Grace Enough for Today

My greatest fear was that we would come back empty handed...that the doctor would simply say, "You are doing all you can do." Family and friends offering to bend over backwards to make everything possible would be left with praying that a bunch of horse size pills will somehow start working and I would just bounce back. There was a moment a couple nights before the appointment where I was mentally preparing myself to be disappointed that I would not be a candidate for any other treatments.

The results of the appointment could not be more distant from my worst fears. In fact, the doctor surprised us with a treatment that since my original diagnosis in April of 1999, we no longer considered an option. That's right folks...Bone Marrow Transplant! In 1999, that was the first treatment option if I had a matched related donor which made Kari (my sister) the only potential candidate. She was tested and considered close but not a "match" so we went a different route. The risks were still to high with non-related matched donors and on we moved.

So here we are 12 years later and this doctor who has seen more patients with Aplastic Anemia that anyone in the country tells us that not only would Kari's bone marrow work, but both my Mom, Dad, or my daughters could be potential donors (obviously not ideal if avoidable). Advances in the transplantation process allow for a close (but not perfect) related match to take in Aplastic patients with the dangers of Graft vs. Host disease reduced to less than 10%. Kari would have to be retested but she would be the most likely donor.

The procedure is still lengthy and risky, but what amazed us the most is that the word CURE became a part of the conversation for the first time in 12 years. A successful Bone Marrow Transplant would CURE the Aplastic Anemia as well as the PNH disease which caused my hospitalization in November. Essentially, my own stem cells would be wiped clean and replaced with new cells from the donor, replacing the disease and dysfunction with them. The doctor quoted cure rates conservatively at 70% and realistically closer to 80%.

The procedure and recovery would take 60 days. Thirty of those days would be spent at the Hopkins facility in Baltimore where the transplant as well as pre and post treatment would take place. The next 30 days would be spent in Baltimore but with daily outpatient visits for treatment and follow-up. With no complications, I would be able to return home after the 60 days.

Here come the questions...What about timing?...What about Kelly?...What about the girls?...What about money?...Our heads were (a still are a bit) spinning! Spending the last part of our spring break in a small valley in the Canadian Rockies, we are beginning to chew on little bites at a time, like God is only feeding our brains with enough to swallow but not too much to choke on. Grace enough for today!

We are about 95% sure that we are going to move forward with this, with the 5% being the simple fact that we have not yet contacted Hopkins and told them we are a go. We have faith that questions will be answered, time lines will be set, contingencies will be accounted for, and we will move forward. We are at peace with the decision to go through with this and we maintain our faith and hope in God's great plan for our lives.

Once again, your prayers were heard, your thoughts were felt, and God continues to hold this fragile body in the palm of his hand.