Home again home again!

Kurt has completed the 3rd round of consolidation chemo, and came home on Monday of this week. He is doing quite well, but we are a little discouraged. They still have not found another donor, and they will only give him one more consolidation round of chemo. So if they do get a donor soon, he will start the transplant process in mid-July, and if not they will do the 4th and final round of consolidation chemo, and then we will have to talk to the doctors and make some decisions, and we really don't know what our options would be. We are getting a little nervous, because the time seems to be going faster and we cannot find a donor. They said it usually doesn't take this long to find one, but we're thinking that it is summer and everyone probably has plans. So keep praying that they will find one soon.
Other than that, he hasn't lost his hair from the consolidation treatments, and it is growing in pretty good. But if when they do the transplant he will get radiation and chemo, and I'm sure it will fall out again. Now we just go to the hospital and get the counts checked frequently for the next week and a half, and wait for the counts to come back up, and then maybe we can do something fun again.
Thanks again for your concern and support. Hopefully the next time I write it will be something positive about the transplant.

Bone Marrow Registry

If anyone is interested in signing up for the registry, I went on the Bone Marrow Transplant Registry web site yesterday and saw that you can sign up online for free now until June 22, 09, I can't believe they would charge someone to sign up, but on the site it said that it costs $100 for the registry to process each applicant. I just went to ask.com and typed in the question box bone marrow transplant registry. It look me to the web site, and it looks like you have to fill out an application and have them mail a kit to you. All they need is a swipe of the inside of your cheek. Just thought I would let everyone know, since so many have asked about it. Thanks.

Another set back.

Tuesday the 9th, Kurt had to go to talk to several people regarding the transplant. The most important one was the radiologist and get x-rays and ct scan to measure his lungs so they can make blocks or samples of his lungs. They hang this in front and back when they shoot radiation to his whole body. Then we talked to a dietician, a pharmacist, and the financial person. We were there from 9:00 to 2:00, we had a lot of fun (ha ha). Then we were suppose to go back Friday the 12th, to have a family conference with the Head Dr. But Kurt got a call yesterday from Rachael our coordinator, telling us that the registry had called and told the hospital that the 40ish old donor was not capatible for some reason or another, but they can't tell us the reason, they don't even know. So now we have to do another chemo process like the last two that we did, he goes in on Wednesday the 16th and stays for 6 days, then we wait for the counts to go down, then they have to go back up. They told Kurt that they are going back to the first donor that is 21 and see if he will be able to do it around mid July. Kurt is a little discouraged and was wanting to start the transplant process and get it over with, but it is out of our control and so we do what they tell us and go on.
I know that things happen for a reason and hopefully someday we will know all of the reasons for everything that has happened. It still gets a little frustrating, but we will keep having faith that Heavenly Father knows what we can handle and we know he is looking over us. Thanks again for your support and love.

Almost normal weekend!

Last Thursday, Kurt was a little sluggish, so we called the hospital and got him in on Friday to get some juice, or blood to give him some energy. We got done on Friday around 3:00 and went home to get things packed, yes packed not for the hospital but for Logan. We left around 5:00 and stopped at Ryan & Cher's in Roy to see some new things they had done with their home, and then they were nice enough to feed us. It was fun to be in another place besides our home and the hospital and play with his 3 boys. Then we left around 8:00 and headed up to Logan, to see Chad & Chelsea's new apartment. We were staying with Chad and Chelsea. We just talked that night, and decided that the guys would try fishing in the morning since it was free fishing day in Utah. The next morning we slept in and ate breakfast, Ryan's family came up about 10:00, and they got ready to go to 1st Dam. It's not too far from Chad's apartment, so it only takes about 5 mins to get there. Chelsea and I got ready while Cher took the boys over to the park across from their place. Then we went grocery shopping and picked up some things for lunch and a barbecue for later that night. We went up to
1st Dam and had lunch with they guys. Kurt was a little tired. It takes some energy to get into his float tube and then back out again. After lunch Chelsea wanted to go shopping, so the boys decided to take Kurt golfing with a cart of course, and the girls and kids went shopping. I was exhausted that day as well, haven't shopped that much in a long time, but it was fun. We got back to Chad's and the men still hadn't come back. They came soon and we started the dinner. Kurt had a great time, but was tired and sore from using muscles he hadn't in a long time. Ryan and Cher left around 9:00, and we stayed at Chad's that night again. Sunday, I went to Church with Chad and Chelsea. We left around 1:00 that day to go home and have a birthday party for Dalton who turned 7 on Saturday. He got to go to the party, and so it was a great weekend. Now this week we have to go to the hospital on Tuesday and Friday for most of the day to consult with several people and have some more tests done. At least he doesn't have to stay in.
Hopefully this week we will have a great time before he goes in for the transplant.

Well now the fun begins!

Kurt has been home for two weeks, after getting home from the hospital on Monday May 18, that afternoon, he started with a scratchy troat and cough. He thought it was maybe allergies, but it was a cold. He had to go to the hospital on Wednesday and Friday that week, so they were keeping a check on him, they gave him a x-ray on his chest but it was clear. He just got rest and it took about a week to feel better, then just when he was getting better, I got the same thing, so we were trying to not get too close to not get him sick again. It has been a horrible week, because I thought I would get better in a few days, but I got worse, I went to the dr on Saturday the 30th, and had a sinus infection, got a anti-biotic and I think today I feel a little better. But the whole week when I'm around him I have been wearing a mask, washing my hands every 5 mins, cleaning off everything I touch and he has to get everything for himself. It's been frustrating, knowing that he will be going into the hospital soon and both being sick is not fun!
We were told that they had chosen a donor a couple of weeks ago. He was a 21 yr old male, and he was a great match. Then the next week they told us that the kid could not do it all summer. The next week we were told that there was another match that was around 40 and a good match but not as good as the first one, but they have heard back from him and he can do it on June 27th. So now Kurt and the donor have to do some tests and make sure everything checks out for the process to happen. Kurt got a call from the hospital today, they are starting Wednesday the 3rd with the preliminary tests for Kurt. They have to check out his heart, his lungs, his kidneys, and liver. Also they decided since he did so well with the chemo, they are going to give him the strongest form of radiation and chemo right before the transplant. So they have to give him shots and a radiation trial run before they start the real thing. Then they are going to admit him June 18th to start the chemo and then the transplant around the 30th. He's so excited today, not!!!
We are going to try to enjoy his time at home right now in between all the doctors and tests and hopefully do some fun things before all of this starts. I have read a little and I know we have a few months ahead of us that will be very difficult, and we are not looking forward to it at all.
Wow how your life can change and turn around so quickly, but we have received many blessings the last couple of months. We have had some great times together, it's funny how things like this really make you realize what your priorities are in life and how things we use to worry about don't seem to matter at all right now. Thank you again for your help and support. We know that we have a great family and so many good friends. Keep Kurt in your prayers, I think he will need them now more than ever. Thank you again.