Jymini I am north of Atlanta really concerned about the amount of ice they are talking about! I won't be able to get out of my driveway for a few days probably. be safe!

LaDawn & Posh, you're certainly having some bad weather. As usual, everything is strange this year, lol! We've had tons of rain, but at last we're having about a week of dry weather.

I had to travel a few miles along our mountain highway to get an early morning blood test a couple days ago, & was amazed at how icy the roads still were. Saw one car in the ditch on the pass road (thank heavens it wasn't the other side of the road!), & my vampire said she herself had spun out on her way to work.

Susan, so glad to hear from you again. It sounds as if you are doing rather well except for the low Hgb. Definitely get a xfusion before Vegas, because they'll be sucking the blood right out of you!

The weather is crazy this year with all the west coast has had along with the snow in the east. Here in TX we're supposed to get 2-5" of snow tomorrow with temps in 30's for highs a few days. All that will head east and dump a lot of ice as some of our folks have posted already. I'm glad it's hitting here tomorrow. Going to be busy week. I'm having the port put in Wed. which means more than usual blood tests on Monday along with the normal ones. Oncology doc is going to do the bone marrow test on Monday and will have chemo all week. Will have to have one on Monday of next week as can't shift the chemo to p.m on Wed (they have to have a doc there while giving chemo and she is not there on Wed afternoons). I've been blessed. Over the holidays the family was in and a variety of colds and bad flu came about during the week they all were here but it looks like the Lord kept his cone of protection around me. Had a short burst of fever one day and a small head cold and that was it.

Blasts were at 23% last bmt which have held steady for couple of years. Hoping they are lower but worst still steady.

God Bless and have a great week everyone.

Mikie

we are having about the worst winter here I can remember in many years! this will be our second snow storm this year which is really unusual but this time we are going to get alot of ice too. I am really worried about losing power here and dad not having his oxygen!

Dear Leaky Boat Crew and Friends,

Well, New Years weekend was tough for Louwhile we increased the diuretic (and he was actively peeing up a storm)he only felt marginally better when we got in to see his cardiologist on Monday.

Cardiologist is a great friend and he ordered an ultrasound to check on his heart valveresult was, lets put him in the hospitalhes going to need surgery.

Over the course of the last week, they gave him a tune up which consisted of two units of blood, a bunch of IV lasix (diuretic), no salt, and they limited all his fluids to just 2000 mlor just four 16 oz. water bottles. By Friday they felt he was tuned up and felt he would do better at home sleeping in his own bed. He got released yesterday (Sat) and we enjoyed a great nights sleep.

Hes kind of watching football but falls into a deep sleep unless were deep into an engaging conversation.

Our plans for the future include an appointment with a heart surgeon on Tuesday. We anticipate he will put just two choices on the table:
1) no surgery.then anticipate he has 4 to 6 months to live, as his heart has gotten weaker since Sept. (it was about 35% in Sept. and is 20-25% of normal now).
2) open heart surgery to replace one valve and do multiple bypasses. IF he makes it through the surgery and gets off the bypass machine, this will ultimately strengthen his heart and after recovery, he should be able to enjoy another 18 to 24 months.

His MDS isnt entering into his equation very much. While in the hospital, his oncologist did a bone marrow biopsy and the results show no progression of his pre-leukemia disease. Another piece of good news is his kidneys are handling the high doses of lasix very well.

He is strong and wants to get well. Ultimately the decision on our two choices is up to him. Surgery will mean he must endure loads of pain and then healing. Hes a trooper and if the surgery goes smoothly, I know he will work hard to master the rehabilitation and maybe he will be up to a few car shows this summerin his new 1952 Chevy. I wont blame him if he chooses #1.he can then just relax and let life take its own course but I will be losing my best friend too soon.

We need loads of well wishes and prayers.thank you EVERYONE!

Gayle & Lou

Gayle, that's quite a choice for Lou to make. I asked myself what I would do in his shoes, & I just don't know. But I lean toward doing the surgery since he can expect more quality of life after the pain & healing.

Since his MDS is under control, that at least won't be a big factor in his decision.

As you said, tho, it's certainly a choice that he alone must make.

I hope that the severe winter weather doesn't compromise you two or any others in our leaky boat.

Gayle/Lou -- prayers, good wishes and all the positive feelings and energy constantly head your way. I mentioned earlier that my brother in law had just been through what your talking about for Lou. Valve, bypasses and all. He left the hospital after just a few days, had home nursing stop by care for a week and has been doing good since. It's amazing all they do these days. He sounds like a pretty cool guy that the world needs to hang around for awhile but like you say that's between him and our Lord.
God Bless you guys.

Blood counts up a bit today. wbc 2.6 very good for me. plts 71 about average, rbc 9.2. Doc decided to put off the bone marrow test until April at the one year mark unless counts drop or something else turns up. He is excellent at doing the test without any pain at all but it's still ok w/me to wait LOL.

Chemo each day this week except Wed when I get the port put in and Monday of next week. It's funny that we have this stuff where our blood counts put most docs into panics yet they are normal for us.
Have a great week everyone and God Bless,

Mike

Gayle my thoughts and prayers are with you both. I know it is hard decisions to make.

mike is sounds like you are doing pretty good right now! keep it up!

Thinking of all of you in this new year and hope everyone stays reletively in good health. My husband is still very healthy and we hope to keep it that way. He sees the Dr. next monday so will know more then. I check every day to see the latest....Happy New Year....Janet

Update.

Lou and I spoke with the heart surgeon for an hour and it all resulted in the decision to go ahead with the surgery. Then the surgeon checked his schedule and the hospitals openings and the first available date is Friday, January 28. We have between now and then to get Lou more tuned uphis hemoglobin is already down again to 9.1..so were most likely looking at another transfusion very, very soon.

Odds arent great for a positive outcome (estimated at just 65%) but were throwing all our eggs in the one basket and hoping for a positive result.

Keep the prayers coming! Ive got to keep him in good shape until the surgeryits hard to change your lifestyle overnight, but Im trying. No more pizza, ham, canned soup, etc., low sodium and low fluids.well figure it out.

Gayle

Loy/Gayle,

You guys hang in there. Very first thing is to, after putting in the Lord's hands, go after it with a postivie attitude that this is going to be what you need. 65% is a whole lot better than a lot of things we face. Second realize again that medicine has come a very long way. My first back surgery some 40 years ago it took two weeks for me to leave the hospital for a disc removal that was simple compared to others I've had. My third one about 10 years ago, I was on the operating table for 11 hours and walked out of the hospital 3 days later after they pulled pieces of disc out and then put in hip bone and rods and such.

God's all about positive and all the prayers we're all sending up for you guys are for just that all the positive you can get.

God Bless and keep us up to date.

Mike

My prayers go out to you Gayle and Lou and everyone else who is facing a difficult decision. It's a good decision to go on with the surgery and get Lou on the road to recovery so he can fight the other dreaded disease.
Birdmom....you are so right about Vegas sucking the blood from us if we choose to go there. We aren't much on gambling but meet some family from around the US in Jan. I'm stingy with my money so they won't get it all. We leave the 20th and I will get a transfusion on the 18th so I will have lots of energy....:)

Gayle my prayers are with you and Lou. I will put him on our prayer list at church.

Hello all I was just recently diagnosed with Myelodysplasia