Encouragement

I John 5:14

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that,

if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

This morning as we headed to the clinic, we felt we needed a little bit of encouragement. Sometimes the days are long and the nights are even longer it seems. Even though we know things are going according to schedule after the transplant, we can still get a little discouraged.

Every day they take Jerry's blood count to see how he is progressing. Today his white blood count was 3.0. We were both so excited!!! His red blood count is also coming up and he is still making platelets. We almost shouted right there in the Clinic. We know it's because of all the prayers.

We love you.

Today we had some wonderful visitors. Pastor Butler and his wife, Jennie, came by for a visit. It was a great time of fellowship and they were a great encouragement to us.

Each day Jerry's strength is coming back and he's starting to get a little of his appetite back. His white count was 2.3 today.  

I can tell he's getting better because he's starting to tease me again. 

We still covet your prayers and appreciate all the cards and love. 

Springtime

I know it's not spring yet, but today leaving the clinic, I saw daffodils popping out of the ground getting ready to bloom. Seeing them made me feel good, because I know spring is coming. It seems like the winter has been long and hard. Spring is always so beautiful with new life and new hope.

Song of Solomon 2:12

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

SPRING

As I looked out the window I saw skies of gray

That overshadowed the long winter’s day.

I yearned for sunshine and winter’s end

And that spring days would soon begin.

For there is hope that comes in spring.

With each new flower and bird that sings.

As earth awakes from it’s winter’s sleep

Full of promises that it must keep.

- Patricia Rice

We are at the apartment now and hopefully each day will get better. Neal came and stayed with us the first night we were home. That was such a great help to us. Jerry still isn't feeling his best and as I said, he is still weak. The great news is that his blood counts are still coming up. His white blood count was 1.8 today.

It's still a very emotional time for us, not knowing what each day is going to bring.

Thank you so much for your prayers. We love you.

Leaving the Hospital

Jerry gets to come home from the hospital to the apartment today. Please be praying. It is a little scary. He is still so frail and weak. He has lost so much weight, his hospital arm bands fell off. Also he is still not eating very well. We're praying that being at the apartment will be more relaxing for him and will help his spirits and his appetite. I'm anxious to see that sparkle in my husband's eyes again.

The last month has been very hard on both of us emotionally. With cancer, it's not just the physical side effects that you have to deal with, the emotional ones can be as painful.

I asked the doctor yesterday, what can I tell people when they ask if the cancer is gone? He said I can tell everyone that the cancer is in remission. He said it is never cured, but hopefully it will stay in remission for a long time and Jerry can have a lot of years left ahead of him. What wonderful words to us.  It's still so hard to believe sometimes. Especially after eight months of the longest, scariest roller coaster ride of our life, we are finally where we have dreamed and prayed about. Where you all have prayed about for us.

We still have a long road ahead of us. The next two months we'll have to go to the transplant clinic every day for a couple of weeks and then as Jerry starts recovering a little bit, it will be less and less until one day we'll get to go back home to Greenville. What a wonderful day that is going to be.

We love you and are so thankful to everyone for all the prayers, the love, and support. And we are so thankful to God for His wonderful love to us.

REJOICING

HOPE - Its' like that elusive butterfly fluttering all around. It's there within your reach, but each time you try to grab hold of it, it slips away from you.

We have hoped for so long. Today they told us as far as they know, right now, today, January 17, 2012, the transplant is working. Jerry's new immune system that his brother donated, is producing new cells. Jerry's white count is up to 1.1 today and the new immune system is producing red blood cells.

We are rejoicing with them in this knowledge and know that you are rejoicing with us.

Psalm 86:12
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

The Best Medicine

Jerry received some good medicine today. Neal came for a visit. It was so great seeing some family. It had gotten a little lonely.

Jerry's mouth is a little better. It still hurts for him to talk sometimes and also for him to eat very much. They still have him on the feeding line. Tomorrow they are going to start weaning him off his feeding line and the pain medicine. Please be praying that he will be able to eat on his own.

But the wonderful news is that Jerry's white cells are still coming up. They were .9 today. And he also made one platelet on his own.  Both of these are good signs. If he can start eating on his own and get around well, they might let me bring him home to the apartment at the end of the week. Please pray toward that for us.

We love you and appreciate the prayers!!



Happy Hour

At the hospital, they have a lady who goes around the floor spreading cheer. Yesterday, she knocked on the door and had a tray of chocolate ice cream shakes in fancy goblets with little umbrellas in them. She said, "It's Happy Hour." She knew Jerry hadn't been able to eat or drink anything and she thought this might work. Poor Jerry. He took one sip and got choked on the shake and it hurt his throat so bad, tears came to his eyes. Happy Hour ended up being Unhappy Hour.

I just wanted to give you a quick update.  Jerry's mouth is a little better, but he is still unable to drink or eat anything. They still have him on the feeding line. So he is getting nutrition. They allowed me to stay with him last night, because he was having such a bad night. He was really wobbly and the pain medicine had made him really confused.

The good news is they believe the transplant is grafting. His white count is starting to come up and his blood made platelets on it's own. The doctor said that we still need to take a day at a time, but that was very encouraging to us.

"Isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful."