03/16/2011

So just as soon as I updated the last blog, we looked at Jeremie's labs. He had 24 cells (per field of vision) the last several days had been 9 cells, 4 cells. So a jump to 24 made us quite happy! And then he suddenly had 100 neutrophils. Of course we were excited, so was the P.A. and the Doc. But we also were holding our breaths. It could have been a fluke. These cells might not be there tomorrow. But he was probably starting to engraft.

Well, so we waited until Sunday. Still had the hundred neutrophils, but then he had 28 cells! Woo Hoo definitely didn't look like a fluke. By Monday Jeremie still had his 100 neutrophils, then 100 monophils, and 34 cells counted! Officially starting to engraft!!!!! He started engrafting on day 16! A full 6 days before the average! SO EXCITED!!!

Jeremie still has a rough road a head. But it feels so good to be excited for once. I have loved talking to him more and more. I have missed him so much! His poor throat, mixed with a lot of pain medication really kept me from conversing with him. And I was definitely sensory deprived! I need to talk to him! This whole week I have felt like I was on a cloud. Just being able to talk to him has been heaven sent. I realize how my mood is affected by how well he is doing. I'm tired of being in a bad mood ;-).

Jeremie is still receiving blood products of some sort (platelets, red-blood cells) every day. He is also still on TPN (I.V. nutrition), and the pain pump. So definitely have some work to do. He seems up to the challenge though :-). Nothing we haven't been through, though. He is amazing that sweet husband of mine. I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks. He has been through so much. He deserves to have something go his way.

Now I'm actually getting excited for him to be home and on his motorcycle...that never would have come out of my mouth before. But I'm excited to see that sweet grin on his face. And him running into the house on a Friday, coming home from work saying "that was the most amazing ride!!!". I won't even have a heart attack that he was on the stupid machine. Not after going through this!

I can't even tell you how excited I am for summer! A hot, sun-filled St. George summer! We will all be home! I remember a time in July, when Jeremie was first diagnosed with leukemia. He started having fevers. His temp had risen to 104 degrees. He was starting to shake. Shaking is terrible when you have a fever. It raises your body temperature even more. At 104 and rising it could have sent him into a seizure.

This is where Jeremie learned the art of meditation. I asked him to close his eyes and think about a hot St. George summer. Not just a hot St. George summer, but on his motorcycle with a t-shirt on, feeling the sun beat down on his arms. I asked him to remember how he felt (he used to tell me he was a lizard, and loved the heat, felt invigorated by it on his bike, of course I thought he was nuts, but right now I was using it!). I asked him to feel the radiator blowing the heat onto his legs when he would sit at a stop light in the heat (and he thought I never listened!). His shaking stopped. He had total control over his body with his amazing mind. And who said labor coaching could only be used for women in labor?? ;-) It is an amazing memory for me. I have seen him use his mind power now over and over again. And it makes me so excited to feel the warm heat for myself.

Aaahhhh...just excited for the next couple of months. I've been so afraid to feel excited. But I'm gonna enjoy it for a minute...

Love to all,

Cori