Kicked to the curb

 Last month at George’s check up his labs came back with rock star counts. His hemoglobin was up to 11.8. His platelets were in the upper 200’s. His ANC was sky high. This was all so encouraging considering he had begun the taper of his daily oral chemo. The reason that he was still on this was to make sure the anemia didn’t get out of control. Well guess what? We went back in for labs today and his counts stayed high. George will no longer have to take his daily chemo anymore. You heard me right. He is through with his chemo. Oh how I have longed for this day. Oh how I have prayed for this to happen. This is the best news. This means that his anemia is finally under control. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. What a blessing. I am not saying that I didn’t trust that this day would come but I am going to admit to having some doubts that this day would ever be here. I had accepted that this may just be a part of his life now. One of the many side effects that having a bone marrow transplant has. But God went and showed us. He promised healing and he sure delivered. George will still be on three other medications daily for the next three months as a precaution since it will take awhile for his immune system to recover from the year and a half that it was being suppressed. Guess what else? George will have his port removed next month. You will have to imagine me doing back flips with excitement because I can’t actually do back flips but I am feeling that excited about this news. This port. This port. I have a love hate relationship with this port. I was terrified about having it put in him and then even more terrified when I was going to be the one responsible for taking care of it. We had some scares. We had some troubles. We also had no infections and no complications with it. It was there for all of his medicine. It was there to give him his new marrow. It was there as the vessel for all of his blood transfusions. It was there as his life line. The drs refer you it as a patients “buddy”. Well, pack your bags little buddy. You and your best friend chemo have been with us long enough and we are happy to see you go. The surgery for the port removal is a kind of big surgery since it is dealing with his main artery in his neck. I will make sure to post before the surgery date so we can all be praying for a perfect procedure. George is doing so good. His hair is growing like a weed and he has to have haircuts often to keep it under control. He is full of life and energy. He is keeping us all on our toes from the time we wake up to the time we fall asleep at night. He is a handful to say the least. I love it though. I’ll take a handful of health any day of the year. We continue to go in for some IV antibiotic treatments at the hospital twice a month for now but those will slow by the first of the year. We are only going in for labs and dr appointments once a month now. That use to consume the majority of our time. Now our time is filled with keeping up with our busy family life. George is so happy. We have been spared from any illnesses or viruses thus far and pray that we continue to be. Our life right now is really good. We have so much joy and appreciation for each day. I am really excited to think about George going into the new year without being on any medication and without having a port sticking out of his chest. Pinch me please because I am still in shock even as I write this update.  We are almost there George. We are so close. Thank you Lord that we are able to report this wonderful news. 

Colossians 2:6-7

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.