Today's update:

Clif tells me that she feels okay. She's been sitting up and reading and talking more. She also ate some grits! He thinks she's doing much better, but she definitely still feels pretty bad.

She even dressed for the day. And, look at that smile on her face!!

I love that girl!

Sometimes you just need a plain hamburger that comes in a smiley face box.


Clif tells me that Laura is feeling a little bit better today. They gave her some medicine to settle her stomach which has made it possible for her to eat some solid food.

Here's hoping that THIS is the day that she starts to feel better and BETTER!

She still doesn't feel good, but she walked 11 laps around the floor.

Is she a GoFightWinner, or WHAT?!

Please keep praying.

Thank you all.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥



(Blurry photo, but a good reminder.)



It's been a rough couple of days for Laura. The side-effects of the chemo seem to be kicking in.

She has a dry mouth which makes eating difficult. Lots of nausea. And, a back ache.

But, Laura is a GoFightWinner. She STILL walked a mile today!!

The rough days may last a little longer. Please pray that  the side-effects of the chemo will go away and that she'll start the part of the journey where she begins to feel better.

The transplant has taken place.

Thank you, Ms. Donor!  What an amazing gift you have given!!

And now, the real work begins...

Please continue to pray that "everyone" will get along just fine. 

The transplant begins.

Thank you, donor!!!
♥♥♥♥

This was the fortune that Laura got in her cookie tonight:

Just in case you can't read it, it says:
Welcome the change coming soon into your life.

Yesterday and the day before, Laura had what is called a plasma exchange because she has an antibody in her cells that MIGHT not welcome the new marrow. So, they took out all of her plasma and gave her new stuff.

Today, as I've mentioned, the doctors said the transplant will have to take place tomorrow because the draw from the donor is taking a couple of days.

Turns out that's a good thing 'cause they've done a little more research on the antibody in Laura's system and they feel that just to be EXTRA CAUTIOUS they're going to give her some medicine (a six hour drip) that will cause her body to welcome the new marrow. They used the analogy of either treating it like a cat or treating it like a tiger. They're choosing to treat it like a tiger and make sure it has left the building!

And, Lisa clarified some things for me: The engraftment period is the period when her body accepts the new cells. That can take between 5 and 10 days after the transplant. The donors cells ENGRAFT to Laura's body. AFTER the 10 days or so is when the donor's cells make up their minds to live happily ever after in Laura's body or not... This is where one of the possible effects is Graft vs. Host Disease. We do not want that. We want the donor's cells to feel at home IMMEDIATELY. That is our prayer.

Thank you so much for your prayers and love. What a special bunch of friends (and strangers ☺) Laura has!

As always, GoFightWin!

(~ coined by Lisa ☺)

A hawk that Laura and Lisa spotted on their walk yesterday.

Just got an update from Laura...

The transplant will take place tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. EST. It turns out it was a two day draw -- which means it's gonna take two days to draw the donor's stem cells. "Will not affect anything" is the quote I received in a text.

So, we'll just keep on praying that GFW prayer!

'Nuff said!



Lisa gives an update >

Mom's chemo is done FOREVER and we moved rooms!!

Last night mom finished chemotherapy and, hopefully, will never have to go through it again! This morning she started her plasma exchange; she will continue the procedure tomorrow morning before the transplant. It all went well. She is feeling really tired today, but that's to be expected. And why shouldn't she be tired with all that she's gone through, right? I think a little rest is deserving.

We also changed rooms today. We have a VIEW!! You can see all of downtown Atlanta and Kennesaw Mt.

And tomorrow is the big day! We are still unsure of the exact time it will take place, but it's gonna happen! Send those positive thoughts.

As always, GoFightWin!

This is what things look like for Laura over the next couple of weeks.... The "0" is the day of the Bone Marrow Transplant.  The doctors expect that she will feel the worst about a week to 10 days after that. And, then as the engrafting begins to "take hold" she will begin to feel better.

It's not a fun chart to look at, but it gives us some idea of what to expect.

Though that chart isn't so much fun, Laura HAS been having fun eating salads and fresh fruit.

Thankful for the simple pleasures of life.



Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the amazing things you have made.
Thank you for the minds you've given the doctors and researchers who make healing medicine possible.
Thank you for people who are willing to give strangers part of their body in order to save a life.
Thank you for friends and family who hold us up when we're scared or sad or confused.

Thank you for my sister, Laura.
She is creative and funny and full of love and life. And, she is strong.
But she is also human.... And, the hugeness of this "chapter" can sometimes be overwhelming.

Please continue to heal her. Prepare her body to accept joyfully the bone marrow that she will receive. Comfort her with a peace that only you can give and through friends and family who want to DO something.

Please comfort the donor as well. Prepare them in body, mind and spirit for the huge gift that they are giving to Laura (and to all of those who love her).

You are the healer. Please completely heal Laura and let 2011 be one of the happiest years of her life.

Amen.

I found a penny today.

Can I give away my good luck to someone else?

And, can I change the rhyme so it goes like this:

Find a penny.

Pick it up.

For a thousand years

you'll have good luck!!



GFW!

(This is a bag of masks... If you go to visit, you will use one of these.)

Laura moved into Emory today to get ready for the bone marrow transplant.

The first thing on the agenda this morning was to get a new port put in... It's called a trifusion so that she can receive three treatments at once.

She was suffering from a pretty bad headache all day and finally realized it was because she had not had any caffeine today! So, they fixed that problem!

While she was hangin' around waiting for the chemo to begin, she walked a mile. When I received Lisa's update this evening, they had not begun the chemo for the day, but they were expecting to start before eleven o'clock tonight.

  

Two of the biggest highlights of Laura's day were:

1. She found out that SHE doesn't have to wear a mask while she's in her room; her VISITORS will have to be the mask-wearers. Made her pretty happy!
2. She got to eat a salad today!

(Lovin' the simple pleasures of life!!)

And, as we might have expected, she is already making friends with the nurses. 

This is a big week.

Laura starts her 5 days of chemo tomorrow. She'll get a rest day next Monday and then the transplant on Tuesday, January 25th.

In the midst of something I don't consider very wonderful (AT ALL!) it helps me to remind myself of some of the things that ARE wonderful. Here are a few:

• Her doctors
• Medicine
• The donor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Laura has GREATchildren!
• Laura has GREAT  friends!
• The snow/ice in Atlanta didn't keep things from moving along for her.
• The prayers and support of so many people -- some of whom have NEVER even MET her!
• Laura's attitude and general amazing-ness (made up that word, but I like it.)
• I'm gonna be able to go to Atlanta to hang with her later in February.

Add some of your own ideas in the comments section....

Thank you so much for your prayers and support!! We love you!

Laura has been in Atlanta since Sunday afternoon. She and Lisa left Leesburg early so they could beat the ice storm that was gonna hit on Monday.

As you might recall, Monday was the day she was supposed to have blood work to make sure she would be ready for chemo next week and the transplant the week after.

Unfortunately, the weather in Atlanta made it impossible for her to get to Emory and I think the medical staff there had trouble getting into work. So, she had to wait until today.

And, guess what?!!!

She's in remission!... Did you  hear what I said?! She's in remission!!! They kicked out all the bad blood cells! They don't live there anymore! Wooooooooooooohooooooooooooooooo!!

However, she still has to have the transplant... Just to make sure that those ugly cells don't ever come back. I suppose it's like they're playing a trick on the old blood cells so they can't find her anymore. (My brain isn't working right now, so I can't remember that thing that the FBI does to put someone into hiding and they give them a new identity...????)

So, please keep praying for her. She starts five days of chemo next week. Then she'll have a rest day. Then the transplant will take place on January 25th. Pray for her, the doctors, the donor, and all of our family as we try to help her the best way we can.

Love to all of you!!

I learned this verse a long time ago...

It popped into my head today.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."

-Jeremiah 29:11

I like it. ♥

The GoFightWin! spirit is spreading across the nation!

Harvey's company is bidding on a new project. I sent each member of the proposal team a GoFightWin! card as a motivator to do his/her best during the presentation. Turns out they loved the cards. And they loved the GoFightWin! story.

Isn't it something how one person can make a difference in so many people's lives?

Love you, Laura! ♥

(A picture of how Laura's day started... Yes, all those test tubes are for her!)

Update from Lisa:

Today Mom spent a full day at Emory having her labs checked, a lumbar puncture and a bone marrow biopsy. Tomorrow she'll have an EKG and an Echo. All these tests are required in order to have clearance for the Bone Marrow Transplant.

We also found out definitive dates (I say definitive lightly [Yes, I know that's an oxymoron--but in my mind it IS definitive because nothing is going to go wrong. Period]. We are expecting all the test results to come back clear and to be given the go-ahead; if anything comes back abnormal then the transplant will be postponed). So on Wednesday, January 19th Mom will be admitted into the hospital: she will have FIVE days of chemo, a day of rest and then the actual transplant which will take place on Tuesday, January 25th. Starting from the 25th she will have to stay in the hospital 2.5 to 3.5 weeks--all depending on her white blood count and how her body and the new bone marrow react to the transplant.

A few things the doctor did want any caregivers to take note of:

-The first three days after transplant (26-28th) will be her hardest--supposedly; but knowing mom it'll be a walk in the park

-Any person coming to visit her in the hospital is STRONGLY advised to have a flu shot; they say shot instead of mist because the shot has dead flu cells whereas the mist doesn't

-Parking isn't free but the main caregiver can get a discount the first week (I know y'all find that really urgent news. I certainly did) ☺

Other than that, she has a few appoinments tomorrow and next Monday, the donor will have their blood drawn at some unidentified hospital on the 11th AND she is allowed to take walks around the block PLUS there is a stationary bike on the floor she will be staying at in Emory!

**********************************************************************************

Thank you, unkown donor!!!

And, now, a word from Laura:
The unknown donor and I are in this together....we are going to make it happen! Scheduled transplant date....1-25-11! We are both doing all kinds of stuff from now till then. The unknown donor has a lot going on too. What a sacrifice! I am so thankful for whoever you are.
--Laura

("LIGMO")

Tomorrow and Tuesday, Laura will go to Emory for lots and lots and lots of testing. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say she's not looking forward to it, but we all know that one of her mottos is "LIGMO" (Let it go. Move on.) so she's "facing the future with warm courage and high hopes." (Did I get that right, Lisa?)

Please pray that things go well and that all of our plans to get Laura well fast will happen just like they're supposed to happen.

If all goes according to plan, she'll be back at Emory on the 17th for 4 intensive days of chemo and then the wonderful bone marrow donor will be there to give THE GIFT.

Please continue to pray that the donor marrow is being prepared for a wonderful transition to its new home and that the marrow and Laura's body get along JUST FINE.

Here's to a new year of good things!!