Hard News

For our more faint hearted friends:  this would be a good time to stop reading this blog. 

When we came to the LDS hospital for the T-cell infusion, Roger was so ill and weak that they admitted him.  We have had hard news on two fronts. 

First, there are leukemia cells still present in Roger's blood.  The chemo did not do enough to knock it out.  His brother's T-cells will not be able to overcome it.  Thanks for trying, Robert. You made a heroic effort and we thank you.

Second, and every bit as serious, Roger has a fungal infection in his lungs.  It's not the common cold that we worried about.  It's worse.  It has spread to his liver, causing him to be jaundiced and it is the source of the infection that started in his jaw and is now moving up the side of his face.  In other words, it's spreading and can be expected to continue.  He doesn't have an immune system to fight it.

He is on oxygen now which is making him feel better, but the prognosis is not good.  We've had some very difficult conversations this morning and will have more to come over the next few days.  We expect Roger will stay here in the hospital in Salt Lake until after Christmas.  We will talk, ask questions and make plans for hospice care.  And then we'll head home to Missoula.