DAY 17 of the Journey! HURRAY!!!

Well.......SHE'S HOME!!!!!!!!!  After two weeks at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC), Janell has been released to come home.  The staff at the UWMC were phenomenal in their professional and personable treatment of Janell.   BRAVO!!!!!!




This  picture shows Janell dozing as she is "reading" that novel on her lap.  Notice all of the hanging bags and machines for her various IV's.  There are bags above the machines, hanging on the sides of the machines and hanging behind the machines.  Can you imagine having to drag that IV pole with you where ever you would go?  Janell did it with patience and grace.  (This is the picture I'm in trouble for posting when she sees it!)



This next picture is a portrait of patient ( excuse the pun!) Janell waiting to be discharged on Monday (7/19). Notice, there are no IV's, no tubes and no IV poles. The beautiful shawl she is wearing is a cozy prayer shawl created by Judy Bethea.  

 Here you see her gifts and cards.  Thank you!  They helped her spirits to maintain that fighting attitude, knowing that she is supported by you in this journey.    You also see her bags of clothes from her closet that she wanted so she could look her best and feel that there was some normalcy to her life.                        

You can imagine who transported all of this stuff from home and back again for her.  A person on the elevator gave me a curious look seeing me loaded down with all of these bags.  After sharing that Janell was going home today and referring to the load I was carrying, I quipped, "This is the reason she takes me shopping!"

This last picture shows her inside the elevator leaving the NE wing of the  8th floor she was restricted to for two weeks.  Notice the "reserved" smile of elation.  She later indicated that she wasn't going to celebrate until she was in the car and on the street driving away.  Then she would know she was not dreaming.

It is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good to have her home!  Now to get serious about my caregiver duties and your questions about possible visitations.  But that is for another post.

Days 11 through 14 of the Journey

Could it be?  Have they started to appear?  YES!
The stem cells have started to en-graft and create white blood cells.  The few white blood cells that have been created have zeroed in on Janell's throat and mouth to fight the mucositis and start the healing process.  Mucositis is the result of the powerful chemo killing rapidly growing cells of the gastro-intestinal tract (mouth, throat, esophagus).  The tongue, mouth and throat become inflamed, raw and white in appearance with tiny sores and blisters.  When the white blood cells start appearing, they rush to these areas and start fighting.

The results.....she is able to swallow with a little less strain and pain.  She is able to drink water slowly and to eat soft foods (very slowly).  The pain and nausea are still there, but is being regulated by intravenous medicines.  These medicines can be very sedating, especially when her medical team is trying to get her pain down from a 10+ to a 2 or 3 on a scale of pain from "Zero to Ten."

Janell is still very tired and naps quite frequently.  It is entertaining to see her hold her book on her lap, gaze at the page and drift off to sleep.  Then one of her IV regulating machines will BBBBEEEEEEPPPPP, startling Janell awake.  I will include a picture with the next post which she doesn't know I took.  (Yes, I'll probably get in trouble when she gets much better, but that is OK!).  She has been on page 139 in her book for the last four days.  I have gotten into her bed beside her and read further to her, but she doesn't remember what happened because her head gently falls onto my shoulder and she quietly snores.

I praise GOD for the opportunity to see humor in all of this and to be able to lovingly tease her.

Day 7 of the Journey

Right now I am looking at Janell lying in the hospital bed with oxygen tubes, four IV bags hanging from her IV pole and her feet elevated to reduce swelling.  She dozes and lightly sleeps due to the pain.  Her throat has constricted to the point that she cannot eat and three more IV bags for nutrition will hang from her pole.  She has had two blood transfusions and three platlett transfusions.  They are working hard to help her body out. 

The doctors say that this part of the journey might get worse since Janell is at ZERO for her immune system.  HOWEVER, they are expecting that sometime between Day 10 and Day 14 her stem cells will engraft and she will start to turn the corner to being able to eat again.

The nurses are superb.  They are personable, professional, caring, and excellent in explaining the "why" for various procedures and protocols.  We enjoy interacting with them.  BRAVO NURSES!

Tonight, I am staying with her, sleeping by her side on a cot.  Picture this... Janell has oxygen tubes and I have a CPAP machine (I use it while sleeping to cut out the snoring or as Janell calls it "The Symphony of the Diesel Trains"). We will both be sleeping in the same room with oxygen masks...our duet Darth Vader impersonizations.  I am glad no one will take pictures of us to post on this blog!

Day 4 of the Journey

Can you imagine what it is like being married to a four day old you have known for 42 years and have been married to for 35 years? WOW! What a thought!

Janell's body is on target by doing what it should be doing.  Her immune system is primarily gone.  She is being supported by her collection of medications.  With that being said, we went in for our regular blood lab draws and the check-up by her team nurse and physicians assistant.  After about ten minutes, they agreed that Janell needed to go to the hospital right then.  They made arrangements for her room and I drove her over to UW Medical Center.

Why is she in the hospital?  Janell is having an increasingly hard time swallowing.  She is not able to keep her food and medicines down consistently.  That is one of the criteria for being admitted to the hospital without an immune system.  Janell currently receives her medications and hydration through IV.  There are four IV bags dripping into her veins as I write this blog.  She just finished peeling a handful of grapes and eating them.  She is determined to keep eating orally as long as she can.

When she is not eating, she is looking out the window.  This time we have a room on the water side of the hospital.  The view is wonderful to share with each other, which we are doing right now.  Hmmmmmmmm...... she just drifted off to sleep again.  She does that more often, daily. 

Before I end, I want to thank two wonderful groups of people:
Inglemoor High School staff has generously provided us dinners through Dinner's Ready for a few months.  They are delicious selections and have made my caregiving much easier.
Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church has organized work parties to weed and maintain our back yard.  They have done a superb job and have freed me up to focus on Janell.

We really appreciate Inglemoor High School and Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church.  Thank you for your love and support.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY?

Today started for us at 7:30 a.m. with a blood draw at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA).  The lab nurse drawing Janell's blood, looked at the protocol orders and asked her if she was receiving her stem cells today?  Janell responded affirmatively.  The nurse drew the blood, then smiled and said "Happy Birthday" as we left the lab.

Did I hear that right?  Janell's birthday is November 26th, a fact Janell repeats multiple times daily as well as spelling her full name for nurses and doctors.  This is done for cross check reference that the right medications and blood products are being given to the right person.

On the fifth floor, the "Infusion Floor," Janell was checked in after repeating her birthdate and spelling her full name.  The nurse greeted us and proceeded to explain what would happen and it happened that way.  From 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., Janell received continuous IV hydration and IV medications while she slept.  Then at 11:00 a.m., her stem cells were brought to the room in a sealed metal container to keep them frozen.  They were thawed in a special bath to bring them to body temperature and then set-up for infusion back into her body.  Very croggy, Janell continued to sleep through.

Father Tom Tsagalakis, our priest from Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church, was present.  Right before the stem cells entered Janell's body, he prayed, anointed her body with oil and blessed her.  After 20 minutes, Janell received all of her own stem cells back.  During that process, Janell became very nauseated and extremely hot, a "normal re-action"to the process.  That gave me a moment to pause and think about the power of life God has placed in the blood.  Again, Janell was wished a "Happy Birthday" when the process was completed.

About an hour later, one of the nurse assistants, who attended to Janell yesterday, saw me in the hall and asked how Janell was doing today. I told her that Janell had just received her stem cells.  She said with surprise,"I didn't know today was her birthday. Oh, Happy Birthday."  I asked the nurse why this was considered Janell's birthday.  She explained that people receiving their stem cells back are actually being brought back to life.  She also shared that in a year, Janell, like little babies, will be receiving her "infant" immunizations because her system is new without those protections she received as a child.

At 4:30 p.m., we left SCCA, after five hours of observations, tests and more continuous IV hydration.  I rolled Janell out in a wheel chair.  In the elevator, one of the SCCA staff we have seen on numerous occasions, asked how a very tired looking Janell was doing.  I indicated that Janell had just received her stem cells today.  The staff member's smiled and said "Happy Birthday!"

So next year, when our twin grandchildren are 2.9 years old, I am going to throw their grandmother her one year old birthday party for her strength has truly been renewed like an eagle's.

This first picture shows the lab technician preparing to thaw the double bagged stem cells.  The next picture shows the cells being brought to body temperature.

This picture shows the cells ready to enter Janell's body after Father Tom's prayers and his anointing Janell with oil.   Thank you God for giving me more time with my beautiful, precious Janell!

Today...The Transplant!

Today, Janell receives her stem cells now that her bone marrow has been destroyed along with the multiple myeloma cancer.  The results now = no immune system to fight off infections.  

Over the next three to four weeks period,  the stem cells will create new bone marrow that will manufacture clean blood plasma and blood cells for a new immune system.  Without this transplant, Janell would die from the simple infections we fight off daily with our healthy immune systems.

The following is the "Stem Cell Blessing" that we received from one of the chaplains at the University of Washington Medical Center.  It is a blessing Janell and I are praying today.  We invite you to join us.

STEM CELL BLESSING

We gather today to celebrate a new beginning, a time of special grace for Janell, and for those she holds dear in her heart.  We have come to give thanks for the Gift of these cells, for the gift of life and for all the ways in which Janell has already been healed and blessed.  We have come to ask that these Stem Cells be blessed by your holy tenderness and compassion.

Let us pray.  God of Abraham, by your mercy and the power, we ask you to bless these Stem Cells.

Lord, hear our prayer!
Infuse them with your strength.
Lord, hear our prayer!
Infuse them with your consolation.
Lord, hear our prayer!
Let them heal all in Janell that is in need of healing.
Lord, hear our prayer!
That each cell may be filled with forgiveness.
Lord, hear our prayer!
That each cell may be filled with hope.
Lord, hear our prayer!
That each cell may be filled with surrender.
Lord, hear our prayer!
That each cell may kindle the fire of your love in her.
Lord, hear our prayer!
That she may love you with all of her heart, mind and strength.
Lord, hear our prayer!
Lord, have mercy on us, in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, the anointed one and His anointing.
Lord, hear our prayer!

Closing Prayer:

Lord, we offer up to your hands any fear or anxiety that Janell or any of her loved ones may be feeling.  Take that fear Lord, and in its place fill her heart with your peace, the peace that the world cannot give.  Protect her from fear and anxiety and let her whole body bathe in your healing arms.

We pray in gratitude for the gift of these stem cells.
We pray in gratitude and ask blessings for all the staff who have or will be part of her care.

O Lord, look upon your daughter and servant, Janell.  Touch her with your embrace. That she may have the grace to bear whatever pain or discomfort may come.  That she may be filled with your compassion, peace and love.

In the mighty name of Jesus!
Amen!