February 11: Winter Returns

I bought a four pack of the original Mr. Clean magic eraser cleaning pads. So I have been erasing all the scuff marks on the walls and door jams of the apartment. Then I followed up with using white out (since I don't have any paint) to cover places where the paint was chipped. I think this behavior qualifies as symptoms of cabin fever. I continue to read A LOT and made soup today. It is so much brighter outside today with the snow cover. It seems like winter with the snow and cold temps.

(A Look Back) When we came to Ann Arbor in February a year ago for Ron's quarterly check up, there were huge banks of snow. That was his last check up during his remission from acute myeloid leukemia. At the following May appointment we learned the AML had relapsed, and knew that the next course of treatment would be his bone marrow transplant if he could be brought back to remission with more chemotherapy. During last summer, he had two rounds of chemotherapy in June and July while hospitalized at the University of Michigan Hospital. That seems like a lifetime ago. His second round of chemo was called blue thunder..U of M blue which did bring him to remission. The next step was the transplant in August which immediately followed one last round of chemo which destroyed his own marrow. I think about how far he has come and all that he has had to endure during the last 10 months; the nine months of remission seem like a dream.

What will the approaching spring and summer bring? We had hoped to return home with Ron on minimal medication and steadily gaining strength and weight. By early March we continue to plan to return home, but we know that chronic graft versus host disease will be an issue. He will continue to take immune suppressant medication which will keep the cGVHD under control but at the same time reduces his body's immunity to viral, fungal, and bacterial infections. cGVHD can be mild and controlled with minimal meds, so that is the plan at this point. Ron has an appointment with the GVHD Clinic February 28, so we have to wait awhile to have more specific information.

It feels like we are moving into another block of time regarding Ron's recovery.
The 1st block was following his original diagnosis of leukemia on March 30, 2010; it lasted about 5 months until the first 4 rounds of chemotherapy moved him into his first remission.
The 2nd block was his 9 month remission.
The 3rd block was relapse and his two rounds of chemo to bring him into 2nd remssion; this block lasted 3 months.
The 4th block was the transplant and recovery in Ann Arbor which has lasted almost 6 months. It was/is such a rough time with acute GVHD and two stubborn viruses; no viruses now.
This 5th block is/will be the recovery continues after 6 months,a few more weeks in AA, returning home, and living with chronic graft versus host disease. So many questions now...