April 28th

Hello everyone!  Thankfully my breathing is back to normal and I am off the Oxygen as of Sunday,  My kidney creatinine level continues to creep up and I will likely stay in the hospital until it begins a downward trend.  There are a few possibilities for this increase...the medicines I am taking and the fact that I am no longer getting fluids through the IV.  All under review/discussion by my medical team- my nurse Julie calls this phase the cha - cha (two steps forward one step back).

Quick Family update - Emma and Joe were on Spring break last week.  Joe went to Spain (for 2 weeks) and is having a wonderful time.  He's been to Madrid, Seville and spent a week with his host family in Granada.

Emma kept busy with friends - in fact her girl scout troop selected our home for an Earth Day project.  They did some yard clean up and planted flowers and a beautiful azalea bush.  What a kind, hard working group of girls and GS parents - many thanks.

I hope to know tomorrow what my next steps will be.  Thanks for checking in and will keep you posted

Love
Maureen

Weekend Update April 25 and 26

We went from straightforward clinic visits to a whirlwind of activity last Thursday.  Some very encouraging news - I had another bone marrow biopsy and the preliminary results show no lingering leukemia.  Also, the bone marrow I now have looks completely different according to my doctor; thus early indications are the engraphment was a success and the transplant is doing what it is supposed to do.  More testing is in the works to see among other things what % of the marrow is mine vs. the donor.

I did also have a slight derailment on Thursday.  Periodically since getting released from the hospital to the apartment I would become short of breath after walking just a few yards.  Othertimes I could walk from point A to point B no problem.  On Thursday afternoon I was in the clinic getting a previously scheduled echo cardiogram when I had tremendous difficulty breathing.  I was put on oxygen right away and felt better immediately.  They took me to the emergency room (with my Mom riding shotgun in the ambulance) for a chest X Ray and VQ scan as the doctors looked for reasons my oxygen saturation was so low,  The VQ scan tests for a blood clot and fortunately none was found.  The chest X Ray revealed fluid in my lungs which is the most likely culprit for the labored breathing.  I was readmitted to Beth Israel for what I hope is a short stay.

How did this happen?  Best I can tell they overloaded me with fluids while I was in the clinic (I got fluids every morning the two weeks I was in the apartment).  Since Thursday I've taken a couple doses of Lasix and have been happily peeing out the excess fluid.  Hopefully that will do the trick.  My lungs sound better and I can take deeper breaths with no discomfort.  I am waiting for the doctors to round today (Saturday) to learn next next steps including discharge from the hospital (3rd times a charm).

Thanks for checking in and I'll continue to update as internet connections allow.

Love Maureen

weekend update April 18 / 19

Kate and I spent the first week in the apartment and the freedom has been wonderful. I spend each morning in the clinic getting blood drawn and any replenishment (such a  magnesium, potassium or red blood)  Today I am getting red blood transfusion. Yesterday I was unusually tired and the boost in red blood will help.  My brother in law Richard and wife Ann came up from the cape earlier this week and we had a great visit. Somehow the topic came up about the sorry state of the umbrellas in my house (all spokes no protection)  after they left the bell rings and here are rich and Ann with a shiny new umbrella!  Sadly looks like it will come in handy this week.

My Mom is staying with me now. We had a great day taking Joseph shopping at Copley place for some last minute additions to his Spain wardrobe. He left yesterday and will be gone two weeks on an exchange program. Been a bit wiped out ever since so hopefully I'll get a nice boost today.

The docs remain very encouraged with my progress and if it continues I may go home at the end of the week!  Will keep you posted. So glad my mom is here. Jim and Emma arrive shortly. A great day

Thanks for checking in
Love Maureen maureen.staudt@gmail

Wednesday April 15

Settled into the apartment and going to the clinic everyday.  All continues to look good with my numbers.  Rebuilding my stamina with each walk to and from the clinic.  What beautiful days we've been having and that helps. Doing this update on my kindle which has tiny keyboard so keeping it brief. Thanks for checking in. Love, Maureen

Monday April 13

I just realized I was in the hospital over 2 Friday the 13ths.  Take that!

Today is move day to the apartments.  All of my blood work looks good, no fevers or other last minute blips to keep me here.  I was out of bed, in the shower and dressed in street clothes in record time just in case anyone thinks I am sticking around for another day :)

Jim is here and Kate arrives today.  Someone needs to be with me 24/7 in the apartments and Kate is taking first shift.  Hopefully I won't be there too long (maybe 2 weeks) but we'll have to wait and see how I do.

It looks beautiful outside today and I cannot wait to get a breath of fresh air.

My updates may be staggared this week as the apartment does not have wi-fi and I think one day will pretty much be like the last.  I'll keep on this blog as best I can.

Thanks for all your love, support and prayers - and thanks for checking in!

Love
Maureen

Wednesday April 8th

Things continue to look great here with me at Beth Israel.  My blood counts have steadily risen.  The plan right now is for me to be discharged on Monday April 13. Now this is contingent upon no fevers or infections between now and then. So focus those prayer efforts:)

The one bedroom apartments are just a street away   You can see the clinic entrance from the entrance to the Shapiro center clinic. For those of you who have been in the area, they are  on the top floors of the building with the CVS (photo below courtesy of Jim :)

I'll be visiting the clinic everyday and while I am well enough to leave the hospital they keep all their patients close right after the transplant.  My stay there should be 2 weeks. Then home!

My Mom and Kate will keep me company at the apartments with Kate taking first shift next week. Thank goodness for them.

That's it for now. Thanks for checking in

Love Maureen

Monday April 6th

Hope everyone had an amazing weekend and some Spring fun this Easter Sunday.  Jim's family was spread far and wide with some enjoying warmer temperatures for the weekend.  His sister Lorie and BIL Bob were here in Boston and it was great to see Lorie along with her daughter Siobhan and hubby Nick (Bob had a cold and was lovingly banned from coming by Lorie).

The Redmonds all gathered at Grandma Kay's this weekend where the weather was nice enough for an Easter Egg hunt and some Spring baseball.  The Columbus crew had both Friday and Monday off school so they had a nice long weekend.  Here they are alla High School Musical - Nora - Charlie - Erin - Molly -  Patricia and Kathryn.

Every year the North Andover Staudts join several local families to celebrate Easter.  Jim said the food was amazing and there were too many desserts to count.  One year we made the mistake of letting the boys go through the buffet line first - never again.  Emma's friend Samantha and her Mom Amy kept the Staudt carrot souffle tradition alive - a labor of love putting that sucker together. Sounds like it was a lovely day.  My morning was kicked off with a visit by Jim which was terrific.

On the health front...I am enjoying another strong day.  A bit tired as my red blood cells were low - I received a transfusion and feel good.  My stomach has not gotten the  memo that things are supposed to be on the upswing but I am sure this too shall pass.  They are beginning to think about talking about getting me to the apartments (my next stop before home).   Could be within the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for checking in

Love
Maureen

Weekend Update April 4 and 5

Happy Saturday!

What a beautiful day here in Boston - hope the same for you.  This week flew by with visits from some of my dearest friends.  Kirsten her daughter Jane and I caught up Thursday before they caught a flight to Florida (lucky).  Yesterday my friend Ellen came by stocked with paper, scissors, glue and her amazing cleverness,  We made paper Easter Eggs to decorate my room - they look awesome...one egg for each of the Staudts, one for my nurse on duty that day, and one for Dr. Avigan my primary doctor and the head of the department.  Very fun but had me once again lamenting my lack of artistry skills - The grady white boat I drew on Jim's egg looks like a duck with a dunce cap.  Oh well - Ellen;s Eggs look awesome and we had a great time.

My lousy days may be  behind me - I am feeling quite a bit better today with only some back pain (attributed to the activity in the marrow which is in my hips) and sore throat (attributed to the chemo).  All in all not too bad.

A few more friends coming by this morning (Jack and Judy from North Andover).  Later this afternoon Jim, Emma, and my sister in law from DC Lorie will stop by to  visit, bring me fresh clothes and replenish my supply of spagettios - I cannot get enough of those!!

Speaking of Emma - she and several of her friends are in the news! Women in Science and Engineering offered a day long symposium focusing on careers opportunities in these fields.  The day at Salem State was a combination of hands on actives and lectures - sounds like the day was incredibly fun and the girls got a unique view into career options in these fields. http://northandover.wickedlocal.com/article/20150404/NEWS/150408645


Nothing going on this weekend in the way of procedures or new medicines - should be pretty quiet as we continue the waiting game for my counts to begin to rise.

Happy Easter everyone - thanks for checking in

Love Maureen

Thursday April 2

Woke up today feeling a bit crummy. Right now my counts are at their lowest and the "yuck"feeling is part of the process.  This is actually right on track for my nadir period (low counts)  This can last up to a week but I've  been here before and this too shall pass.  I am in great hands.

Thanks for checking in