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.

3rd round done!

Kurt completed his 3rd round of chemo today. He was able to come home about 12:30 today. It was good to come home from work, instead of driving to the hospital and sitting there all night. Kurt has done so well with the treatments, that even he has been very bored there, but I guess that is a good thing.
They told us that they chose a donor. He is a 21 year old male, and matches really well. We won't be able to find out who he is or where he is from for a year, that is if he chooses to let us know who he is. We are so amazed that a kid would sign up for this and has already sent in his blood sample. What a blessing to know there are people out there that still want to help others. I know after this experience I will probably sign up for the registry. They will have to do some testing to make sure he is healthy and then Kurt will have to have some testing to make sure that he can go through this, so it looks like the process can start in about 4 weeks. It will be good to get started and done.
Kurt will try to stay at home again like the after the 2nd chemo, we just have to start going to the hospital this Friday to check his counts. We will probably have to go up almost every day for a week, but better that than to put him in for another week.
We will keep everyone posted with any new news. Thanks for your great friendship.

Back in again.(yuck!!!)

Well after over 3 weeks at home, Kurt had to go back today to do another round of consolidation chemo. His counts came back and it is time they said to do another round. We did find out more info regarding the donor for the transplant. They have requested four samples, and they do a 10 point check on the chromosones, hence the test on Kurt's chromosones earlier, and they found his to be unfavorable, so that is why he needs the transplant. They have a couple of people with 10 out of 10, but one person won't be available for awhile, the third was 9 out of 10, and the last one they are almost done with testing. They think the last one will also be a 10 out of 10, so now they will look at those 2 10 out of 10's and decide which one is the best. They said that this round of chemo will take about a month to go through the cycle, and the transplant if everything goes well will happen around the end of June. He will be in the hospital for about 4-6 weeks and then hopefully if all goes well, he will go home after, and then have to be watched carefully for a few months. We both enjoyed him being home, his counts were so good, that yesterday we went to a movie in the afternoon, when there wasn't very many people there. It was fun to go on a date again.
So keep him in your prayers again, that this chemo round will go smooth and he will get to come home again in 6 days. Thanks again for your support and concern, we have many good friends and family!

Still loving Home!

For the past week that Kurt's blood counts have been going down, we have been so blessed to still be at home. We have had to drive to the hospital everyday except Wednesday, to check his counts, he had to have a transfusion of platelets on Thursday. Friday he had a short physical with one of the PA's and he was told he was doing great. Then on Saturday and Sunday morning we drove up to the hospital and the counts were okay and starting to come up on their own, so we didn't have to wait too long and we were sent home. It was good, because on Saturday, I was going with my parents to Logan to see Chelsea our daughter in-law graduate from Utah State. It was hard to leave Kurt at home, but he cannot be around a group of people especially in a closed in area. It was a nice day, but long to be away from home and Kurt. We had a nice dinner at Chelsea's parents home and then on the way home, we stopped to see Ryan and Cher in Roy. Kurt did great at home, but wished he could have gone to support Chelsea. Congrats Chelsea!
This next week he will probably get to stay at home unless a fever or he gets sick. We are doing everything not to let him get sick. Then once his counts are up to normal, he will have to go in and do another round of consolidation chemo like the last time, and be in the hospital for about 6 days, and then hopefully get to come home for another 3 weeks. They are testing 4 blood samples right now for a match. They requested 6 donors and have 4 blood samples now. Once they have a couple of good matches, they will request the donor's marrow, and that is a process that requires the donor to mabye take a day off of work, so we have to be on their time schedule, and Kurt's counts have to be near normal in order to start the transplant process. Once everything is ready, they have to give Kurt extensive chemo and once the counts are down again, they will start the transplant. He will be in the hospital for 4-6 weeks at this time, in order for the whole process to work. Then at home he will need another few months of close monitoring. We are just ready to get on with it, and get this year over with!
Thanks again for everyone and their help. We really appreciate everything.