The lab report on Dad's protein levels is in, and the news is very encouraging. When Dad was admitted to the hospital in February, they were at 3.73; thanks to the chemo, they have dropped to .91. (Apparently, when a myeloma patient hits 1, doctors start treatment. So while this new count is not completely normal, it represents a huge improvement for Dad.)

Mom and Dad are back in their quasi-domestic routine at the hospital. Dad has decided to brave the hospital food (should you find yourself admitted to HUP, our man on the inside says take a pass on the collard greens). Dad sounds good, like his old self--really a world of difference from a month ago when he could hardly muster the energy to talk. He has started to feel the intestinal effects of the chemo, but nothing too extreme, and his spirits are good.

Even the climate has been home-y: the hospital room has been quite like 225 N Easton in winter (i.e., arctic). Now, Mom and Dad are not completely literal-minded about re-creating their home environment: they'd been turning the thermostat up, but to no avail. The heating vents were blowing super-chilled air, despite the thermostat reading 85 degrees. Dad had to wear a knit cap, ski goggles, and mittens (well, not mittens). Yesterday the maintenance guy came and said that, obviously, in order to get the thermostat to function, you have to turn the heat side down and turn the air conditioner side up to the desired temperature. Reason aside, the room has since become much more comfortable.

The plan is still to release Dad on Sunday. Thanks for checking in and praying. God hears.

another go 'round

Dad left a characteristically to-the-point message on my phone last night: They're in the hospital and will be there until Sunday.

This is the second round of the CVAD chemotherapy, administered intravenously and accompanied by numerous other pharmaceutical cocktails and supplements. Please pray that this course of drugs will build on the gains that have been made over the last month. Pray that Dad's various blood counts, especially that of his white blood cells, will be at safe levels. Pray that he'll be safe from infection, and that he and Mom would have the strength to persevere, in faith, through another hospitalization.

Let me renew our thanks to everyone for your myriad expressions of love and support for Dad, Mom and the whole family. What a moving thing to know how well and widely Dad is loved!

Easter time with Dad

It was a special treat to spend some brief but meaningful moments with Dad this Easter weekend. Here are a couple of photos:

Dad with Uncle Bill (visiting from France)

Mom & Dad joining us at the Marsh Easter gathering

Wednesday's Appointment, and a New Plan

The report from the visit with Dr. Stadtmauer at Penn was good. He feels that the chemotherapy is working effectively against the myeloma. Dad's platelets have climbed up into the 80s, indicating that he really is producing his own. They've decided that Dad can stop his trips to Abington for transfusions, unless the blood drawn by the nurse who comes to the house indicates another drop. His hemoglobin (red blood cell) counts are also up, though his white blood cell count has stayed at the recently reduced level; the report on the protein levels is not yet out.

The new plan is for Dad to return to Penn on Tuesday for the next round of chemo. This is earlier than expected, so Mom and Dad will get less of a break, but the doc feels that it's best to get while the gettin's good--to capitalize on Dad's gains now.

Thank you for persevering in prayer for Dad. Please continue to pray that his white blood cell count would improve, and that he would be protected from infections over the next few days. Pray that Dad and Mom would have the endurance they need for this chemo marathon.

Dad and Mom are so glad to be home. Thanks to all those who are bringing meals; Mom reports that it has been such a relief not to have to worry about dinner every night. Dad has been feeling pretty good for the last few days. Not exactly 100%, of course, but then compared to last time he was home, he feels like a million bucks. He has been to Abington for one transfusion so far, and will return today for another. Blood tests have shown an improvement in his red blood cell count, as well as--wonder of wonders--his platelet count. For the whole time he was in the hospital Dad needed daily, sometimes twice-daily transfusions just to keep his platelet numbers hovering, weakly, in the 20s (i.e. twenty-some thousand per tiny unit of blood). Two days ago it was 60, and while "normal" would be between 150 and 400, this represents a significant improvement for Dad, especially since for a while there his body was unable to maintain even those lower levels on its own. Thank the Lord: this is a specific answer to specific prayer.

Please continue to pray that these numbers would climb. An area of concern is Dad's white blood cell count, which had fallen as of that last blood check. Dad is going down to Penn tomorrow to see Dr. Stadtmauer and get a read on his protein levels, which, as many of you know, are a key indicator of the myeloma's activity. They will decide when to begin the next round of chemo. Stadtmauer will be away until the beginning of April, so Dad will be "off" at least until then.

Thanks for checking in. We'll keep you updated. I'm even going to try to get the Aged P's up on this thing (provided they have the energy), so stay tuned.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig

I talked to Mom this evening and she said that they were VERY happy to be home. She also said that Dad spent a couple of hours downstairs once they arrived, and ate dinner before going upstairs to collapse. She wanted to thank whoever left a meal tonight, it was such a blessing to have a dinner waiting for them when they walked through the door. She said they have been overwhelmed with thankfulness to everyone who has helped out, provided meals, sent cards and prayed for them.

Dad was discharged today after receiving two bags of platelets. A home nurse will be coming by this weekend to check up on him, and then on Monday he will go to Abington to receive his next transfusion. Their prayer requests for this weekend is for Dad's platelet levels to remain stable, and that there will be no episodes of bleeding.

Home again 2.0

The present plan is to send Dad home this afternoon. He received a bag of platelets yesterday, and they're going to double-bag him today and hope that holds through the weekend. Whether or not his platelet production is going to recover is uncertain, but the doctors feel they can adequately monitor Dad's situation at home and bring him in for necessary transfusions as an outpatient.

Dad has been feeling pretty good, for the past couple of days going on walks around the ward, trying to get his strength back. Besides this platelet business, please pray that Dad and Mom will be able to enjoy their time at home, and be rejuvenated before they have to come back again in a couple of weeks for the next round of chemo.