I get to see the girls tomorrow
It has been over 30 days now, but tomorrow my girls fly in at 12 noon and I get to see them for the first time since I left White House. My counts shot up to over 13 yesterday, but that was because of a shot they give to boost my counts. It looks like they will be giving me my bone marrow test on Friday. The prayer for that would be that there are no leukemia residuals left in my marrow. That would mean that this has been a success so far. The counts are a good indicator that the transplant worked, but they said the best way to tell is my the bone marrow test. Also please pray for my girls to have a safe flight.
Chris
My Family Gets to Visit
Tonight my dad, stepmom, and my 2 sisters will get to stay with me from South Carolina. This will be the
FIRST TIME EVER that my mom and stepmom will stay in the same place overnight. I am so thankful that my family has overlooked years of problems and not speaking to one another to be here for me over the last 7 months. My mom and stepmom are becoming friends and they are shopping together and it just feels right. My sisters and I have always been close, but we have gotten even closer as well. I still am praying that my dad gets back to God before it's too late. I'd like for you all to pray for that when you pray for me.
My counts have dipped a little, but that's because they have stopped giving me shots to boost my counts. But according to the doctor and nurses today at the clinic everything is graphting as it is supposed to. They won't know for sure until a couple of days from now when they give me that painful bone marrow test. I really need prayer then because for those that don't know that is the most painful 2 minutes I think you can ever have. Ask JC sometimes to describe it.
At any rate for the most part I feel tired because I'm not used to being able to walk a lot and move around all the time so my body is adjusting. I get to see my girls next week so that will help a lot. Terri Head is going to try and fly with my girls on Wednesday.
Thanks for all your prayers and for keeping up with me on this blog and giving me encouragement. I love you all.
Chris
Life is Resembling Some Normalcy
Well Chris is at the apartment now and her counts today were a whopping 5.2. She is going back and forth to the clinic every day for checkups and ivs, platelets, etc.. She is still having a little trouble with nausea, but nothing to the extent of what it was.
She is starting to eat a little more than she did and she said the first thing she did last night was lay back on the bed and streeeetttccchhh. She is getting the internet connection sometime this week and she will give me the address there for those that would like to know where to send something. Also if anyone wants to send her a note that you would rather be private you can send it her email address at
christineoden@hotmail.com.
Again thanks for all your prayers and we pray that everything continues to keep going well.
till the end,
jc and chris
FREEDOM!!!!!
If you listen hard enough you can almost hear Mel Gibson in the movie Braveheart screaming FREEDOM!!!!!!
That's because Chris got to leave the floor for the first time and go down to the gift shop and had lunch in the cafesteria. Although she had to wear a mask and protective gown it was a huge step to her release from the hospital. She was unhooked from her iv's for the first time as well and she has started back to eating solid foods. She can't have anything with much spice on it at the moment due to her stomach sensitivity issues, but nonetheless, she is more than excited about getting out on Monday.
This is all we feel a direct response from all of your prayers that you have sent up to God on Chris' behalf. Some nurses attribute the fast response from the perfect match and Chris' age and health going in, but we know better.
She also is getting more of her strength back and she is working on little crafts in the room and sitting up more. Right now we just ask that you pray for more of the same that she continues to heal and that she will get to be home soon enough with me and the girls. The other day Haven screamed she was so excited about Chris' counts getting to 1.5. So we know that she understands that prayer works.
till the end,
jc and chris
They are moving on up
Well it looks like Monday will be the day that Chris is released from Duke Hospital to the apartment. Her counts as of this morning were already at the required 1.5 and all we are waiting for is her appetite to come back.
Currently she is on a nutrition iv and they are going to be ween her from that this week. All is good and most of the nurses I spoke with are amazed at how fast she has recovered. In fact we found out that the 30 day window is usually reserved for bone marrow transplants and cord blood transplants usually stay up to 60 days. Chris is asking for prayer for her appetite and that she is able to sleep at night.
Thanks for all your prayers and we will have some pics tomorrow.
till the end,
jc and chris
Today's A Bright New Day
Today in case those who don't know Chris' counts have gotten to 0.9!!!! They have to reach 1.5 before the doctors will consider letting her out to live in the apartment. According to Chris they are mentioning the end of this week as a possibility!!! We knew this day was coming, but man Chris is so glad it's getting closer.
She still does not have an appetite so Todd Mitchell and family she is getting ready for that Outback steak. I just think it is so amazing what happens when God's throne gets smacked with prayers from a lot of people concerning one topic. If you think about it what would happen if we all did this for our church and families. But hey I'll leave the preaching to Brother Bob.
At any rate I am flying up there today to spend Valentine's Day with the princess and I will be coming back on Wednesday so look for mushy pictures soon. Also thanks to all who have given everything from cards to posters to snacks to Creative Memories stuff. And especially thanks to the Givens, who if it weren't for them I would be driving.
We love you all and hopefully the next post will be Chris again.
till the end,
jc and chris
Getting better every day
Chris' mother told me that for the first time in a week Chris was able to eat a popsicle and some jello and hold it down. Also her counts are at 0.4 and everything seems to be moving ahead of schedule. Actually if you think about it, it's right on schedule, (God's).
Chris' white blood count needs to be at 1.5 before they will release her to the apartment and she can drive in to the clinic each day. I was told she loves the creative memories care package and she hopes to be up for using them soon. Also her mom tells me she is still riding her bicycle each day even though her counts are down.
So it looks like things are getting better every day and we all still covet your prayers and best wishes and I am flying up there on Monday to spend time with her on Valentine's Day.
till the end,
jc & chris
A Blessing and a Request
Everyone Chris wanted me to post for her because she just isn't feeling good enough to type. The good news yesterday is that her white count has moved up to 0.2. That might not seem like a lot, but it normally takes 18-22 days for the counts to move up and PRAISE GOD this happened on day 13.
Last night though her mother called me to let me know they had to put her on oxygen due to the mucous that is lining her throat and the Adavant they gave her. Her oxygen level was at 80% and so they had her on that until 3 this morning. Her mother also informed me that Christ threw up every hour last night reopening the sores that are lining her throat so she hasn't slept at all for the past 24 hours. Her mother did say they put some sort of patch on her to hopefully break the mucous up.
Chris does read these posts though and she has asked for people to pray again for rest and to praise God that her counts are starting to move in the right direction.
till the end,
jc
Today is Day 12
Well I'm almost half way to the 30 day mark. I have 3 more days to reach my goal mark of 15 days. That's when I hope my counts will start to go up.
The Countdown is:
3 to 18 days & 18 days to 30
Haven will tell me to keep praying for the 15 day goal because our ''GOD MIGHT ANSWER YES''!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just like the Sunday she wanted me to come home from Centennial Hospital on a Monday. I told her maybe but the doctor said I wouldn't go home till Tuesday. She said that she can still pray for Monday and GOD might answer her. I said you can and that will be a nice surprise. When I got to come home that Monday she just looked at me and said, "See I told you prayer works." So who knows?
I know this sounds like a broken record, but my throat is still bad and so is my tongue. I can't eat still even though I want too REAL BAD. My fever is a 100.0 which is the highest it has been since I got here. They say my throat is basically covered in sores and mucous so it makes me gag, which hurts my throat more. The good news is this is supposed to last only another day or so and then hopefully I can eat a STEAK.
Thanks for the cards and care packages of books and interior decorating magazines.
Love ya'll and keep praying,
Chris
day 9
Well I still have throat and tongue pain. I still can't swallow without severe pain so they are hooking me up on a nutrition iv until I can eat. There is some progress though. I was able to eat a couple of spoons of soup broth today.
Hopefully all of this is the worst it will get and I will get over it soon. The good news is I am one day closer to getting home to see and hug all of you and my family.
This is a picture of my wall of inspiration. My mom will start putting the cards that you all have sent.
love you all keep on praying,
Chris
Day 8
Today my throat hurts worse than yesterday when they hooked me up to morphine, so they increased it today, but it still hurts and I cant eat, drink or talk without pain. I also threw up a lot today so please keep on praying. I need it.
love all chris
