AAR for JUNE

Well, The infections keep coming.  This time it was swelling caused by a cellulitis (?) bacteria.  Good  news is that it only took three days to identify the antibiotic that was required.  Also good is that I am a lot more sensitive to changes in my condition and cannot afford to admire the situation.

So there it is.  We are headed to the mountains this weekend.  I like it a lot better at 5000ft just need to get cleared to fish and able to walk across uneven ground.  Started the reclamation on the Corvette so that Mary and I can go play Route 66 once I get a trip ticket from the doctors.

Thank you for prayers

Semper Fi
Ed

AAR for May

You know you are in trouble when the Docs start by discussing your living will.  I didn't make it to Analicia's birthday.  I was in hospital for two weeks while they figured out how to kill (2) bacterial infections, (2) viral infections, (1) fungal infection while not killing my kidneys.  Again I walked out of the hospital, carrying 15 different medications.  I am still not out of the woods, but at least I am home.  Need to start all over on diet, physical therapy, and attitude adjustments.  We also are in Stanford twice a week so lots of road time.  I just need to be careful, a lot more careful than I am accustomed.

Thanks to bicycle team led by the O'Neals at Tahoe for lymphoma.  They raised over 11k.  There is a research requirement, particularly AITL,  as medicine is a science, but when the patient shows up it becomes a art.

So there it is.  

I have a brand new granddaughter born 6/4/13, Julia Marie Lesnowicz.  This makes seven grandkids, so need to stick around to get some fingerprints on them.  

The doctors are a little amazed that I have been able to pull out of these last two infection events.  They say my body is responding like a twenty year old,  just need to get kidneys to come to attention.    It is not the body.  It is what the Corps gave a long time ago.  We just don't know how to lay down and die, on the battlefield or the bed.  

Semper Fi 

Ed

Situation Report May 2013

UPDATE!!

Hello Everyone.  I know it has been a long time since our last report.  Dad has been up and down.  Here is the story in a nutshell.

After the stem cell transplant they suppress dad's immunity with drugs.  They do this so that the NEW stem cells can grow.  Unfortunately, every time they try to take dad off these drugs he gets a Graft-Vs-Host Disease.  His body just doesn't want to kindly accept the new stem cells.  Dad has never kindly accepted much so that's no surprise.  So, they keep him on the drugs which allow every single flea bitten virus, bacteria or over all "no thank you" floating around to attack him.

It's a game of chess.  There truly is no other way to put it. 

  Dad unfortunately seems to catch "no thank you's" about as well as he catches fish.  He can catch a fish people.  He was checked into Stanford AGAIN last Friday.  I went to see him yesterday and he was in high spirits.  He seemed to be pulling out pretty well and promised to be home for my birthday on Saturday.  

My mom just called me and told me that dad is being transferred to the ICU at Stanford.  His kidneys are not kidney-ing...oh it's a word.  They need to figure this out.  I will update you as more news comes in.  Thank you for your patience on my blogging.  I can give you a pile of excuses but dad would just say for me to go get the dictionary and look up where sympathy is located.  Right, well if you haven't heard that Ed-ism I will save it for later.

More soon. 

Update on Dad

Hello Everyone,

Your prayers, love and support are working!!  Dad has used up another one of his many lives and surprised everyone with his miraculous recovery.  It looks like he is going to kick this thing.  The antibiotics did their magic to the meningitis. He has one more week of the antibiotics to complete the dosage. They detected a gall bladder infection which was addressed last week.  It may come to the removal of his gall bladder, but not until after he has regained some strength. 

I will tell you that its amazing what a weeks time will hold.  We went from sending Matt home from overseas to be by Dads deathbed to Matt watching the Broncos game with dad in the hospital on Saturday.  I visited Dad in the hospital today and he doesn't appear to have lost much if any of his brain function.  He is slow but eager to get out of the hospital.  The doctors said he needed to be up and walking before they would release him...what do you know? he walked two laps around the ward and up a few steps. He has a long road of rehabilitation to get his strength back up but he is ready for the challenge with a renewed spirit.

He is not completely out of the woods but we are all happy that he is with us keeping up the good fight.

Thanks again for all of your prayers.

Heather

PRAY FOR OUR WARRIOR

We need your prayers!!!

Dad was rushed to the hospital on Saturday with a serious infection.  He has Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterial meningitis.  Dad was transferred to Stanford via life flight from Santa Cruz on Sunday.  Dad really is in the fight now!  Yesterday the concern was that he wake up from his state of confusion and inability to speak.  Today we see an improvement from yesterday.  Dad recognized mom, said "hi" and gave a little wave.  He also said he wanted a Pepsi and gave one of his patented sideways "Ed" glances when we said "no".

He is in the thick of it.  When asked what I should put in the blog he said "holy shit!".  So he is still in there between his in and out of consciousness.

Dad is tough but he needs all the good juju he can get.

Please pray for the strength to fight this most recent battle.

Heather