July 26, 2017 We have a plan!

Hello to all of you! We hope you are enjoying your summer! Three months ago I would have thought most of our summer would be at the OSU/James in Columbus! We are still in Toledo, enjoying our summer too. Bonus days!! 

After several trips to Columbus and back we finally have a firm plan for the next part of our journey. Chris is scheduled for a couple procedures next week, then we will return home for a couple more “bonus days”! Later that week we will return to start another round of chemo, followed by the stem cell transplant. From what I understand, we have to be very careful this round, in that my honey will be very susceptible to basically anything.  Therefore, visitors will be very limited, especially the week or two after transplant! Of course I will keep you up to date with my blog and I will let you all know when he can have visitors again. We expect to be in the hospital about 4 weeks this time.  After Chris leaves the hospital, he has to stay in the area for another couple months, just in case he has any problems, he will need to get to the hospital quickly.  We feel like we are prepared as well as we can be for the next part of our journey. 

Chris’ sister Elaine is a match for his stem cell transplant and she will be his donor. His sister Kelly was a match too but thru their process, they chose Elaine. People donate organs, blood, stem cells, etc. everyday. I only know one person, personally that donated a kidney.  For one of us to be in a position that a transplant was needed, of course, was unexpected! I have a new found appreciation of the people that would give so much of themselves to help another! Often people must rely on a stranger for a donation but to have someone that you have known and loved be your donor makes it even more precious I think. Chris has known Elaine her whole life, because they are siblings 😁.  I have known Elaine for 40+ years. She and I have been “Sisters” from different “Misters” for everyone of those 40+! She is loving, hard working, loyal, artistic, beautiful, fun, and strong. She also has the best possible stem cells for my honey! Her selfless donation will give Chris and I more of everything that is important to us! Time together and time with all of you, time for anniversaries and holidays, time for golfing and the casino, time for our children and our grand babies, time to enjoy our home and just TIME! Thank you Elaine! We love you!