My appointment with MD Anderson is scheduled for Tuesday – May 19, 2009 – at 8:30 a.m. Â I will be an outpatient through the rest of that week. Â Pierce will be with me. Â We will be working on getting a non commercial flight out there since I am unable to go on a commercial jet due to infection. Â Please continue to think of us as we make these plans. Â Â
May 12, 2009
On May  7th, my oncologist, Dr Rudolph Wise, confirmed that I have Myelodysplasia – MDS. He recommended that I have a bone marrow transplant as quickly as possible.  Friends and loved ones often come to your support in hours of need and this time was no exception.  Many thanks to Dr Wise as well as a dear friend Ren and his contact Marshall for leading me toward MD Anderson in Houston. Â
A friend came by in his truck on the way home from painting a house the other day. I hadn’t seen him in months. He knew I had been in the hospital but he hadn’t heard the latest news about the bone marrow transplant. He invited me to go see the new house that he and his family just moved into last week. Â
I felt like a ride so we headed out to their place to see it. Â
Having an illness can be devastating to family and friends. Â It can also bring new opportunities for closer relationships, care and reminding ones self of what is important in life. Â
I was told Thursday that I have to have a bone marrow transplant. I won’t go into the details because, after all, there is no changing the need to have the procedure. The alternative to no treatment is a short four months.
It;s my first day back to writing. I suppose you could say it has been a time of rest and renewal and – definitely – a unique adventure for me and my loved ones.
It all started on February 28th this year.