Hi,
First of all this is Sue writing this, as Sam is not up to speed these days. It has been rough few weeks around here, and because of that I want to personally apologize for not replying to posts and e-mails you have send out way. Also, sorry for not sending any Christmas cards this year, but thanks so much for the ones you have sent. You have all been in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers.
I had a significant flare up last week and Sam was not feeling well enough to take me to get my usual IV steroids for the 3 days in a row so our children truly stepped up to the plate and they both helped out in doing some transporting back and forth to the hospital for me and we can’t thank them enough. Just as I was starting to get back on my feet, Sam had a follow-up appt. with his oncologist this past Monday and was told that he needed to have 2 units of blood to get his Red Blood Cells back up and running again. Well, that turned into quite a fiasco as usual. Once Sam’s blood had been drawn and typed and crossed for the transfusion on Monday afternoon, we were told that he had now developed “Antibodies” and that the blood was not a match. We sat at the VA from about 8:30am until 3:00pm just to find out there would be no transfusion that day. We went back on Tuesday morning at 8:00am as requested to only find out that the blood had never been shipped down from the Burlington, VT VA Hospital as ordered and we would have to wait until around 2:00pm for it to arrive and then be scrubbed to make sure Sam’s body wouldn’t react to it if there were Antigens that wouldn’t like his Antibodies. Oh boy, well that became another long long day. Finally, after 2 2 out of 3 matches his one unit got started around 3:30pm. We finally left the hospital a little before 7pm and were told to call in the am to make sure they could wash the next unit of blood and it would be compatible for him to receive it. We did go and he got the second unit of blood yesterday, (Wednesday). It is in hopes that the 2 units will help him to feel a little more active, like just being able to get out of bed for more than an hour or so before he is so exhausted that all he will do then is sleep for about 4 hours.
Well, that’s about the just of what is going on around here. We are hoping to see our kids and grandkids sometime over the weekend but it will depend on how Sam is feeling and so long as all the little ones are healthy. Sam doesn’t need anything else thrown at him at this point in time.
We want to thank you all for your thoughts, posts, cards, calls, love and especially all the prayers that have gone out on Sam’s and my behalf over the past year. We are wishing you all a Very Very Merry Christmas and Especially Happy New Year with much love and happiness and of course good health and friendship too.
Love to you all,
Sue and Sam