Recovering and Feel Good

Today is Tuesday and I had a very busy weekend. I am feeling good.

On Friday, June 26th, I had an appointment at Stanford to see Dr. Aeria for my checkup after stem cell transplant. All lab work was perfect and she is very pleased with my recovery. The fatigue she said is normal and will take some time to recover. I have to be patient. My appetite is still not normal but I am trying to eat as much as possible to feed my body. I will continue to rest and relax at home and at my trailer in Lake County.

My brother and Rachel's wedding was absolutely beautiful. It was very hot that day but the celebration was wonderful. Rachel looked like a princess and brother was so happy. They are now in Maui on their honeymoon. I hope to have pictures soon to share with everyone.

I visited Auntie Mary Joan on Friday and she was in good spirits. I don't understand her reasoning why she made the decision not to seek medical attention when she discovered the lump in her breast. I do respect and accept her decision now to not prolong her life but all of us are selfish because we want her here enjoying every moment life has to bring. She kept saying how brave I was to go through all I have been through. Yes maybe it is bravery but I want to live. I want to make memories and moments that take my breath away and I plan to live each moment doing just that. She and Don have decided to marry and live what time they have together making those beautiful memories. I am so happy for both of them. She is a beautiful person and deserves the best. Please continue to pray for her that she won't suffer and God will take her when he feels she has had enough. I love her so very much and will miss all those comments she will post on this blog. I will cherish them forever. Love you Auntie.

Maxwell was in Minneapolis over the weekend trying out for a team from Texas. He made the all star team and scored the winning goal in overtime. We are so proud of him. He was asked to come back to the main camp in August and hopefully he has a good chance to make the team. I will let everyone know.

Today Max and I will go to Costco to get my meat and some little things. I haven't been to Costco in months and I love their meat. I want to stock up the house and the trailer too.

My next appointment with the BMT doctors will be on July 6th. I have a heart biopsy scheduled for July 14th and an appointment with Dr. Schrier about my disease that day too. I'm a little nervous about meeting with Dr. Schrier to see how successful the stem cell transplant was. I'm hoping it was.

Have a wonderful day and remember make every moment count.

Love,
Debbie

Life Can Be So Cruel

I sat here for 5 minutes trying to come up with the perfect title for this posting and to be honest that was all I could think of.

Why do good people get sick? There are so many mean and bad people out there doing the unspeakable, but the good ones get sick.

My loving Auntie Mary Joan is one of those good people. She really is my first cousin but I have always since I was able to talk called her Auntie Mary Joan. She is like my Mom's younger sister. Auntie Mary Joan has breast cancer and for whatever reason she hide this from all of us. She didn't want anyone to worry or have to care for her. The news is still fresh and we don't know the details but she needs our prayers. Please say a prayer for my sweet dear aunt. She is so kind and generous. She has such a big heart and is always caring for others. She just didn't care for herself. I love her so very much!

I can't think of anything else to say tonight. My new shared heart is aching. I'm so sad.

Love,
Debbie

Recovery

I have been resting and relaxing the last few days. To be honest, I haven't felt that great. I am still having problems with my upper GI system with moments of purping. It builds up and then the purping starts which relieves the pain. I can't eat and have to force myself to eat, especially at night. I have lost weight which is no big deal because I gained over 30 after heart transplant. I am hungry and then sit now to eat, take a few bites and feel full. Last night Maxwell made a wonderful roasted chicken with stuffing. The smell made me so sick and I couldn't eat. I waited until almost 9:00PM to eat some cream of wheat to get my pills down. I am also so fatigue which is so different than the heart transplant. After heart transplant, I felt great. After a few months I was exercising with no problems. Now I can barely get to the bathroom without feeling out of breath and so tired. I did talk to Dr. Kevin and he is feeling the same way, so I know it is not my heart.

I hate feeling so bad everyday. I mean not being able to do the things I did after heart transplant. The doctors have said that after stem cell transplant it could be 6-9 months before you feel normal again. I guess I have to be patient. It's so hard when you have been the kind of person who goes and goes and suddenly you can't even walk across the room. I will take it day at a time. I see Dr. Aeria on Friday at Stanford and hopefully she can explain what is going on.

Saturday is brother Joey's wedding. Rachael and him are so excited. It is going to be a beautiful wedding. I'm so happy for them to start their new life together. I told Rachael all that matters is the moment she sees my brother at the end of the aisle waiting for her. That will be a moment that takes their breath away. Isn't that what life is about?

Please say a special prayer for my sister Kathy's friend Brandy's sister Sheri. She is very sick and needs our prayers. I believe in prayers because without your prayers I could have not made it through all this. So say a special prayer for Sheri.

Today I will stay at home and rest. It is going to be so hot! I'm excited I get to go to the trailer for 4th of July and on July 17th I will go to Tahoe (my favorite place) for Jeff and Christine's wedding. I haven't been to Tahoe in about 5 years so this will be fun. In August Mark and I have planned a trip to Monterey. I got a beautiful room on the beach at the Best Western Beach Resort Hotel. I planned to take little trips here and there. I want to enjoy life and make memories.

Hope you have a wonderful day.

Love,
Debbie

Resting and Relaxing

Today has been kind of a lazy day. I got up early and then fell back to sleep until 7:30AM. It felt great!

I'm a little shaky today and fatigue but other than that feel good. These symptoms could be medication or effects from the stem cell transplant. Who knows?

Tomorrow is Father's Day and we will have dinner here with Mark and Erin. Maxwell has been doing the cooking since I have been home. So tomorrow he gets the lesson on how to make spaghetti sauce homemade including meatballs. He really likes cooking and does quite well.

I have been just watching movies and to be honest haven't gotten dress yet. I just don't have the energy today. I'm entitled to a lazy day!

Have a wonderful Father's Day!

Love,
Debbie

Special Thanks

There are so many people I need to say a "special thanks" to. I want to say thank you to the Pell Family which includes Karen Pell and all the employees. My husband Mark works for Pell Develpment in San Rafael. They have been so kind and thoughtful to allow Mark the time off to attend doctor's appointments with me. It is so important to have someone there when meeting with doctors to discuss your care. Also, I know our good friend, J.D., who also works for Pell Development reads this blog each morning. I want to say thank you for your love and support you have given me throughout the almost 30 years we have known you. You are a wonderful human being and good things will always be with you.

Also, there will never be enough words to say thank you to Gary and Debbie for all the wonderful things they have done for me. I would be here for days if I had to list each and every one. But I want them to know how much I care and love them and would not have recovered so quickly without their support. I have beautiful memories of my trips to Italy, France and Spain because they are so thoughtful and generous. I just hope someday I can repay them for the kind things they have done for me.

Love,
Debbie

There's No Place Like Home

As Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, "there's no place like home". She was right! It felt so good going home. My flowers and roses are all in bloom and they are beautiful. I'll have to take pictures to show everyone.

Friends Jane and Steve and Debbie Cramer came by to say hi. It was so nice to see them. I missed all my friends here at home. I'm very lucky to have friends who care and support me.
Debbie brought me a cute balloon with "Welcome Home" on it and a little red heart pin. That was very nice. Maxwell had a big sign on the garage door saying "Welcome Home Mom". I'm so happy he is home.

Maxwell is my personal chef now that I'm home. He is enjoying cooking for us. He made great hamburgers last night and today we will go shopping together to plan for next week. Father's Day is Sunday and of course Mark wants spaghetti and meatballs. Markie, Erin and Maxwell along with Toddy and Noelle and Tom and Bri are all going to the trailer for the weekend and will be back on Sunday. I can't wait to go there!

It feels so good not to have doctor appointments today. My next appointment will be next week on Friday with Dr. Aeria.

I'm so excited and happy I will be there for brother Joey and Rachel's wedding on Saturday, June 27th. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to go but good news is I'm going to be there and I don't even have to wear my big ugly mask either. It is going to be a beautiful wedding and I'm so happy to have her as my sister. She makes my brother happy and I know he will always make her happy. He has so much love in his heart to give and he loves her so much. I'm sure alot of tears will be flowing.

Today I plan to rest again and go grocery shopping, if I feel up to it.

Have a wonderful day and make moments to remember.

Love,
Debbie

Going Home

Going home tomorrow. Can't tell you how I feel to know I finally get to go home. I have told the doctors getting out of the hospital meant a step towards recovery, going to the apartment another step and now going home is the ultimate step. I want to go home and begin my new normal life.

Mom and I went to Stanford today for my appointment at 11:00AM. The nurse took blood draws including clyosporine. That's when I start to get nervous. Waiting for the results and wondering if all the counts will be ok to go home. My life has changed in the last nine months that all I think about is numbers. Numbers like blood pressure, heart rate, light chains, white blood cell, platelets and more. I'm hoping someday I could think about other things, like what trips I'm planning, visiting friends and enjoying life.

So my white cell count went down a little to 7.4 but my platelets went up to 317. Amity my doctor who has been taking care of me was pleased with the results and said it was time to go home. She took out that stupid catheter (I called them tassels) and does that feel good. I have an appointment next Friday with BMT at Stanford for checkup.

Mom and I got back to the apartment at 4:00PM and I was starving. She made me a tuna melt and I fell asleep for an hour. I feel good and don't think I will sleep much tonight cause I'm so excited to get home.

So tomorrow we will get up early and pack up and be on the road by 10:00AM and home by noon. I plan to rest and relax at home. Maxwell is doing all the cooking and I can't wait to be there with him. Mom and I have been watching the food channel alot and I have alot of recipes I want to try out. I'm going to buy the inside grill cast iron plate for the stove, so Max and I can grill meat inside.

Have a wonderful evening. Next time I write it will be from home!

love,
Debbie