NIH Journey Day 4: May 15, 2009

A quick update ......

First, thank you for all of your prayers and precious words of encouragement. I am not defeated. I am not giving up. My faith remains solidified. He has not and will not forsake me. These reports are, simply put, words of mortal man. They are not the giver of life or death.

We have made it to West Virginia. I am in alot of pain as it was the most difficult bone marrow biopsy I have ever had - the only one that made me cry. And I had to get straight up then be on my feet all day for my other appointments at the NIH and then had to get in the car. We have made it about 250 miles.

The blood draw to begin the donor search was difficult to do. It was though I had made one small step toward that dreaded process. If I have no donors, this information will be welcomed as that will enable me to give no further thoughts to transplant. In a curious way, I hope God did break the mold when He created me. :-)

Several hours were spent in consultation today with leading doctors. They agreed that Rituxan is my best option to serve as a "bridge" to transplant. All I can say is, I hope that bridge is long - like the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys! :-) That bridge seems unending. The views on that bridge are beautiful. I pray my remaining life can be the same - long and beautiful. I know my life will be unending with the promise of eternal life.

As Christians, when we are asked to look at death straight in the face, our response must be dictated by His Word. We shouldn't shake and shudder at the prospect of death as the unsaved man or woman might do in response to death. Death has lost its sting for me. We shall not die but live forever in God's Heavenly Kingdom. I don't want to live in fear or dread of death. Granted, time with my family will be warmly embraced. Yet, I pray with all my heart that I can remain full of God, positive, and have no fear pounding at the doors of my heart and mind.

I will be in touch later. I am going to try to upload some pictures from the NIH for those of you who are interested. Their transplant program appears amazing and I am certain of one thing - IF I pursue transplant it will be done at the NIH.

THANK YOU Drs. Marti and Weistner and all of the other NIH physicians, PA's, and other heath care providers for your wonderful, compassionate care. This is what the face of medicine should look like!

2 Corinthians 5:1-8

1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.