Day +4

Hello Blog world - Not sure if anyone is still out there watching this blog - A has had to take a hiatus from writing given all the things going on in her world. However, this is M, well now officially Dr. M, giving an update on L's status. Since A last wrote, L was responding well to treatment and achieved remission sometime around December 2009. He was able to travel for the first time with a Christmas time trip to Akron for a visit with family and friends. He then traveled up north to Boston to spend the last week of the year with K, M and the Foleys. It was a nice relaxing week for all and we were happy to ring in the new year with a relatively healthy L and a cherry cream cheese pie (well, 2 cherry cream cheese pies!). The doctors in charge of L's treatment decided that a stem cell transplant would be the next step in helping L return to long-term health and January and February were spent preparing (mentally, spiritually, financially, etc) for the process. L had stem cells collected from himself early February and these peripheral blood stem cells were frozen to be stored until L was ready for them. On February 9th, L and A traveled to Boston for the long awaited end of M's graduate career. It was a wonderful day shared by the Knowlton 4, PFoley, Celia and Gus. Sean, Alyse, Emma, Kaelyn and Aunt CathyJ joined everyone for a happy celebratory dinner to congratulate the new Dr. MLK. After a restful weekend, Aunt CathyJ and L were preparing for Tuesday departures when L awoke with terrible right side pain. After a snowy trip to the Brigham ER, it was determined that L had a mass pushing on the ureter blocking flow from the kidney. The pain was a result of a swollen kidney and gall bladder. This development caused a one week delay in a February 22nd scheduled stem cell transplant. After treatment with antibiotics and the placement of a stent in the ureter, L checked into the hospital on March 1 (his 60th birthday!) for the stem cell transplant. After placing a catheter in, he got settled into his room and the evening ended with treatment with high dose chemotherapy. Wednesday, March 3rd, L received back his own stem cells - Day 0. Now begins the process of engraftment, when these stem cells remake all the blood cells that were killed by the high dose chemotherapy. The first week had its ups and downs - tiredness, insomnia, metallic taste in mouth, naseau, etc. This coming week will probably look similar in terms of symptoms. The blood counts are dropping and may bottom out this week which means there will be lots of tiredness and susceptibility to infection and bleeding since the white blood cells, platelets and red blood cells will be low. Please pray that L will experience a special sense of God's peace, joy, hope and love in the coming days. Also pray for the Knowlton 4 that God would help to give each one a great big heaping dose of patience, love, compassion and grace in the coming days. Also pray that the high dose chemotherapy works to obliterate the masses and that the stem cell transplant will help to get this aggressive case of myeloma under control. Also, pray that K and A are able to be productive this week given much that weighs on their minds as they both work. Will try to keep this more updated this week while in the ATL and once back in Boston.

Best to all.
M, Ph.D. (ha!)