Help Us Keep Hope Alive
Gene is fighting so hard. He has had such an unbelievably brutal struggle. We’ve enlisted even more modern western medical technology with yesterday’s admission to ICU. Gene and I made the decision to put him on a ventilator after several days of difficulty keeping his blood oxygenated. That necessitates heavy sedation, so they say he can hear, but not respond. He’s fighting a pneumonia, which they cannot determine the cause of. He is retaining, once again, a lot of fluid. He’s been subjected to invasive and external tests, scans, probes and pokes. He still has the hemolysis syndrome where his platelets and red blood cells become damaged, which build up in his blood and back up in his liver and gall bladder. His liver and his lungs are currently his most challenged organs.
It is hard to see him all hooked up, and many times my hope fails and the darkness and fear intrude. I visualize the web of love and support and light that exists for him from all of you and I try to imagine that energy, all the prayers, encircling him. We’ve been blessed with miracles on this journey, please help us pray for a few more: For the hemolysis to resolve, for his liver to withstand the onslaught and clear, for his lungs to persevere and for Gene’s will to live to remain positive and strong. And then there’s me…..thank you for your prayers for strength. It comes in surges. I dip into despair, but then find some strength, some energy to continue….as if I had a choice.
Gene’s family is arriving to cheer him on. Three of his sisters will be here today, and they’re bringing his Dad, MP, age 97. It will be very hard on MP, and his hearing aid is broken again, making it even more difficult to help him understand what is going on. But it is better for him to be here than not, and hopefully it will provide a boost for Gene. I’ve made it clear to Gene, I hope, that they are not here because we’re giving up, but because he needs a reminder of what he is fighting for.
Yesterday, in the midst of what felt like the worst day of my life (a criterion that keeps evolving), the transplant nurse brought over a letter from his donor. I’ve been so absorbed with all of this, thinking that later, Gene and I would compose a letter together once he’s home, that we’d not even communicated our gratitude to her yet. The results of his marrow biopsy are all in and official: the transplant was a success in terms of engrafting, growing new cells, and his marrow is already 100% her DNA. And, there is no evidence of the chromosomal abnormalities that made his leukemia so hard to treat. I keep reminding him, he no longer has leukemia; he just has to survive the treatment.
The donor search process requires that we remain anonymous to each other for a year, but I want to share her words with all of you:
Please forward this to my donation recipient.
Hi,
I just wanted to say that it was an honor to donate and give you life well deserved. I wanted to let you know that I pray for you every day. I hope you are doing well and recover very soon. May the Lord be with you always and protect you and heal you.
Your friend,
Your Donor
Thank you for your continuing prayers for miracles, for healing and for strength.
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