Nancy's Update

It's been over three and a half years since my bone marrow transplant. Time has passed so quickly and yet, sometimes it seemed that time stood still.

I had a visit with my City of Hope doctor last week. He is pleased with my progress and has taken me off all of my anti-rejection drugs. Yahoo!!! I'm literally walking on my own in my new immune system. As terrific as this seems, it's also extremely frightening. But, I know that my doctor would not have pulled me off my meds if he felt I wasn't ready or if he was felt it wouldn't be safe. I'm so glad to be off the medications and am continuing to think positive.

It has been quite a journey... the long wait for the donor, being kept alive by transfusions, the transplant, the recovery, the setbacks and the ups and downs along the way. What a ride it has been! I'm thriving and glad to be alive, celebrating each and every moment of every day. I could not have come through with flying colors without all your help. You truly have done so much to aid in my restored health. I could never properly thank all of you for everything you have done. Here's just a small list of your expressions of kindness and love... emails, cards, meals, driving me to doctors and hospital visits, phone calls, prayers, volunteering at bone marrow drives, hosting marrow drives, pleading with your friends and family to get others to join the National Marrow Donor Registry, donating blood, donating platelets, visiting me in the hospital, not visiting me in the hospital (when I was in isolation), supporting A3M's efforts in order to help me, buying Tee Sponsorships to help A3M, playing in the OCO Golf tournaments to help A3M, supporting A3M through your direct donations and supporting A3M at their fundraising events, to name a few. Your continued support and prayers have helped me through so many rough years. I am truly blessed and thank God every day for my life and for all of you.

Here are my counts for those of you interested:

WBC 3.0 (norm 4.0-11) improvement over the last two months yay!
RBC 3.76 (3.8 - 5.2)
HGB 12.2 ( 11.5 - 15.5)
HCT 35.4 (35.0 - 47.0)
PLT 86 (150-350)

I'm still not completely comfortable with not taking the medications which I originally thought I'd be taking for the rest of my life. It's literally a hard pill to swallow but a good one, at that.

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. Let's all remember to thank God for everything during this Thanksgiving Holiday. We have so much to be thankful for... May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving Day.

Love you all... nancy