Waiting for Transplant - March 19 - Update

Hello faithful friends and family,

I must admit a bit of a struggle in updating Trudy's Blog. Trudy has had myriad appointments and some issues to work through. So, thanks for looking in and here goes nuttin...

A few years back, before Ben Stein started hawking Free Credit Report Dot Com, I wrote that dealing with cancer is like playing the "Gopher" game at Chucky Cheese. You bop gophers as fast as you can, but they keep popping up...Well, this week the gopher that has popped up is a rather nasty chest/lung infection that hit Trudy like a ton of bricks. When we saw the docs on Monday, she was fine, Tuesday, still a go, but by Wednesday, the doc put her on antibiotic medication and adjusted the transplant schedule back a few days. So, while she did accomplish a number of medical tasks that had to checked-off, others will have to wait until next week.

We have obtained an apartment through the Christian Apartment Ministry. We have a fully equipped one bedroom unit with phone, cable, and Internet. We have shuttle service to and from the hospital and mail service (if you want to send Trudy a note, please email me for the address info...and for phone number). There is an on-site convenience store, fitness center, and we are close to anything and everything we could ask for. Already, it is our home away from home.

The folks at M. D. Anderson are simply great. They are consummate professional cancer care givers. Trudy's transplant doctor is one of the top in the field and his team support is equally great. Trudy is seen by multiple health disciplines, opthamology, dental, radiology, etc., and each of them are specialists in dealing with cancer patients. Even the volunteers that come around with coffee or man the hospitality area are all people who have giant compassionate hearts (born of personal experience) for cancer patients. We know that being here for Trudy's health is a blessing from God.

Well, if the doctor doesn't call Trudy in for further lung infection treatment, we are planning to head home this afternoon. We have some further items to get done, some clothes to collect, and some family to see. Please continue to pray for Trudy, your prayers mean so very much to her. We are praying that the baby's stem cells that are on their way to MDA have been already set apart by the Lord for Trudy. We pray that the infection gripping her right now will soon be gone. And we pray that "all things" will work together for her good and long lasting health. May the MDS stay in control and may the Leukemia continue to stay away.

Blessings,
Trudy and Robert