2 Years Today! Another Milestone - Praise God!

 

Passed the 2 year mark!  Yay!  So thankful  to arrive at this significant milestone on my transplant journey.  The two year mark is when rejection of the donated bone marrow will likely no longer occur and we can declare it a successful transplant.  It is a great relief to be marking this day with all of you.

I reflect with gratitude on the support of so many. First, my husband Jeff who stepped up above and beyond to be there for me  faithfully each day.   My kids were great, they dropped everything to help and show their love as well.   Our extended family, friends and church all rallied around for the long haul, praying faithfully taking care of so many practical things .  Thank you for everything! 

Medically, I am down to appointments only every couple of months, quite a change from living week to week observing blood counts.   I do still have a lower immunity and need to be careful, but so much better than it was. The chemotherapy  was short in duration but quite intense, it threw my body into instant menopause and I also have low bone density now so I have to take calcium.  Every year I have to have my lung capacity checked….but I have my own hair again!  Last September I was able to give up my wig.   Although its stiff and difficult to manage, it’s my own hair blowing in the breeze again!

This February, Jeff and I took the family for a trip to Hawaii for an early celebration of our 30^th wedding anniversary(which is in May).  I am so thankful for 30 years with Jeff , to travel again and to be together in such a beautiful place, and that everyone was well enough to go.   I do have to stay out of the sun as  I’m at a high risk for skin cancer now, so its long sleeves and big hats for me, but  I could go!  I am enjoying our grandson Kent, son of Melanie and Billy  and  we’re looking forward to another grandchild to be born at the end of July, to Vanessa and Tyler and we praise God for that good news.

I had the opportunity to speak to Melanie’s ladies Bible study group to share my experience  and I will leave you with a few things I shared with them that  I pray will help you, whatever you may be experiencing.  I was able to face this by Gods grace, for three reasons:

      Foundation – the rich teaching from my youth and upwards about our unchangeable, 
                         sovereign,powerful God and the saving  relationship I had with Him going into            
                     this kept me strong and trusting.  Nothing could separate me from His love, even death.
 

     Family – the Godly support of family and church was a constant source of strength for me.

     Future – living on this earth, in this body, is only temporary , I took, and still take great comfort
                   in the glorious, eternal heavenly home God has promised, without sin or sickness!

 Little did I know that at my 2 year anniversary, the whole world would be facing this COVID crisis.  Our family has had to live carefully for a couple of years now and have had to step up our caution again  just as it was getting safer for me.  Thank-you  to those who are exercising restraint for the sake of us who are immunocompromised.  We face this COVID crisis with the same trust in the same God as we just did for the whole MDS/bone marrow transplant experience. We pray for those who are awaiting transplants or other illness during this time and are having delays in treatments.  Please consider joining the donor registry especially at this time.   www.blood.ca