Day 75, 3/4 there!!!!!

Hard to believe that it's already day 75. 100 will be here before I know it and I can't wait. Today has been pretty good, but still having headaches that seem to stem from my neck (or maybe today it was watching 3D Bugs at IMAX :) Dr Vose doesn't seem concerned about them so I'll try to do the same. Probably just need to escape to KC to see my chiropractor.
While reading my daily devotional, I ran across this passage and thought I'd share it: "We all need one another, we can all help one another...At this very moment, someone, somewhere, is praying for us, and our soul is revitalized by the generosity of people whom perhaps we do not know, or of someone unsuspected, very close beside us. Some day, when we enter God's presence in the moment of the particular judgement, we will finally see the sum total of all the effort that on many perilous occasions kept us afloat, and which on others helped us to draw a little closer to our Lord." Thank you for going through this battle with me and helping to keep me "afloat".

Day 73

Today is better than yesterday, almost back to self. I had more labs drawn today and everything looked OK except that my WBC's are a little low this week. Maybe that's why I haven't felt the best but who knows. We'll take it one day at a time and see what tomorrow brings.

Day 72

Not sure what it is about Wednesdays, but today was another rough around the edges kind-of day. Laid low, lots of sleeping. I pray that it's another short bout and that things are back to "normal" tomorrow. I was planning to blog something profound and thought provoking today but I guess that will have to wait. :)
"His left arm is under my head and His right arm embraces me."
~Song of Solomon 2:6

Happy Monday to everyone. I hope you all had wonderful weekends and am happy to let you know that I survived mine and everyone seemed healthy! I probably over-did it a couple times, but nothing a little rest didn't remedy. Tomorrow I'm back to the doctor for more of the same. Hopefully she's still pleased with my status. Last week she indicated that this is the time when most allo-transplant patients are having problems, so let's just continue praying that I will avoid GVH (rejection)!!
A couple quick things - I've had some people ask about how to post notes on the blog page - all you need to do is click on "Messages to Janna" at the top and then scroll to the bottom of the page. If you don't have a google account or one of the others listed in the drop down menu at the bottom of the message box, just select "anonymous" and it should post it.
Second - after I get home, we're going to have a party to celebrate God's faithfulness. Details are still in the works, but the date is going to be Sat. Oct 23rd. Everyone's invited!

A new day, same faithful God!

Great news - I slept better last night than I have in 70 days (might be due to the meds I was taking) and today I feel almost back to the way I did before Wednesday's little detour. Praise God. Thank you for all your prayers! Now we just need to pray that Lisa's family is healthy. I hope you all have a great weekend. Miss you!

Day 65, little set-back

Yesterday was a great day, doctor's appointment went really well and again, they expressed how pleased they are with my progress. However, last night, like turning a light switch, I was sick. It was a long night and today has been pretty quiet with lots of sleeping. No fevers so I didn't go to the hospital since I have to go tomorrow anyway. I pray that this is just a fluke, maybe something I ate or who knows what, just that it goes away as quickly as it came and that it's not an early sign of rejection. Lisa and her family are coming to town this weekend so I have a couple of new prayer requests - 1: that I feel better tomorrow and that this is not rejection, and 2: that Lisa and her family have safe travels and that everyone is healthy!
"For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." ~ Psalm 91: 11-12

Follow-up to Fri.

Side-note to Friday's question about how people respond to medical life-changing challenges: heard this on the news today, per the Pisa National Research Council, "The statistics suggest that the mortality rate for a liver transplant patient who does not believe in God is three times higher than for those who do - 20.5 per cent compared to 6.6 per cent." Just thought I'd pass it along. As for me, doing well - had a great weekend. Will write more later.

What makes the difference?

Day 59 was a full one for me. Dad took us on an outing this afternoon to the airforce museum and then we checked out Mahoney State Park - a nice day trip and good break from the apt. This morning I was back at the hospital, all my labs looked ok - Hgb was in the normal range for the first time in months! The energy surplus is amazing ;) Platelets are still lower than I'd like but if we play by last year's rules, still high enough to participate in volleyball and flag football (if you don't ask your doc for permission).
I also had a PT consult and while I sat in the waiting room, doing the typical people watching, it hit home that medical tragedies can effect people so differently. There seems to be primarily 2 groups, maybe 3. One group comes out completely bitter, angry at the world, walks around with a chip on their shoulder, appearing completely satisfied being the victim. But there's amazingly another large group that comes out with a different outlook, more grateful and gracious, appreciating people and life. When working at Children's, the personality of children that had been through unbelievable trials were sometimes the sweetest, most patient kids. I guess there's also a 3rd group that emerges unaffected, but I think that is the exception. I don't really know why this hit me today and I don't have a deep conclusion to draw from it, just found it interesting and wondered what makes the difference. Is it grace, faith, personality...??? For me, I know that it is all about God's grace because my strength and patience (or lack there-of) could not have gotten me through this journey feeling the overwhelming peace that I have known. And for that, I am thankful!
"The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation..." ~Exodus 15:2

Day 56

8 weeks and counting. Life is getting a little steamy around Omaha - and I know, for everyone else, this is nothing new, but up here we had been spoiled up until the past week. Other than that, life is good. I felt pretty good all weekend and my taste buds are definitely coming back. The saying goes that "a watched pot never boils," but I can tell you that a watched scalp does sprout hair- it's not much, but it's a start! :) I also got to catch up with several friends over the weekend - it's not home, but a good reminder of it. I don't think there's much exciting this week - a couple more trips to the hospital, one to see the Dr and one for a PT consult - if I'm forced to start from scratch, might as well do it the right way!
God, Your mercies are new to me every day! I give you thanks for renewing my health and relief from my pain and worry. Continue your healing within me, that I may return t the work you have given me to do. Amen.

Day 53, oops, where does time go?

I was gently reminded today by my friends at Village Peds that I hadn't updated in a while so figured I'd better get on it. To be honest, I hadn't realized that it's already been 3 days since my last update! Whereas in the hospital, I wouldn't update when I was too sick to type, now that I'm at the apt., the lack of correspondence is a good sign - I've been feeling good and the week has flown by. We got a little break in the heat so we've walked, shopped and done a little exploring of parks in Omaha. My feet are still a little tender and stomach's a little "off", but overall, I'm feeling better and stronger each day. (and every day is 1 day closer to 100!) The best news of the week is that for the first time since all this began, I had an apple for lunch, and I could taste it!!! (For those of you that know my "exciting" lunch habits, this is a big deal). My lab values continue to fluctuate but nothing critical or unexpected. Oh, and all signs of CMV are now gone from my body - guess that was pretty good news for the week too :) God is good and his timing is perfect - that seems to be the theme of this journey for me.
"He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber."
~ Psalm 121:3

Day 50 and things are looking up!!!

Not only is today Day 50 (1/2 way done!!!) but I just got back from the doctor and all my labs have gone up! It's the little things (like not having to sit in the clinic for 4 hours getting potassium) that can really make a difference up here. I'm sure that I didn't do anything to cause the change, but I'll continue to do whatever it is I did, praying every step of the way. Despite eating a lot of no-bake cookies (courtesy of Laura), I still haven't been able to regain much weight, but I'll worry about that next week. :) In the meantime, still working on keeping the positive outlook for the last half of my "vacation" in Omaha. I really believe that even when we can't feel it or even come close to carrying it out, God knows our good intentions and rewards us for those. Kind of like the verse where God tells us that even when we don't have the words, he hears our prayers. God is always ready to help, but we have to be willing to cooperate.
"but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." ~ Isaiah 40:31"