January 18th- Still Fighting Fevers

I was too quick on Wednesday to report Bill’s fevers were over. By the time I arrived at the hospital, the fever had returned and we have been battling high temperatures all week. After blood cultures, more x-rays, CAT scans, etc, the doctors found no major cause. They just changed his antibiotic and anti fungal drugs and that seemed to help. At least his temperature can be controlled to less than 103 degrees.

Good News: Bill had a bone marrow biopsy done this week and the results were great. It is not only CLEAN of “blasts”, but the reading was “less than 1% leukemia cells.” His spinal fluid was also clean of leukemia cells. This will hopefully give us a few weeks without cancer and he can gain some strength back.

Because his bone marrow was “clean”, the Neupogen shots (white cell builder) began on Thursday. He gets one injection a day for 5 days. In the next 5 days, we will see an increase in his white cells and ANC and he will be able to come home.

Our church, Grace United Methodist Church, has organized a Bone Marrow Testing Drive in honor of Bill. On January 27 from 9am until 11am representatives from LifeSource will be doing DNA cheek swabs for those who would like to have their name placed on the National Bone Marrow registry. What a wonderful gift this will be to a cancer patient, adult or child, who cannot fight their disease alone. If you live in the area and want to be tested, there are two major criteria. You must be healthy, and between the ages of 18 and 60 years old. That eliminates most of MY friends. Bill is the third member of our congregation to get Leukemia in the past 5 years. Our congregation understands the need.

“Sometimes the path to healing is not an easy one, but the Lord is walking right by our side. His hand will be within your reach. He’ll guard your every step. His love will light your way and be your guide”. Thank you Kim and Tom for the card with that verse. We need a bright light and a tight hand to hold on to right now.