The Great Staff at TN Oncology
For those who have heard us speak of them over and over and over. These 2 angels beside Chris have fought and scratched every way they can to get Chris to the stage she's at now.
The lady on the left is who we gently refer to as "General" Jamie Waselenko. She is the phenomenal oncologist who moved here to start the trasnplant center at Centennial Medical Center. She has time and time again amazed Chris and I with her relentless pursuit to get Chris to transplant before the cancer returned. When we first met her she cried with us and above all else she prays with us and for us on a regular basis. She is truly a God send to this part of the world.
The lady on the right would be the lieutenant Carrie Vingelen. Carrie is pretty much our main activist with keeping our spirits high and helping us with the will to fight, even when insurance companies keep punching and kicking while you're down. Seriously how many nurses actually give you their cell phone number and actually mean it when they want you to call them no matter when or where.
These two and the entire 7th floor and staff at TN Oncology have yet to have an idea of what they have done for this family and how that will trickle out once this event in our life is over. I know God is the one who gets all the glory, but I also know he uses heroes like these women who actually mean it when they say they have Chris' best interests in mind as well as the rest of their patients.
I know of two other beautiful ladies that are thankful for the efforts of Jamie and Carrie as well.
till the end,
jc
FORGOT TO SAY
i forgot to say that my counts are 0.1 they need to get to 1.5 or 2.0
it could take time sometime but it could be a soon as 8 days is the shortest it has been
one person told us that the shortest time was 18 days so we were praying for 15 days
THE SOONER THE BETTER SO I CAN LEAVE THIS HOSPITAL AND GO TO APARTMENT
AND THEN HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
today is day 6
hello everyone
feeling okay my throat hurts and my tongue is sore but other than that i am okay
slept alot yesturday couldnt keep my eyes open.
but i did say i wish i could sleep the days away.
thanks for all the emails and prayers.
i cant wait to get home i miss everyone
love you chris
God Sent This Chapter to Me. It has Become my Life Chapter
GOD, YOU'RE MY REFUGE. I TRUST IN YOU AND I AM SAFE.
THAT'S RIGHT - HE RESCUSES YOU FROM HIDDEN TRAPS,
SHIELDS YOU FROM DEADLY HAZARDS.
HIS HUGE OUTSTRETCHES ARMS PROTECT YOU
UNDER THEM YOU'RE PREFECTLY SAFE
HIS ARM FEND OFF ALL HARM.
FEAR NOTHING NOT WILD WOLVES IN THE NIGHT
NOT FLYING ARROWS IN THE DAY.
NOT DISEASES!!!!!!!! THAT PROWLS THROUGH THE DARKNESS,
NOT DISASTER THAT ERUPTS AT HIGH NOON.
EVEN THOUGH OTHERS SUCCUMB ALL AROUND, DROP LIKE FLIES RIGHT AND LEFT,
NO HARM WILL EVEN GAZE YOU..
YOU'LL STAND UNTOUCHED, WATCH IT ALL FROM A DISTANCE,WATCH THE WICKED TURN INTO CORPSES.
YES, BECAUSE GOD'S YOUR REFUGE,
THE HIGH GOD YOUR VERY OWN HOME,
EVIL CAN'T GET CLOSE TO YOU,
HARM CANT GET THROUGH THE DOOR.
HE ORDERED HIS ANGELS TO GUARD YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.
IF YOU STUMBLE, THEY'LL CATCH YOU; THEIR JOB IS TO KEEP YOU FROM FALLING.
YOU'LL WALK UNHARMED AMONG LIONS AND SNAKES AND KICK YOUNG LIONS AND SERPENTS FROM THE PATH
"IF YOU'LL HOLD ON TO ME FOR DEAR LIFE,'' SAYS GOD,
I'LL GET YOU OUT OF ANY TROUBLE.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE BEST OF CARE
IF YOU'LL GET TO KNOW AND TRUST ME.
CALL ME AND I'LL ANSWER, BE AT YOUR SIDE IN BAD TIMES;
I 'LL RESCUE YOU, THEN THROW YOU A PARTY.
I'LL GIVE YOU A LONG LIFE, GIVE YOU A LONG DRINK OF SALVATION!!!!!!!!!
Psalms 91 (The Message)
CHRIS
DAY 2
HELLO EVERYONE
TODAY I HAVE FELT GOOD. I HAD A HEADACHE THIS MORNING BUT THEY GAVE ME SOMETHING FOR IT AND IT WENT AWAY. I WAS ABLE TO EAT A CHICKEN BISCIUT AND NOT THROW IT UP. I HAVE GOTTEN SICK TWICE SO FAR SO THAT'S NOT TOO BAD.
MY COUNTS ARE HIGH TODAY BUT WONT STAY THAT WAY. MY WHITE COUNT WILL DROP ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ZERO AND THEN GO UP AGAIN TO MAKE SURE THE NEW CELLS GRAFTED TO MY BODY.
I MISS SELAH AND HAVEN AND ALL OF YOU. I WISH IT WAS OVER BUT MAYBE IT WILL HURRY.
HOPEFULLY I WILL START SCRAPBOOKING SOON AND THAT WILL PASS MY TIME FASTER. I HOPE TO FEEL UP TO IT.
STILL PRAY FOR NO SICKNESS AND FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO EAT AND SLEEP.
IF ANYONE WANTS TO PAINT ANY TIME SOON YOU CAN PAINT MY HOUSE I'll
GIVE YOU A LIST OF WHAT I WANT TO CHANGE IT TO j/k
LOVE YOU ALL
To Haven and Selah:
MOMMY LOVES YOU VERY MUCH AND I MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY.
YOU BOTH MEAN THE WORLD TO ME AND YOU ARE MY STRENGHT TO GET THROUGH THIS. YOU ARE MY LIFE AND YES HAVEN YOUR DADDY IS TOO.
HAVEN KEEP PRAYING FOR MOMMY WE BOTH KNOW YOUR PRAYER WORKS..
LOVE YOU LOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CHRIS
It's a Baby Wife and the Daddy Passed Out
Well at 11:00am EST yesterday Chris was given what we have been praying and hoping for over the last several months and that was her cord blood transplant. The procedure was very uneventful. It was a little bag of blood that was given to her intravenously. Chris slept most of the 15 minute procedure. We hugged and kissed and was told that now it is mostly a waiting game to see if her body accepts the new cells.
45 minutes after she had the procedure I was surfing the net when I began to feel light headed and my vision became blurry. I passes out for a few minutes and was taken downstairs to the ER where to my "
Surprise" I was told I was suffering from exhaustion and was told to rest. I think that when the focus of your life becomes something like me getting Chris to this transplant and actually watching it I had a melting point and I hit it.
Today Chris is resting much better and that's great. Later this week I will start posting her counts and we can all rejoice when they start to go from 0 to 0.1 and higher.
till the end,
jc
So Much for a Day of Rest
Not to sound so negative all the time, but this has by far been the worst day. Chris woke up with a bad case of cabin fever and it just made it worse when she realized she just got here. It has to do with the rooms being so small and that she can't leave this unit. (It is like the Pentagon. You have to walk through 5 doors with each door closing before the next one opens.) We know that is for her benefit and health, but it still doesn't make it feel better. She also had her first vomiting episode this afternoon. So she hasn't rested at all. All I can do is hold her and shut up because there is nothing I can say to get her what she wants which is to go outside and be with her kids and sleep in her bed.
On a lighter note she did want me to express to everyone that the next time Brother Bob says, "How many would rather be here than in the hospital?" that everyone of you should stand up and emphatically raise your hands.
She should be getting the cord of blood tomorrow at noon White House time. I will post again after the transplant. So if anyone wants to wish her a Happy Birthday tomorrow it would fit because from a medical standpoint it is like she is being reborn. "It's a good thing we live in Tennessee since I will be married to a minor." Talking about robbing the cradle. Okay I'm stopping now because I am making myself sick and Wes probably has interrupted everyone with laughter at his work.
Pray for peace, rest, healing and for the Haven and her being without parents right now.
till the end,
jc
Not a Good Day
Today, Chris has been restless all day. It started yesterday when she started having a sharp pain in her neck. She said it felt like she was paralyzed. She couldn't move it at all. The nurse was afraid it was a seizure since one of the chemotherapies she is taking has seizures as a possible side efffect. When it was ruled otherwise, they thought it might be an allergic reaction to one of her nausea medications. They took her off of that today and she still had the stiffness coupled with what we are calling "A touch of JC," which means she is feeling
REALLY HYPER.They found out it was a reaction to the Busulfan which is one of her chemos. They gave her some medicine and she it knocked out right now. Lastly she is starting to lose her sense of taste. The last couple of days she has done really well with eating a lot of food, but today she did not want "Cracker Barrel" and for those that know that is huge.
Now on the good news front she has received the last dose of chemo. She will have no more chemo administered and she will have a day of rest tomorrow. Tuesday morning she will receive the cord of blood and then it is a waiting game to see when they will graph with her body. Also we received information that less than 7% of all cord blood transplants are with a perfect match. So again I think that is just God showing off, that Chris is one of those blessed with a perfect match.
I know she loves reading all your comments and prayers so please keep them going, because like I said earlier there will be a lot of waiting from here on out.
till then end,
jc
Chris Speaks
hello all !!! thanks for the messages!
today i am already getting sick of this room and i cant leave this floor.
i can walk on the treadmill or ride bike but no going outside.
sleepy today didnt sleep well last night.
so far havent been sick which i pray i dont.
keep on praying
love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Starting to get Settled In
Well, Chris has been admitted to Duke University Med Center and she has had her first dose of chemo for this procedure. Her room number is 9203 and if someone wants to contact her directly they can at 919.681.9203. It has been a long road to get to this point and I know we have a bit more driving to go, but I know we'll reach the destination soon. I will try to get an address for anyone who wants to send cards and some pictures will get posted on next one.Parting is such sweet sorrow. On one hand we were exited that all the doors opened and she got to come here for the cord blood procedure, but on the other leaving behind her 2 daughters was beyond rough. Selah couldn't keep from smiling so who would want to leave that face behind and Haven blew "hundreds of kisses" into a little black box for her mom. I tell you Chris, myself, my mom and Terri Head pretty much lost it at that point. And then on Monday Chris sang Happy Birthday to Selah who turned one and she broke down then. But now she is determined to make it through to get to the next birthday and beyond.Again we thank you all for your prayers and keep reading and posting your comments and prayers because Chris loves reading them.till the end,jc
We are off to Duke
Well there is nothing else left to pack and we are loading up the Quest to start the next chapter in our life. It should be about an 8 hour drive (7 if Chris goes to sleep and doesn't see me speeding); and we are checking into the Durham Marriott Hotel. If anyone reads this before 10pm tonight please pray for our safe arrival to Duke.
