New Signs In His Eyes

We had a good weekend last weekend except when he told me his eyes were dry and itching. He looked like his eyes were hurting. We had gotten a new TV and stand for our den, thanks to Jeff, and we were watching it on Saturday night when he told me this. I tried to get him to go Sunday morning but he wouldn't so I called the nurse on Monday morning and he went in on Tuesday. They are sending him to an eye doctor on Friday that specializes with graft VS host disease this Friday. I had noticed his eyes were bloodshot over the weekend. The doctors just want to be sure this is not graft VS host disease, but if it is they will more than likely increase his dosage of immune suppression meds. They use steroids for this too but hopefully we are not to that point! We know of someone that has this disease in his eyes and are told he cannot hardly open his eyes at all without hurting. He is in Houston at MD Anderson Hospital. Terry is also going back to the Neurologists in February to see if they can tell him if the numbness in his feet and certain places on his arms and hands are due the kind of immune suppression meds he has been taking. They may change the kind and hopefully that will help! We have seen many people with the graft VS host disease and it is not a pretty sight. This is when the graft(Karen's stem cells) and the host(Terry) fight against each other in his body. Since we have been coming off the meds every two weeks, the doctors think that is why we are just now seeing this. Believe me when I tell you that this has been such a blessing not getting it. God has been watching over our family constantly in 2007. Ruth's 84th birthday is tomorrow and we hope to go to Cook Springs and see her tomorrow afternoon.After we see the eye doctor on Friday, I will update then. Hugs and kisses to you all! Alyce

Things Delayed A Bit

We went to the doctor today and they did the blood work on him and everything looks good, his counts that is. His throat has been sore and has had some stuffiness so he stayed at home Monday and Tuesday. We were thinking he was trying to come down with something so they swabbed his throat and tested him for strep, but nothing came back postitive thank goodness. Dr. Vaughan did not let him come off any more suppression meds though. He still has some funny stuff in the back of his throat. Like a rash, they think it still might be signs of the graft VS host disease but are not really sure so he thought it was best that he stay on the dosage he is on now. Only 50 mgs every other day. But Terry learned that they are treating arthuritis(?) with immune suppression meds, so he thinks that is why he has not had any arthuritis pain in a long time. He has lost about 4 pounds, fluid, from what we can tell. His feet are not swelling like they were and not hurting like they were either. That is a good sign! Overall he is feeling pretty good! A year ago today we were living day to day wondering what was next. He was in Carraway Hospital this time last year getting his first rounds of chemo and all of you were such a great support group! Thanks for hanging around a year later! We love you all! Alyce

Sorry so long to Write

I apologize for not getting back on this sooner! I am not doing the good job Karen did! When I see people out and they tell me they are keeping up on the blog, I feel really BAD! He is doing about the same, mouth wise that is! Not any worse or better. I saw a red place in the side of his mouth this morning, so I am sure they will see it Wednesday. He is actually at practice with David, Roger, Jeff and Eddie. First time this year! This is good for his lungs! The chemo really affected his lung capacity! His feet are SO much better and we are going to try to go to the boat show this year. I remember talking about it last year and saying he guessed he wouldn't get to go. I am trying to get him to get his boat ready for sale! This past week is the year anniversary of when we found out about it. Just so glad to be where we are right now, thanks to God up above and all your prayers! Karen is real sick, the flu she thinks, so keep her in your prayers! Granny is not doing so great! We went to see her and she was running a fever, but when I called about her today, they said she was much better today! Say a little prayer for her! We are both staying real busy working. He tends to over do it some days but then others he does just fine! We talked to cousin Rick yesterday and he was on his way to Pell City to see Gail and Ron. Gail's mom is not doing good! I hope Danny is doing better! So many family memebers in this family, its hard to keep up! I will report something after we see the doctor this Wednesday! Love to you all! Alyce

Good News and Bad News

We went to the doctor on Wednesday and got the go ahead of coming off the immune suppression meds 25mg more. So we hopefuly are not too far away from being off them totally. If he does not show any more signs of possible graft VS host disease that is. I look at his mouth every day to check it and so far so good! We got a call from Karen last night and the doctor had called her about Granny. She has lost 7 pounds in 2 weeks and they were wanting to know about a feeding tube. This is VERY hard for Karen, Butch and Terry, I know! Such decisions are something you do not want to face! I pray for her every day, for God to make her comfortable. So pray for them! We do not go back to the doctor until the 23rd unless there is a problem, and there won't be! I will keep you informed about Ruth, or Karen might want to take this back over. Either way, we will let you know what is going on! Love to you all! Alyce

Update on the Family

Well, where do I begin! We have been watching the rash Dr. Vaughan saw in Terry's mouth and it has gone for the time being! Hopefully it will stay gone and we can come down off the immune suppression meds again on Wednesday when we see Dr. Vaughan again. He is feeling good for the most part, just tired in the afternoons and feet hurting, I think its just an excuse for me to message his feet! But don't tell him that! We are so lucky and blessed compared to most people that have had a bone marrow transplant! We saw Ruth today and she was OK, but in and out of the conversations. Butch and Jackie came while we were there and we had a good visit with them. Ruth would catch different things we would say and she would seem normal for a minute, but right back to not making much sense at all! Its so hard to believe that this time last year she was so "Ruth" and now she is not. She played with her "Christmas" kissing moose that Karen brought to her for Christmas, she would cuddle it like a baby. We found out yesterday that another member of the family has cancer. Danny Files, he works at the Trussville Mazda, and we had taken Kristina's car over for a new headlight and he was not there so I asked about him and that is how we found out. He has throat cancer and as I understand it he is going to have radiation(has already had 2 rounds)so everyone pray for him to get through this! When I spoke with Karen last week Rick was doing good and still trying to work half days, though I am sure he is pushing it like Terry does! We are so grateful Sherry and Pete and family are here. We ran into them twice this weekend! This time last year, as you can tell I go back to last year and how normal it seemed, we did not know they were moving back. Its so great to have them 15 minutes away instead of 10 hours away! I will report on Wednesday ater the doctor's visit on what happens! Thank you all for hanging in there with us! Love you all! Alyce

Looking forward to a NEW YEAR!

I am so sorry it has been so long since I updated this! We have been so busy since the BMT party! We went to my Mom's for lunch on Saturday and then to Sherri's for Christmas with Karen, Rick, Butch and Jackie and all the kids! Dirty Santa got pretty dirty! Sunday was the Thrasher Christmas with all the cousins from Nashville and California! It was GREAT to see everyone and be with them even if it was just for a little while! Tuesday we went to my Dad's and then on Wednesday morning we left to go to Nashville to celebrate my Dad's 70th birthday! So needless to say Terry is exhausted! He rested and watched football most of the weekend and we stayed at home and welcomed 2008 in a really restful way, we were in the bed at 12:05 am. We are just so glad to start a NEW YEAR! We went to the doctor today, because he has not seen a doctor since 12/12/07. Dr. Vaughan, the big dog, saw him and saw some red spots in his throat and told us he thinks he has some of the graft VS host disease. Not a bad case but one we will have to watch carefully! He had noticed his throat getting sore but thought it was just drainage from his sinus's. We do not go back to the doctor until 1/9/08, unless his mouth gets worse, and they will see if it has gone away or still there and will increase the immune suppression meds or if it is better they will decrease it again! So pray for a little but not alot! The power of your prayers have worked! We truly believe that! We hope all of you had a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! We love you! Alyce