Yesterday was my one-year anniversary on the start of this journey. We left for Houston on the 19th of January 2005. I am not sure I would have gone through with it had I known what was ahead. Then on the other hand, I might not be here had I not had the Stem Cell Transplant. Dr. Anderlini said I would walk through hell and he was right. I know they have done everything they could for me and are at a loss of what to do to make the stem cells start working.

I have not had a transfusion since Tuesday before Christmas and my numbers have been holding: hemoglobin 8.5 and platelets 16,000. When I went in for testing on Wednesday, my numbers had not changed and I was quite surprised because I feel pretty tough. I am weak, my breathing is labored and my heart is laboring more than it should. When it is like this, I can hear the pounding in my ears and at times I can hear “cricket sounds” and become dizzy when I stand-up.

When I was at dialysis this morning, I was told that my hemoglobin was 7.7. It was taken on the same day the other lab did the test so there is quite a difference. The way I feel makes me think the 7.7 is closer to the correct number.

We are going for our youngest grandson’s first communion on Sunday so this weekend will be a busy and wonderful one for us. We will go to Comanche where our son is an Episcopal priest at St. Matthews and Trinity in Dublin. It will be a special time for an uncle to give his nephew his first communion. Robert lives in Flower Mound but will be at Comanche for this event.

I will go in for testing again on Monday and will be anxious to see what the results are on that day. Thank you for traveling this road with me this past year. Your support, prayers and best wishes have made it much smoother for Arthur and me.