Dear family & friends,
August is upon us. Ginny has completed the 4th cycle of her chemo. She has two more cycles left to go before finding out if she will be a candidate for a stem-cell transplant in September. It has been a long journey but she has made significant progress. Let me give you a quick update.
Over the last few weeks Ginny has gained strength. She has been able to attend church as well as enjoy a lunch with a friend on the way back from a chemo treatment. She has been active making followup phone calls with those who have provided us with meals. She has also been diligent in pursuing letters and information for her 2nd appeal to the insurance company for a proceedure we believe would help eliminate present and future pain as well as preserve the integrity of her spine. She awaits their decision. She was also fitted for a back brace to help prevent further fractures. She has also had some fainting spells, back and hip pain and on-going fatigue but she courageously presses on.
We are also pleased to report that her blood markers are very encouraging. They appear to be in the normal range which hopefully means with two more cycles of chemo she may be in remission and a candidate for a stem cell transplant. It looks like her target date for this decision is September 10th when we visit our specialist at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. Her doctor told us she may be given a few weeks of rest before entering the hospital to begin the transplant some time around the first of October. She would then be in isolation for about 2 1/2 weeks.
Ginny and I would like to thank so many of you for your emails, cards, gifts and meals. We have had women from our church help her five days a week with the most loving and caring possible. They are helping us write letters, pay bills, make phone calls, travel for chemo treatments, water our in door plants, feed our 3 finches, prepare lunches and just be Ginny’s good friends. We couldn’t do it without their help. They have made it possible for me to keep up a full schedule in my church ministry. I am really endebted to them and their spouses for extending my ministry during this season in our lives.
Ginny is looking forward this week to being with some of her long time school teacher friends. She sure loves them and has great memories with them. It will really encourge her!
When further news is available, I will update this blog. In some ways no news is really good news because it means Ginny is doing well and progressing towards remission.
Thanks to all of you who care and pray. We ask with the Psalmist, “You, O Lord, are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word. Uphold me according to your promise that I might live. Hold me up that I may be safe.” (Psalm 119:114,116,117) It amazes us to think how those with out faith in Christ can make it through the things we are facing. We can attest that He is our hiding place and shield in the midst of this battle for life.
We are grateful and hopeful.
Don & Ginny
