Author: Greek Fighting Orange

How are you all? We are doing good! Chris and I have been waiting for this day for what seems like a long time! Transplant day, 1:00! We have been told the process is pretty low key. Just like a blood transfusion. However, my honey will be watched very closely for ANY adverse reactions or any problems. Everything they do here at The James is planned and thought out thoroughly!  They plan for almost any possible problem while I pray that there isn’t any problems.

As I said, Chris’ sister Elaine, is his donor. Her procedure was today. As expected, she did a awesome job and they were able to extract more than enough bone marrow for the transplant. Cindy, Clark, and I went out for Mexican and margaritas with Elaine and Matt last night. I’m pretty sure the margaritas helped her produce extra bone marrow!😁 

The transplant went well! Chris is doing well, sleeping a little more and his appetite isn’t great but he know he needs to move and eat, so he is pushing himself. Cindy and I are pushing him too. It is really hard to make a grown man drink water when he doesn’t want to! 😊 I figured out if you talk about drinking more liquids when the nurse is in the room he listens and doesn’t grumble as much, lol! 

Elaine is recovering too! She was able to give Chris a liter of bone marrow!! Since she was a whole match, they didn’t have to “filter” the marrow as much. We are so blessed that she was a match because, this is giving Chris’ body a better chance to not reject the transplanted marrow.  

I’m praying that the rest of our stay in Columbus is uneventful and a little boring! ❤️

It’s a beautiful day here in Columbus Ohio! Sunny and 80 degrees with low humidity! 

I guess I messed up a little with what I understood was happening as far a my honeys chemo schedule. Good news is he is only getting 4 days of chemo, which is great, although it is starting to kick his butt pretty good. His appetite is going down and he is getting more tired. I also have to push him a little to get him to walk or shower.  Chris will get a day with no chemo and then the transplant is scheduled for Thursday. 🙏🙏 That is why today is Day Minus 2, tomorrow is Day Minus 1 and a “rest” day and Thursday is Day 0 and, again, the “transplant” day. 

As you may know, Chris is ALWAYS joking around. It won’t surprise you that anyone that comes in his room is fair game! One thing that is for sure is, if they have met Chris, they don’t forget him. He is that kind of person. He will joke about anything with anyone. Even the hospital deacon isn’t exempt. Did you know he will pick on you if he finds something out about you? Oh and he loves to argue! If you say blue he will argue black just to see what you are made of. I’m a little envious of my honey because he can talk to just about anyone about anything. He definitely has the gift of gab! 

Thank you to our friends at BY! They along with Jeff and Charlie have hooked us up with tickets to see OSU vs Penn State in late October! We have never gotten to go to a game at OSU and we are VERY excited! Thank you ALL! 

Hello family and friends that might as well be family! Chris’ first chemo treatment is complete, so far 👍. His spirits are great. We are walking and “working out” a little in the small gym on our floor. They told us Chris can walk around The James as long as he isn’t having his chemo treatment or receiving a blood transfusion. 

To pass the time, we are playing a card game called cribbage.  I’ve play this game since I was a kid and I taught Chris to play years ago. My honey is winning most of the time, but that is because I’m just letting the sick guy win!😜 

Hugs to all!

Chris is all checked in! Blood drawn, chest X-ray, health questions and more questions completed, spoke to cardiologist, and met nurses and nurse practitioners, etc. etc. Chemo starts tomorrow, day -6, and will continue for a total of 5 days. I’m praying that Chris continues to handle these treatments as well as he has in the past. Day “0” will be the transplant day! 

Our move to Columbus this time has not been the whirlwind that it was last March. It is something else that I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe it is that I know too much! I know my honey can’t come home for 3+ months! I know that my sister-in-law is making a huge sacrifice for my honey and me! My sister and brother-in-law are letting us live with them for over 3 months.  I know that our Maumee Valley family will have to run our business without Chris.  Maybe I’m worrying about the future when I need to only be concerned about today!!! “One day at a time” and “No one fights alone”! Thank you all!