through (even with his very eloquent and honest blog this week.) I know that he is strong and has what it takes to get through this. But I also know that he has hundreds of people who are fighting with him and praying for him and loving him. Hundreds of people fighting, and praying, and loving also equals hundreds of opinions on how he should think, act, live, and respond to his diagnosis. It gets tough when Joe is simply trying to wrap his brain around what he is living. Of course we need all of you to fight with Joe, and pray for Joe, and love Joe! We cherish all of that love. Just this week...pray for peace in Joe's heart. I love that boy with all of my heart, and like most of you, I wish I could do more, more more! But at the same time, I know that sometimes, I need to just be, so that he can just be.
It is crazy, but Saturday marks 2 months since his first hospital admission. It's funny how time seems to pass so quickly and so slowly at the same time. In many ways this was the longest summer ever...but at the same time, we missed it!
We got to visit with many attendings and residents and techs in the radiology department yesterday. Thank you for all the smiles and encouragement! We loved being able to see all of you!!!!
I leave you with one more request. Lift up Mayor Bob O'Connor's family in prayer.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Photos.
I'm too tired to write out a formal blog today. I will write more tomorrow. :) Just wanted to say that Joe's counts still look great, and the meeting we had today with the doctor and the bone marrow transplant coordinator went very well.
Here are a couple photos that Cammy Lee
sent to us!
Joe and Cammy Lee.
My dad, mom, Cammy, Lisa, and Louis!
Thank you to Auntie Rosa, Uncle Horatio, and Ching for the sweet card and the yummy apple cake! Joe says I have to get the recipe now. :)
Here are a couple photos that Cammy Lee
sent to us!
Joe and Cammy Lee.
My dad, mom, Cammy, Lisa, and Louis!Thank you to Auntie Rosa, Uncle Horatio, and Ching for the sweet card and the yummy apple cake! Joe says I have to get the recipe now. :)
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
:)
I just wanted to wish my beautiful cousin I-ju a very happy birthday! Her birthday is on the 31st...and so in Taiwan, she should be celebrating already. :)
Also, thank you to Nancy for sending us some fun reading! You are a great friend - thank you for all of your love!
Make sure you read Joe's post below! It's a good one. :)
Also, thank you to Nancy for sending us some fun reading! You are a great friend - thank you for all of your love!
Make sure you read Joe's post below! It's a good one. :)
50th Post!
Hi everyone,
It’s me again making a guest appearance on my own blog. Karen has been doing such a great job updating the blog. I find myself checking MY blog in the morning every day to see what she wrote!
The past week and a half has been really nice. So far, I’ve been responding really well to chemotherapy. My blood counts have been near normal. And I feel much more like a normal person. The pain and soreness from the chemo injections have faded. With my triple lumen catheter removed, I can take regular showers again. I’m still a human pin cushion though, having to get stuck with needles all the time. I still haven’t gotten used to that feeling of the needle puncturing skin. My gum sores have healed and my appetite has returned. I can actually taste my food now! As you can see, Karen has been cooking up some delicious meals for me. I’ve also been able to venture outside of the house more, but we’re still being very cautious and avoiding crowds in public places. Karen and I will take short walks in the park. It’s also been nice to see some friends.
The vast majority of my time is still spent at home. I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately. In the past two weeks, I’ve read a weird collection of books including The Time Traveler’s Wife, Marley and Me, Kitchen Confidential, and Lance Armstrong’s book. (Thanks to those who have recommended books to me.) Right now, I’m in the middle of a book called Running with Scissors, which is interesting. Of course, there are the radiology textbooks and journals that I can’t seem to get enough of… Karen and I have also watched some good movies including Match Point and Finding Neverland. And there is fantasy football and the Steelers. I’ve watched all the Steelers preseason games, and I’m excited that football season is about to start. The black and gold haven’t looked too sharp, but you can never tell in preseason.
I know that I’m not a particularly eloquent or interesting writer (as pointed out to me by a certain best friend of mine), but I wanted to share some thoughts now that I’m two months out from my diagnosis. Basically, having this disease sucks. Big time. But you make the best of the circumstances you’ve been handed. It is a surreal experience to be told you have cancer, and on top of it a rare and high-grade / high-risk one. Being a doctor who is relatively young, you always think you are immune (!) to this stuff. 32 year-olds who don’t drink, smoke, or do drugs aren’t supposed to get cancer. A million things start to swim in your head, the most notable being, “Oh my God! Am I going to die?!” Everybody has to die sometime, but getting a diagnosis like this really makes you face your own mortality. You start to simplify and prioritize your life. The most difficult thing is not knowing what’s around the corner. I feel fine now, but it is frightening not knowing if and when my blood counts are going to drop again. In the end, you trust God.
I have been very fortunate that my clinical course has been going as well as expected so far. My response to chemotherapy has been excellent and I am well on my way to finding a bone marrow donor match. Plus, my support structure is awesome. I have my own 24-hour caregiver in Karen (who is and always will be my rock), our families are nearby, and all you guys out there have spoiled me with support and prayers. It has been encouraging to see and talk to cancer survivors and those who are currently fighting their own battles as well. Many of those people have or are going through much more than me. We all seem to go through very similar experiences no matter what the diagnosis. I know that if they can get through it, I can too.
Thanks again to all of you who have supported us in so many different ways. We are forever indebted to you. And if you say a prayer (or something to that effect) for us, please remember to say one for all the other people you may know who are going through similar challenges.
God Bless,
Joe
It’s me again making a guest appearance on my own blog. Karen has been doing such a great job updating the blog. I find myself checking MY blog in the morning every day to see what she wrote!
The past week and a half has been really nice. So far, I’ve been responding really well to chemotherapy. My blood counts have been near normal. And I feel much more like a normal person. The pain and soreness from the chemo injections have faded. With my triple lumen catheter removed, I can take regular showers again. I’m still a human pin cushion though, having to get stuck with needles all the time. I still haven’t gotten used to that feeling of the needle puncturing skin. My gum sores have healed and my appetite has returned. I can actually taste my food now! As you can see, Karen has been cooking up some delicious meals for me. I’ve also been able to venture outside of the house more, but we’re still being very cautious and avoiding crowds in public places. Karen and I will take short walks in the park. It’s also been nice to see some friends.
The vast majority of my time is still spent at home. I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately. In the past two weeks, I’ve read a weird collection of books including The Time Traveler’s Wife, Marley and Me, Kitchen Confidential, and Lance Armstrong’s book. (Thanks to those who have recommended books to me.) Right now, I’m in the middle of a book called Running with Scissors, which is interesting. Of course, there are the radiology textbooks and journals that I can’t seem to get enough of… Karen and I have also watched some good movies including Match Point and Finding Neverland. And there is fantasy football and the Steelers. I’ve watched all the Steelers preseason games, and I’m excited that football season is about to start. The black and gold haven’t looked too sharp, but you can never tell in preseason.
I know that I’m not a particularly eloquent or interesting writer (as pointed out to me by a certain best friend of mine), but I wanted to share some thoughts now that I’m two months out from my diagnosis. Basically, having this disease sucks. Big time. But you make the best of the circumstances you’ve been handed. It is a surreal experience to be told you have cancer, and on top of it a rare and high-grade / high-risk one. Being a doctor who is relatively young, you always think you are immune (!) to this stuff. 32 year-olds who don’t drink, smoke, or do drugs aren’t supposed to get cancer. A million things start to swim in your head, the most notable being, “Oh my God! Am I going to die?!” Everybody has to die sometime, but getting a diagnosis like this really makes you face your own mortality. You start to simplify and prioritize your life. The most difficult thing is not knowing what’s around the corner. I feel fine now, but it is frightening not knowing if and when my blood counts are going to drop again. In the end, you trust God.
I have been very fortunate that my clinical course has been going as well as expected so far. My response to chemotherapy has been excellent and I am well on my way to finding a bone marrow donor match. Plus, my support structure is awesome. I have my own 24-hour caregiver in Karen (who is and always will be my rock), our families are nearby, and all you guys out there have spoiled me with support and prayers. It has been encouraging to see and talk to cancer survivors and those who are currently fighting their own battles as well. Many of those people have or are going through much more than me. We all seem to go through very similar experiences no matter what the diagnosis. I know that if they can get through it, I can too.
Thanks again to all of you who have supported us in so many different ways. We are forever indebted to you. And if you say a prayer (or something to that effect) for us, please remember to say one for all the other people you may know who are going through similar challenges.
God Bless,
Joe
Monday, August 28, 2006
Homemade meatballs!!!!
Yesterday, Joe had a hankerin' for good ol' spaghetti and meatballs. I decided to try my hand at making homemade meatballs. :) It was quite fun. Albert and Joe's mom stopped by before Albert had to fly back to Boston. I wasn't thinking clearly, and hadn't considered they might need to stay for dinner. I was all too happy to invite them to join us...but I was pretty embarrassed about serving Joe's mom spaghetti and meatballs! Usually, I try to make something at least *slightly* more impressive for my dear in-laws! Well, Joe's mom was very gracious (as was Albert!) and we had a very fun meal.
Today, Joe was due for yet another semi-weekly blood draw. Now that Joe doesn't have his triple lumen, we don't get a home care nurse. Normally we would go to West Penn to get his blood drawn, but since Joe had no other reason to see anyone at the office today we decided to go to AGH, which is closer. We did save a good half hour round trip. But we had to pay an extra dollar for parking! AND, we had to wait ALL AFTERNOON for the results. Usually the results are back in around 30 minutes when we go to West Penn. When we had the home care nurses, it might take 2 or 3 hours. Today it took more like 7 hours! No worries though, we didn't have to wait at the hospital. We were just being impatient. :) Joe's results were pretty good. His Hemoglobin and platelets are still looking great! His WBC did go down a bit, but not enough to be worrisome. Thursday we have a big family meeting with the Bone Marrow Transplant Coordinator. We'll be discussing all things BMT related. It should be very informative, and we'll be able to ask all the questions that have been running around in our heads.
If you are in Virginia, or know someone there, CLLF is holding another drive!!!!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
University of Virginia
9am-4pm
Newcomb Hall Room 389
Spread the Word!!!!!!
For those PGHers who missed the last drive, STAY TUNED! Plans for another drive (or 2?) in Oakland are in the works. :)
Now a couple photos, so you can see how great Joe is looking these days!
This is one of our reunion photos! Isn't it cute how all the "kids" coordinate, and our dads match?
And here's Joe! We had meatball hoagies for lunch. Yum!!!!! Joe's appetite is BACK, yay!!!!!
Today, Joe was due for yet another semi-weekly blood draw. Now that Joe doesn't have his triple lumen, we don't get a home care nurse. Normally we would go to West Penn to get his blood drawn, but since Joe had no other reason to see anyone at the office today we decided to go to AGH, which is closer. We did save a good half hour round trip. But we had to pay an extra dollar for parking! AND, we had to wait ALL AFTERNOON for the results. Usually the results are back in around 30 minutes when we go to West Penn. When we had the home care nurses, it might take 2 or 3 hours. Today it took more like 7 hours! No worries though, we didn't have to wait at the hospital. We were just being impatient. :) Joe's results were pretty good. His Hemoglobin and platelets are still looking great! His WBC did go down a bit, but not enough to be worrisome. Thursday we have a big family meeting with the Bone Marrow Transplant Coordinator. We'll be discussing all things BMT related. It should be very informative, and we'll be able to ask all the questions that have been running around in our heads.
If you are in Virginia, or know someone there, CLLF is holding another drive!!!!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
University of Virginia
9am-4pm
Newcomb Hall Room 389
Spread the Word!!!!!!
For those PGHers who missed the last drive, STAY TUNED! Plans for another drive (or 2?) in Oakland are in the works. :)
Now a couple photos, so you can see how great Joe is looking these days!
This is one of our reunion photos! Isn't it cute how all the "kids" coordinate, and our dads match?
And here's Joe! We had meatball hoagies for lunch. Yum!!!!! Joe's appetite is BACK, yay!!!!!
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