Happy Thanksgiving!

At the moment I am still feeling down because the new antibiotics are really hard on me; they have to be administered 3 times a day (6 am, 2 and 10 pm) and they run over 3+ hours so I don't rest enough. And since I got a new PICC line in my arm (a catheter that goes into my chest) I've had clotting issues with it and we spent entire weekend at ER and MD Anderson trying to get it fixed. I was very miserable the last week but I am still THANKFUL to be home with my family and not at the hospital.

Thanksgiving is a truly American tradition and since we don't have any family here it never really hit home for us ... until this year. Over the last year so many of you have treated us like family, helping out in every possible way, giving your unconditional love and support; and so we GIVE OUR THANKS to YOU and wish you health, love and peace for these are the greatest blessings we have in this life and we should truly cherish them. Happy Thanksgiving!

For better or worse...

Well, you tell me what you think. I spent almost entire week at MDA doing CT scans, bronchoscopy, blood work and seeing doctors (except Wednesday since it was Raymond's b-day) and here are the news: Thank God I do not have cancer in my lungs; unfortunately, I have an asymptomatic migrating CMV pneumonia (cytomegalovirus) - not a good one. Yesterday my transplant onc mentioned that we caught it early, otherwise it could have become deadly. With that news he sent me straight for a 4 hour infusion in my poor little veins till 11 pm and the next morning (today) I got a new PICC line in my arm - I still hurt emotionally and physically. I tried to be so careful - what did I do wrong? What a payback -- I will be getting daily treatments for a month and have to make trips to MDA every other day (the IV antibiotics affect liver and kidneys so they have to monitor my blood work). So that's the story ... I guess I am not in the hospital and that's good. I am thankful it's not as bad as it could have been -- so Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Best news of the day

Oh my goodness, what a day today - Andryusha is WALKING!!!! Yes, he walks all over the place, firmly yet graciously and can't seam to want to stop -- we are ecstatic and his proud smiles just send us over the top -- we smile and cheer him as we cry from happiness! I can't believe that all these years we were clueless of the joys of parenthood :)

Apart from that ... last Thursday I had a CAT scan and basically there was some improvement in my lugs BUT some new shadows/spots came up; so I've been on this new drug that blurs my vision and messes with my stomach but I am still happy -- as long as it's not reoccurring/new cancer we will somehow get rid of it! Monday I will go for more scans and hopefully by next Thursday (11/16) we will know the results. I think a clean scan would be an original birthday gift for Raymond. He isn't aging at all but somehow is going to turn 37 on November 15 (send him a cheer if you can -- he truly deserve it!)