Tuesday 4/12/16 - pardon the redundancy but this helps me keep my thoughts somewhat straight

The Fun Stuff
Joseph was home for Spring break this past March for 2 whole weeks.  He arrived home on Friday March 11 and went back on Easter Sunday March 27.   Emma and her friends are off to a great start in their volleyball season - for both kids summer is just around the corner and Emma is particular is looking forward to her many graduation activities.  Grandma has been here a couple of times and there has been no shortage of meals, prayers, cards and friends to remind us of how fortunate we are.

The bottom line
I am currently in the second of 2 hospitalizations since late February (about a month and a half with a brief break between the two hospitalizations).  We will probably talk about my going home the week of 4/18. During the first hospitalization I had toxic chemo which dropped my blood counts by design emptying my marrow so we could start all over again with rebuilding a healthy immune system.  My counts are finally recovering and so far my new immune system is coming in strong.  I expect the results of a recent bone marrow biopsy to come in by Friday and that will dictate our next course of treatment.

So here has been our crazy month +
This has been a difficult couple of months with 2 hospitalizations, one round of toxic chemo that really knocked me out, a stay in the ICU, multiple x rays, echochadiograms and a CAT scan, losing my port and IV necessitating multiple 'sticks' to both draw blood  and infusions for a period of time plus a nasty rash (again) necessitating a skin biopsy to see what is going on.  Yet here I am with my counts recovering, currently responding very well to the chemo and again back to a place of strength and hope.  We had a field trip to attend Sunday Mass and I am blessed with multiple visits from family/friends

At a glance
Feb
2/25 Moe admitted to hospital for next round of chemo

March
3/9 Mom arrives for a visit
3/11 Moe Discharged from hospital and Mom picks up Joe from Bowdoin for the beginning of his 2 week Sp Break
3/15 Mom Returns Home to Cleveland
3/18 Joe, his best pal Megan, Emma and some of her friends go to 2015 Mr North Andover pageant (Joe/Megan won in 2015 and passed the crown to this year's 2016 winners)
3/20 Sunday (Palm Sunday) Maureen re-admitted to hospital with fever and low blood pressure

April
4/3 Maureen goes to ICU with dangerously low blood pressure - back to regular floor the following day
4/6 Mom comes for a second visit
4/12 Mom returns home
4/11 Maureen's blood count numbers begin to rise and we are encouraged by how she is responding to chemo.  Plus Happy Birthday Kate!!

Upcoming Events
Maureen had a bone marrow biopsy on 4/12 - the results will determine next steps in treatment including when/if she will have another cell infusion from her original donor and/or another round of chemo in pill form. She remains on antibiotics for infections and pnemonia both of which are in the process of healing.  She is in the hospital for the forseeable future though we may start discussing discharge plans as soon as the week of 4/18.

Thanks for checking in and slogging through this update!

Love Maureen