A Christmas Greeting To All Our Family and Friends

We've already gotten our Christmas present this year, and it was just what we wanted.

Lazy, lazy, lazy describes us.  After so much drama the last few months Roger and I are planning to just relax and enjoy this holiday season.  A pretty Christmas tree, a special dinner, time together and best of all, good health is the best Christmas present we've ever had.  We don't need another thing.

Roger has a slight case of GVH, but it's calmed down quite a bit.  We have to pay attention to his appetite and keep his weight up, but even that doesn't seem too daunting.  The rash and sensitive mouth have settled down.  His blood counts remain strong.  This is exactly what we want.  The longer we can keep this going, the better our chances of beating leukemia altogether.

To our family and friends - we wish you the kind of contentment we're experiencing this year.  Peace and Joy.

--Candi

Odd how things have changed in such a short time. From light to dark and back again. Candi and I are sharing a calm, sweet holiday with our dog Sophie. I want to thank everyone for their support. 

Love and kisses. 

--Roger

The Future's So Bright - I Gotta Wear Shades

It's a beautiful winter day for our drive back to Missoula today.  Clear roads and bright skies are expected along the whole route.  We'll have to make a quick stop and buy Roger a pair of sunglasses before we leave Salt Lake.  He forgot to bring his from home.  The clinic report says he's got GVH, perhaps an acute case overlapping with a chronic case.  This looks like a rash on his face, chest and back, dry eyes, super sensitivity to sunlight, strange sensations in his mouth including an aversion to spicy food and difficulty swallowing.  Unfortunately, it also shows up as lack of appetite and weight loss.  He's lost a few pounds since our last visit.  That voracious appetite of a few weeks ago is gone.  We'll have to keep close tabs on this and make sure he eats whether he wants to or not.  Fortunately, Dr. Beatty in Missoula is well-versed in treating GVH.  We won't have to come back to Salt Lake next month.  

Roger so wants to hear about his long-term prospects, but all they will tell him is that there are no leukemia cells present now and along with the Graft Versus Host Disease, we are getting the Graft Versus Leukemia effect that we wanted.  His body is fighting leukemia effectively now.  That bodes well, but there is still plenty of work to be done.  He needs to eat conciously, keep his weight up, build up the muscle that he's lost over the last 18 months, avoid sunlight and tolerate the effects of GVH as best he can.  The longer his body can keep leukemia in check, the better the long-term outcome will be.  It may not be the promise of a rose garden that Roger so wants to hear, but considering where we've come from, it's not bad at all.

This morning we've just got time for a cup of coffee and a trip to the mall for sunglasses, and then we're on the road to Missoula.  Back to pick up the dog, do laundry, housework, restock groceries, and get back to work on Monday.  It's a life.