Thanks!

We have noticed the donations made on Cale's Relay for Life website (an earlier blog entry) and will continue to follow it. Thanks. It has now been over 3 years since Ron's first diagnosis of AML leukemia and almost 2 years since his relapse which resulted in more chemotherapy to bring him back to remission, so he could have a bone marrow transplant in August 2011. As you may also know, he had testicular cancer in 1981. He is a survivor!! This is in great part due to past and continuing research. Ron himself has agreed to be a part of several continuing research projects, and periodically has blood drawn and bone marrow biopsies for this purpose.

Ducks in a Row...

Actually, they are swans in a row! They are just passing through. Swans don't nest on this lake, and it is a special treat to see them on the lake or hear their whooshing wings when they are in flight. The cottage on the right is "Wee Cottage" where the Matt Hovers spend part of their summer.

Reporting good news...

We have returned from a scheduled "routine" three day trip to Ann Arbor. Ron had his two Extracorporeal Photopheresis treatments which treat his chronic graft versus host disease. To shorten: ECP light treatments for cGVHD. The medicine and UV light therapy treats part of his blood outside his body; then it is re-infused. The modified white blood cells are less reactive to his skin. At some point, hopefully, the white blood cells from his new bone marrow will become less combative. There has all ready been improvement. His treatments are every other week now, and his prednisone was tapered at the beginning of the month. He still takes antibiotics, anti fungal, and antiviral medicine daily because of his compromised immune system.
In addition to ECP Ron also had a CT scan of his chest, and his lungs are nearly healed from his staph pneumonia in January-February. This was great news of course! He had his monthly pentamadine breathing treatment while we were there, and on the first day he had an IVIG infusion which boosts his immunity. This infusion is a process that takes about 4 hours. It is an infusion of antibodies collected from about 1,000 donors.

We are still amazed with the improvement in vision in his right eye since his cataract surgery. He will see his eye doctor again during our next trip to AA.
Things are going well.
Love,
Ron & Jan

A Message from Cale Hover

First, I want to thank everyone who has viewed this blog. I know it has meant a great deal to my parents to know how many people took the time to get updates on my dad's condition.  I know that all of the blog post replies, emails, text messages, notes, and phone calls have helped my parents make it through such a challenging time.

I'm honoring my parents by participating in our local Relay for Life on May 17. I hope that you might consider making a donation to support American Cancer Society's efforts to provide a world with less cancer and more birthdays. My dad is living proof that ACS is succeeding in this goal. 

Thanks for your consideration and continued support.

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/choverbg

-Cale

Rain, rain, and more rain...

9 inches of rain in the last 10 days by our rain gauge, and the lake makes me a believer! Our spring fed lake is filling up after a significant lower level two weeks ago. It is a good thing! I am ready to get back out there and continue spring gardening. It is very windy and cool again to the point of some snow flurries, so I will break out the long underwear again.
Ron continues to gain strength slowly, and we enjoy walking outside when weather permits. This "no Ann Arbor" week has been relaxing. We shopped for new carpet, and have just enjoyed many consecutive days at home. Next week we will be in AA for 3 days.
So, not grinding but continuing to cruise like a slow pontoon boat ride. And we will actually be doing that before too many more weeks!!
Love,
Ron & Jan

Smooth sailing...

Bloodwork, doc appointment, and ECP went smoothly yesterday. After Ron's treatment today, we will head back to Gilead Lake and hope our warmer weather returns by the end of the weekend. Rain, highs in the 40s, and wind put the brakes on spring!
Ron's bloodcounts continue to inch closer to normal ranges. They are very good in the "bone marrow transplant world". His glucose readings are less radical, and he is requiring less insulin. When his glucose is high, there is good reason--he does love his candy, carbs, and cookies. We are discovering good sugarless substitutions. He feels stronger and has had me bring his golf clubs out of the downstairs and has even hit balls in the yard. He also pulled out one of his fishing poles. He has not golfed or fished for two years but is ready to start enjoying these activities again. Ron is very accepting of his physical limitations, so I think he will be able to enjoy golfing even though it will be on a different level.
Ron has also planned a trip, making reservations, and an itinerary for our trip to Germantown, Maryland for Andrew's graduation. We are looking forward to that in May.
Thanks for your continued support as you hang in there with us on this journey.
Love, Ron & Jan

Moving Forward

Recovery from cataract surgery is going smoothly. Ron's vision in his right eye is greatly improved. He can read the basketball scores on the tv now...and that's without his glasses!! We enjoyed the final four games tonight with the Griffiths. Happy Birthday to Uncle George, too!!! Ron will have an eye exam in 5 weeks and get his new glasses prescription. It would seem that the ECP treatments are working well for him, too, so it is good to be moving ahead. Although we didn't get our full week without AA, it is great having the eye procedure done and with such good results. Next week's trip to AA should be routine with a doctor visit and two ECP treatments--only one night at the Hampton.
I am getting out in the yard for some spring clean-up and early work in flower beds. I love seeing the day to day progression of spring, and this week will bring some rain and warmer temps, so things should really start to pop.
Happy Spring. Hope you are feeling renewed energy and hope as I am.
Love, Jan

Surgery went smoothly..

I have to admit that I was nervous! Over the past 3 years disappointing news has been dished out enough that I am a little gun shy. I feel like I am guardedly optimistic when a new situation is encountered, so I couldn't help but prepare myself on some level to be ready for less than good news after the cataract surgery. But not to worry, it went very well!! They had told us that Ron's eye would be covered, and other patients had opaque covers, so we did not expect Ron to be able to see until tomorrow, but his covering is clear plastic. Tonight we spend relaxing in the Hampton Inn room, and tomorrow we will see the eye surgeon (who is Ron's regular eye doc here). Then it is back to Spring Break for a week. It feels good to relax and let the stress go.
Love, Ron & Jan

Spring Break Cut Short...

...but not an emergency. We had planned on this being our full week at home, but when I called Ron's eye doctor on Thursday to schedule his cataract surgery, scheduling took on a life of its own. After follow up phone calls from U of M Kellogg Eye Center later that day and Friday, arrangements had been made for his surgery tomorrow, April 2. So we traveled to Ann Arbor this morning for pre operative history, physical, bloodwork, and lens measurement. All of that went well this afternoon, and the actual surgery is scheduled for 12:30 Tuesday. His eye will be covered after the surgery, so he will not be able to see at all for about 24 hours. We don't anticipate any complications.
Congrats to U of M for its representation of the Big Ten in the Final Four NCAA Basketball Tournament. GO BLUE!!