Florida Memorial Service Arrangements

Thank you to everyone for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers over the past few weeks - I really can't think you all enough. It has been wonderful to hear how my dad touched your lives in so many different ways.  My dad was an incredibly amazing man and I miss him so very much.

Now that we're back in Florida, we've finalized plans for a memorial service - it will be on Sunday, February 12th at 4pm at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church at 4301 South Chickasaw Trail here in Orlando. Please join us if you can to celebrate my father's life with his family and friends. Thank you again for keeping me, my mom, Sean, and our family in your thoughts!

Best, Becky 

Our hearts are breaking...

Our beloved Don, a man of tremendous courage and strength passed away peacefully this evening surrounded by his devoted family and friends. Words cannot begin to describe the loss we are all feeling at this time, but we are finding solace in knowing he is at peace and no longer suffering. Please feel free to share your stories and thoughts of Don, as his undying spirit will continue to live and thrive among those whose lives he touched. Details regarding his memorial and funeral arrangements will be forthcoming. God bless.  Ruth Ann, Becky, and Sean

Quick Dad update...

Good Saturday to you all!  It's Becky still...

Dad continues to be in residence at the ORMC ICU unit.  There have been several little corners turned over the past week and for that we are truly thankful.  He's still not responding to us and the doctors are trying to figure out why, aside from the massive quantities of medication in his system.  EEG, MRI, CT, lumbar puncture...they're covering all the bases and nothing has turned up yet.  No news is good news in this case I guess.

As far as the infections go, the doctors seem fairly confident that they've stopped the sepsis and that he's on the right medications.  Of course, continuing to be in a hospital with a central line opens him up to other infections but he's on lots of different stuff to catch anything that might try to pop up.

We continue to hope and pray for a full recovery.  The road is long and he's not out of the woods yet but maybe, just maybe, the underbrush is clearing some.  It certainly looks brighter up ahead than it did this time last Saturday.

Please keep us in your thoughts!

A Friday afternoon Dad update...

Dad is currently holding his own.  He's still intubated and they've got him sedated so that he won't struggle against the tube.  They were able to get a good bronchoscopy yesterday and we're waiting for the results now.  They also identified the bacteria in his blood and he's on the right antibiotics at this point.  They are getting ready to start him on dialysis as his kidneys have stopped working.  The doctor is cautiously optimistic though because getting rid of all the fluid that has built up could help him turn the corner on this whole thing.  We're remaining cautiously optimistic and hopeful as well!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!  We will keep on fighting!!

The journey continues...

Hi guys, Becky here. Just wanted to let Dad's readers know that he's in the hospital right now and having a rough go of it. The doctors are dealing with complications from infection and pneumonia at the moment but they're still assessing the extent of it all.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Pretty sucky way to spend his 65th birthday... I've promised him a big bash for his 66th.

If you have any questions, please shoot me an email at mireight@gmail.com. I'll update as I know more!

Becky

Little by Each

There’s a pretty good reason why you haven’t heard from me in a while… things have not been terrific… all health related. I spent a total of three weeks in-patient at Moffitt while they tried to fix the edema and the Big “D”. They cut me loose in time for the kids Jack and Jill Shower, which I really loved attending, but we still had issues… edema, “D” and CMV, which is a virus that all of us have. However, as long as your immune system is working, it stays in check. Not for me. On Monday, I was told that the CMV indicator was negative, so we’ve beaten that down. I really hate the fact that we’re fighting this on several fronts. But that’s one down.

OH, did I mention I’m in COMPLETE REMISSION!!!! What a relief to say that… one less factor to worry about!

Then there was the wedding looming over the horizon and Dr. T wanted me to spend every day at the treatment center. Again, my guardian angel, Tony was with me. He was supposed to come the Thursday before the wedding, but changed his flight and came a week+ early. I was released on Friday, in time for the rehearsal and the rehearsal get-together. Becky and Sean invited some folks to come over later (Oh, did I mention the festivities were at our house… heck, we have the room, the lanai, etc.). I went to bed before some of the people left!!! BTW, the wedding was a BLAST! The Food, Music and most of all, our friends and relatives who came from several states to help us celebrate. I’m especially thankful, not that she came… I knew she would… but for her KILLER CELLS were awesome. My sister, Marie.

So today was a not so good day. Things started out OK, but I noticed some shortness of breath… checked my blood sugar (OK), then my BP (OK), so I lay pretty low all day and drank lots of stuff… water, Gatorade. Big “D” appeared and made the afternoon a challenge… another day in paradise. Another bright spot is that the edema has pretty much gone away. The only thing left to fix is the GVHD, and according to Dr. T., this could take upwards of another 6 months.

All in all, we’re making progress. We have bad days, we have good days. I’m trying to regain my strength… the prednisone is a real sapper of muscle mass, especially quadriceps, arms and shoulders. We work on this every day, just trying to stay ahead of the game. What really bothers me is that I was doing so well 100 days after transplant (this was the middle of July). I was starting to get back to normal, even driving on short jaunts.

We’ll get through this… won’t we?

In the next week or so, I should have put together a story… the ultimate Road Trip story, of a trip that Ruth Ann and I, along with her parents and Becky took to the Southern Ozarks in 1975. I’ve been racking my brain for details about the trip, and son-of-a-gun, I’ve been able to remember a lot about that trip… wait until you hear this story!

I know it’s been a while… and this will be a short one. I just wanted to share the good news with the folks in our circle.

I had a P.E.T. scan last week and met with my PA yesterday. I am in...

COMPLETE REMISSION!!!!!!!!!!!

There were absolutely NO cancer cells “lit up” by the isotope… None at all! I even got to look at the actual pictures, which was a real treat. Fascinating to see the scan and NO bright yellow anywhere. In fact, all was very dark.

You can’t imagine the elation at our house. Ruth Ann and I want to thank all for your prayers. They work!

As far as the GVHD…we’re gaining on it. The “D” is abating gradually and the only problem now is the serious edema in my legs. We switched some meds yesterday and hoping we can get it under control.The next couple of days should see some improvement.

Again, thanks to all. We love you.