Almost Made It!

Almost made it through the holidays! Had a GREAT Thanksgiving week and weekend, except Alabama lost, and ended it with a visit to the hospital. Not fun! Got a new puppy, named Ellie, that we adopted on Saturday and got to be with her Saturday night and during the night T got sick and started running a fever. So we got up and went to the hospital and he got out yesterday. Not really sure what caused it but we think between being with all the people this past Thanksgiving and the ball game, he came in contact with something! They filled him full of antibiotics and fluids and he feels much better. His blood pressure was SO low! 85/34 not good either! They did all kinds of tests but came up with nothing! He is their mystery child! Did not want to end our holiday weekend like that but didn't have much of a choice! Christmas isn't far away and look forward to it! Going to be more careful about being around crowds! Hope you all had a GREAT Thanksgiving!!! Hugs and kisses to you all!XOXOXOXOXO!!!

GVHD COULD BE STILL HERE!

Terry went to the eye doctor yesterday and did not get the news he wanted to hear! He has been having lots of problems with his eyes. If you look at a picture before leukemia and after leukemia, you can see a difference! Didn't realize this until yesterday! The eye doctor told him that most likely the GVHD is staying at low bay in his eyes still. The lids are scratching his eyes. They are like fine sandpaper inside of them. Doctor Parker says this is most likely because of GVHD although he doesn't see it. Don't know what this means really until we see the doctor when he goes back to the BMT. I've got to call Lidia to see if she has heard from Dr. Parker yet to see if they want to see him. He is not a happy camper! BUT, like I told him it could be worse! May have to live with this the rest of his life! Lots of bone marrow patients do. They just stay on the immune suppression meds. Not much else except steroids which the eye doc gave him to use. Will let you all know as soon as we know what they are or are not going to do. Please pray it goes away! We know his eye sight will never be the same. He had GREAT vision! God Bless You! XOXOXOXOXO

Again too long since last post!

SOSOSOSOSO sorry its been so long since I posted anything! I was reminded that I still need to do this! Thanks Kay! We did go to North Carolina to visit K & G but did not fly! We drove! Long trip but well worth it! Had a great 4 day visit with them and now she is home with us. Garrett had to go out with his company for the week and she decided to come home while he was doing it. We have had a GREAT time with her and Harlie here this week! T went to photopheresis today and they did not take him off his immune suppression. They want him to go to the eye doctor to make sure he does not have the GVHD in them first. He has been feeling pretty good and fishing when he can of course! Not a whole lot to report thank goodness! The holidays will be here before we know it and we will be celebrating another year together. In January it will be 4 years since he was diagnosed with Leukemia. CANNOT believe that! Then in May two things, 1st wedding anniversary for K & G and we will celebrate T's 4th birthday!!!!! He goes back tomorrow for photo and we think since he has been doing this the GVHD will stay away. But there is always the chance it will rare it's ugly head! The rest of his life! We will just cherish the days we have gotten to spend with each other and look to the future! We lost our preacher this past week and he was one of our rocks during T's illness. He went to get his reward that he has been working towards all of his life! He is in heaven now looking down on us and watching over us as one of our angels. Jerry Jenkins will be GREATLY missed!!!! We love you all who are still keeping up with us and send XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO!!!

Sorry So Long To Write!

I can't believe a month has gone by and I haven't posted anything! Time is flying! Not much has been happening since his bacterial infection thank goodness! He did go for photopheresis but they did not bring him down off any suppression meds. I got it approved for him to go Las Vegas with me last weekend but after the trip he was dehydrated and had to go get fluids. So Lidia was NOT happy! We are supposed to go to North Carolina in two weeks so hopefully he will be doing better and she will let him go! I sure hope so! Kristina's 25th birthday is today and I am really missing her! Garrett is making sure she has a good day though so knowing he is taking care of her makes me feel better! Garrett's is Oct 30th so when we go up there we will be celebrating both birthday's!!! We had to put our dog Jake down and she did get to come home to help us with that, and made it alot easier! Its so hard to let go of pets especially when he has been there for us through everything we have been going through! He was our protection coming home from the hospital at night, his tail wagging happy to see you and watching your back! Now he is in doggy heaven with Pebbles, who we lost during T's transplant. We will miss him dearly! Kristina told me Garrett maybe going to Afganistan in November Friday night! Please pray for his safety when the time comes! We love you and forgive me for not posting anything for so long! God Bless You!

Shingles!

Well, another bump in the road on the way to recovery! Our anniversary was Friday and we spent the day in the new boat on Lake Guntersville! It was SOSOSOSO nice! 27 years! Oh, Rick and Karen, Butch and Jackie "Happy Anniversary to you too"!!! They both have alot years on us! We had noticed several little bumps had developed on the side of his head but didn't really pay much attention until yesterday morning. When he woke up I could tell it had spread on the whole side of his head. I called the BMT unit of course and they said to come in and let them look at it. Shingles, is the diagnosis. Alot of post-transplant patients get this and it is very serious! They didn't admit him but gave him some heavy duty antibiotics and pain meds to help make him comfortable. We were afraid it was GVHD, just didn't know what it looked like. I guess out of the two we'd rather it be shingles. We were supposed to go to a Tarrant high school small reunion but was told not a good idea. If he is contagious, it could make others sick. Of course, I googled it and we learned alot about it. Hopefully we have caught it in time for it not to get to bad. Alot of people have this, you just don't know it. Otherwise, he is doing really good. He goes for photopheresis this next week but don't know if they will reduce the immune meds since this is going on, my guess is they will not. They don't usually when there are problems and don't want to make any other problems arise by taking off medicine. I will update after his visit this week, I promise! Watching our preacher on TV and going to listen to the service live on the computer. We love you and send out hugs and kisses to everyone!

Hospital Visit

Well, instead of going to church, we went to the hospital. He has a bacterial infection in his throat. He could hardly swallow early Sunday morning. They gave him fluids and a shot and antibiotics to take and so far they are working. If I can just keep him out of this heat! Not an easy task! Just wanted to update everyone! Sorry, could have been better news. Everyone pray for the Sharon Owens family! She lives two doors down from us and she developed a brain tumor last summer. She fell at the pool and Garrett picked her up to make sure she was ok. They started doing tests and discovered the tumor. She made us home-made bread when Terry was re-cooperating at home and she was such a sweet lady! She passed away yesterday morning, a year from the time the tumor was discovered. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers! Hugs and kisses!

More Great News!

I am so sorry for not updating earlier! I was reminded last night that it had been a while since an update had been done. Thanks Mike and Steve! T went to the doctor for photopheresis this past week and they took him off 25 mg more of the immune meds. So he is only taking 25mg in the AM and 25mg in the PM. Still on other meds but this is the one we want to come totally off of. Got a new photo schedule through December so we know that will be going on until then and possibly a long time after that, even the rest of his life. But rather do that than face other things that could happen! Kristina, Garrett and Harli are adjusting to their new life in North Carolina. Miss them greatly! Will have to make a trip sooner than I thought! T is fishing in his new boat and hopefully will be able to go back to work soon! Just gotta stay out of this heat! His doctor was very pleased with is progress and hope he will continue to grow stronger and GVHD stays away. We are almost at the point where we were before when he got the GVHD and that is when he started the photo process. So hopefully continuing the photo will make a BIG difference. God's grace and your prayers is what taking care of us all! We love you and BIG hugs and kisses to all of you!

Time to Reflect

We had a GREAT trip! It was so nice and fun too! Haven't relaxed like that in a long time! Will go back there anytime! Kristina and Garrett picked us from the airport that night and we started packing her up for North Carolina. He got alot done while he was here! We, me, Kristina, Harlie,T, Ginger and Jeff drove up to Jacksonville, NC last Thursday. Took 12 hours pulling the trailer and driving her car up there. When we got there Garrett wanted to start unloading. We worked until 1 am that morning. We were exhausted! So we got a late start on Friday but got alot done! Saturday T went fishing with JB(Jerald Barrett) and caught a flounder and a red fish. So JB cleaned them and we had fresh fish for dinner that night. JB gave Kristina lessons on cooking fresh fish and shrimp. It was delish! Thanks again JB! We love you!We started home on Sunday, not without shedding a tear or two, and ran into a wreck(bus at that)that delayed us 2 hours in the Atlanta area. Anyway, I thought since I had not updated in a long time, I would let you know our house is feeling empty!!! John is still living here but we don't see him much. I guess its time to start that next faze in life. I will get Kristina and Garrett's new address and let you all know what it is. Say a pray for all of us as we go through this, especially me! We love you and hug your children every chance you get!

Taking a Trip!

We are actually getting to go on a trip for the first time since T was diagnosed! We are going to Cabo San Lucas for a week. A resort where they wait on you, sounds like a good idea to me! The doctor approved it of course and we are having to arrange a few things but all in all it will be GREAT! When we get back Garrett will be here and we will be preparing to move Kristina to North Carolina in the middle of July. We have had a few scares lately but thank the Lord they have all turned out alright! Two people we love had to be called back for tests done again for breast cancer. Ginger, Garrett's mom and Kristy, who is a key employee at Thrasher Brothers both in the same week! Both are cancer free! Thank you Lord! When we met with the doctor, Dr. Salzman, for the long term visit, she told us that he would not have to have any more bone marrow tests in his back unless they were suspicious about it. So he was SO glad to hear that. After three years of remission, they consider him cured. Isn't God great!!!!! Lots of things to do before we go so got to go and get busy! We love all of you! God Bless You and BIG hugs and kisses to everyone!

Great News!

Lidia called me yesterday afternoon and gave me the GREAT news! He has no leukemia disease and he is 100% Karen!!!!! I would have posted yesterday evening but the power was off when I got here. He goes for photopheresis Tuesday and Wednesday and he will see a doctor on Tuesday but will have the long term follow up next week. They are looking at all the tests and are going to put together a new plan. Not sure what that will be but excited they want to do this! He was fishing, of course, when I got the call and Lidia tried to call him herself but could not get him, so I had the priviledge of telling him. First thing he said was "Praise God". He is the reason he is here and all your prayers have lifted him up. We picked Kristina and Garrett up last night from the airport. Just glad to have them back in the U.S.A.!!! They had a great time but they just didn't want it go so fast! We all came back here and they opened up all the presents they got at the wedding! They are so blessed! We just want to thank all of you who have stuck by our side through this and prayed us through. God has listened and is still listening. Terry is still here for a reason because we were told that the disease he had he is not supposed to be here. They said so many that had what he had have gone on to be with the Lord. So we know God has a plan for him too! We love you all and hugs and kisses to you too! God Bless!

Happy 3rd Birthday T!!!!!!!

I am so proud and blessed to say everything went well today! He has gained 15 lbs in a year, I know that's not much but its good for him! His lung test went SO much better and they told me if they suspected anything, the bone marrow test would have been done much sooner! So I am at peace with all of it and know God is watching over us every moment! We hopefully will hear something before the weekend and if not it will be Tuesday or Wednesday when he goes back for photopheresis. They have to gather all the information together and go over it with a fine tooth comb! Kristina and Garrett's wedding was BEAUTIFUL and they are in Jamaica, on the other side from the fighting, thank goodness!!!! I could hardly keep from tearing up but I fought it hard when I saw T walking her down the isle. It has been very emotional but so sweet and so happy for them. Although, when he leaves Saturday going back to North Carolina, I am NOT looking forward to that! But they are married! We will find out where he will go after he completes his training with the marines. T is sleeping off the meds they gave him and I will update after we hear the results from the tests. Gotta go help him get up to go to the potty! We love all of you for going through this for the last three and a half years with our family! God Bless You!

Great News!

We got great news today! Met with Dr. Vaughan and they are setting up his 3 years tests for May 26th, his third birthday from transplant! Kristina and Garrett will be in Jamaica but she is alright with it! They will thoroughly check him out and of course the dreaded bone marrow test but I know everything, and T does too, will be alright! God has gotten us this far! They will look at all his tests and evaluate him and make a plan for the future! They will measure his donor cells(Karen's cells) and his immune system, heart, lungs and draw about 15 tubes of blood to look at and study. Hopefully when we get the results the next week it will be great news! The doctor even mentioned him going back to work, even maybe part time! But he said we had to wait and see what the tests results are to be sure what to do and not to do! We left there feeling good about it all! Tomorrow we go and get Kristina's wedding dress! No pics of that will be on facebook you can bet on that! Only 17 days until the wedding, WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Just SO glad T. is here to walk her down the isle and be by my side through it all! Thank you to all of you who have stuck this out with us and been by our side through it all! God Bless All of You! Will update after the tests are done! Hugs and kisses to all!

3 Year Birthday Coming!

WOW! Can't believe its been a month since I updated this! SO SORRY! He is doing well, still fishing! In fact, he is fishing in his second tournament today. He had cataract surgery two weeks ago on his right eye and last Tuesday had the left eye done. This was caused by the heavy steroids he was on for the GVHD. They told us this would happen but it came earlier than we thought. So for the wedding, he will be able to see everything so much better! Wants to make sure he gives her away to the right guy, HA!HA! I am sure Garrett would think that was funny! Garrett will be home in two weeks and we are excited! I more than T of course! Giving his little girl away is killing him. BUT, we new this day would come and am just so glad he is here to be the one to walk her down the isle! Just 21 days from today! We see the doctor this week because he is going for his photopheresis on Wednesday and Thursday so one of those days we'll go through what's been going on in the last month and discuss when to set up the 3 year tests. This is the one where they will go into his bone marrow to see if anything looks different. And then alot more tests to see how his lungs and heart are holding up. Plus about 15 tubes of blood to check everything else in his blood system. But he tells me he is fine because he would know it if he was sick. God has really blessed us, we know this!!!! Since Kristina has been working at the BMT unit, we have found out how things could have turned out. Its so sad to hear about people that have gone through what we have gone through and don't make it. So kiss your loved ones and tell them you love them, because you never know!!!!! Say a little prayer for Butch too, he is having an arteriorgram(spell check doesn't recognize this word) on May 7th! Michael and Margie are now husband and wife so many additions added this year to the family! Hugs and kisses to all of you too! Alyce

Hoppy"Happy" Easter!

Hope everyone has had a great day! We went to church, ate at Ruby Tuesday's, then took Harlie and Jake for a walk and played ball in the park. It was a nice relaxing Easter day! He went to photopheresis this week on Thursday and Friday. We saw the doctor on Friday. Kristina is now working up there at the BMT unit, in case you didn't know, and we are so proud of her!!! He has been fishing alot and the doctor asked him if he could not fish so long at a time. Imagaine that, asking him, you have to tell him! She told him it wasn't good for him to stay out so long. But the problem with that, as most of you know, is getting him to come in especially if he is catching fish. And he has been catching alot of BIG fish lately and putting them in our lake. He has been in hog heaven and so he is over doing it of course! They did not take him off any of the immune suppression meds and said it would be a while before they did. He is still having problems swallowing and they do not want to take any chances if it is GVHD. So he now has a better chance of getting stuff again. Which is NOT good, especially handling fish and bacteria in the water. All I know is God is watching over him and that is what is keeping him here with us. I just want him to not do anything to make it where he can't walk Kristina down the isle!!! Pray he stays well! He pretty much is doing ok. He's got sinus stuff going on and they did a chest x-ray just to be sure. Hadn't heard back from it and I am going to call Lidia tomorrow to make sure everything is ok. The fishing is making him stronger! They will set up to do the yearly tests when goes back the first of May, just not before Kristina's wedding! Sorry so BAD on keeping this up. If he wasn't doing well, you would know it! Hugs and kisses to everyone! Alyce

Almost 3 years

We are counting down the days until his third "birthday"!!! He went to the hospital the last two days for his photopheresis and he saw the doctor yesterday. They increased his immune suppression medicine because they suspect he could have GVHD in his mouth and esophogus since he is still having problems swallowing food. He had it stretched not too long ago but it didn't seem to do much good so I think that is why they are suspecting GVHD. We really thought he might come off of it completely, but not the case! So please pray it is not GVHD!!! We've come so far and are planning Kristina's wedding for May 22nd and are just so grateful that he is here to walk her down the isle. I told Lidia yesterday I didn't want his bone marrow test done before that. I just don't think we want to have to deal with that until after the wedding!!! My mom is still dealing with high blood pressure and is wearing a heart monitor now. We have to get her straightened out! I know God only gives you what you can handle and he is really testing me!!!! Please pray for me to have some relief! Working and taking care of two people having health problems is enough! My brother is still in Vancouver working and will not return until the end of March, for the paralympics now. Kay, his wife, has been great! Sorry so long posting this and complaining as I read back at this. Just been a little busy and too tired when I get home! Thanks for listening and hugs to all! God Bless You!

2 In The Hospital

We'll I get one home from the hospital and another goes in! My mom had to be rushed to the hospital on Monday night. When it rains it pours on me for some reason! She is home with us for now, don't know how long she will need to be here! BUT on that note! Kristina is getting married on May 22nd so now planning a wedding! Garrett will be graduating from A school on May 14th, come home May 15th and the wedding will be the 22nd of May. But in the meantime, Micheal, Butch and Jackie's son is getting married on April 24th! Man, lots to do! T is doing better now that he has the oxygen at night while he sleeps. We are still giving the lovenox shots and hopefully that will end soon. When the weather gets warmer he'll be itching to go fishing! In the meantime, he's playing with the studio downstairs to keep him busy. Hope next week will be better! I'm staying pretty busy at work too! Alan, my brother, is in Vancouver helping provide transportation for the olympics and I am working with that too besides our own bus transportation business here in Birmingham. Just pray that I can handle all that is on my plate! Sorry to give such a bad report but like I said hopefully next week will be better! God Bless You All! Hugs and kisses! Alyce

Home from The Hospital

We got home around 6pm this evening. We had oxygen delivered to our home for him to have at night while he is sleeping and when he needs it. Dr. Salzman told him that the medicine, Dapsone, was most likely the cause of him to have low blood pressure. Its in the blood disease family and is only treated two ways and giving oxygen is one of them. So he is off that medicine and on another. We are SOSOSOSO ready to be off these meds!!!!! He is feeling better and that is the important thing! He has photopheresis tomorrow early in the morning!!! He is going to ride in with Kristina and I will pick him up and bring him home. He is VERY happy to be at home. Karen was sweet and posted what was going on for me, thanks SIS!!!!! I was hoping he would get to come off the rest of the immune suppression medicine this week, but so much for hoping! PLEASE PRAY this goes away from his blood system or he will be going in and out to get fluids ALOT! His blood pressure is something that can't be played with or messed up! I am tired, can you tell???? Hugs and kisses to you all! God Bless You All! Alyce

PRAYERS NEEDED

Hi friends and family, This is Karen posting today. Alyce asked me to let you know about Terry and ask all you prayer warriors to be praying for him a little harder today. He started feeling worse on Saturday and was a little light headed. On Sunday he had a sore throat and low blood pressure so Alyce took him to the BMTU. His blood pressure and oxygen level were dangerously low so they admitted him into the hospital. They have been pumping the fluids and antibiotics intravenously and kept him up last night giving him breathing treatments. His levels this morning were BP 100/44 and Oxygen level low 90's. That is still too low but much better than yesterday. His immune system is still weak and the stress of the funeral and close exposure to so many certainly did not help. They never know what kind of "bug" he might pick up that will set him back. He wants so badly to have a "normal" life. When you are lifting Terry in prayer today, please remember Alyce too. She is such an angel and takes such good care of him. Hugs and kisses and God's blessings on you all, Karen

Getting Stretched Again!

Well, the 6th time for stretching his esophogus and it went well. A little sore this evening but eating better and most important swallowing better! He will hopefully gain back some of the weight he has lost. He goes to the BMT for photopheresis next week and they will officially weigh him. We will see the doctor one of the days he is there so hopefully get an update on what they are going to do with his meds and see which one we can come off again!!!!!! We want to thank everyone for their prayers, food, flowers and the concern they have shown the last week during Granny's funeral. She is already missed!!!! She would have been 86 this Sunday! But she is celebrating in Heaven!!!! She is our angel watching over us. After all, she was the lady that produced T and Karen and the perfect match they were!! God was with her then and now she is with God! We love all of you! God Bless You All! Alyce

Heaven's Turn

God decided it was time to bring Granny(Ruth-Terry, Karen and Butch's mom) home on Monday, January 18th at 4:06 am. She is no longer in pain and is celebrating with her sisters, brother and Johnny up in Heaven. The visitation is Wednesday 5-7 pm at Roebuck Chapel and the funeral is Thursday at 2 pm. We will miss her but she is in a much better place than us! We arrived home last night from our trip to see Garrett. He is a military(Navy) man now!!! He is doing well and is fixing to start his medical school this week. His graduation was awesome! Kristina will start at the BMT unit at UAB where her Daddy had his transplant on Feb. 1st. T will have his esophogus stretched again next week so pray for him to get some relieve on eating and just swallowing. God is watching over us! God Bless All of You! Love All of You! Alyce

Happy New Year!

Hope everyone's new year is getting off to a great start! Busy is the word around here! Kristina and I are leaving Thursday to go to Garrett's graduation in Great Lakes, Illinios. Looking forward to seeing him but not the cold weather although we have had some practice down here! Kristina can hardly wait, counting down the days along with Garrett's mom! Can't blame them! I know he will be glad to see people he knows! He has been up there since November! Kristina has a job interview at UAB tomorrow, YEAH! And T goes to the gastrointerologisits on Tuesday to evaluate him for stretching his esophogus again! He has been having trouble all through the holidays he just didn't say anything to me until I started noticing he wasn't eating as much as he usually does and when I mentioned it to him, then he confessed. So, more than likely he will get it stretched soon. So John and T will be all by themselves while we are gone until Monday, hope they make it! I have people that will check in with them every so often! Making a big pot of soup so they will be able to heat it up and eat it! We got some sad news today. Mr. Hartley that we had gotten to know in the BMT(and his wife Debbie) passed away last Sunday. He was having the same difficulties as T was a year ago. Although they didn't have the same disease, they still shared the same problems because of the transplant. It is very difficult to think that you could be in that same place. Please pray for her(his wife) and their family. We went to church and then to visit Ruth today and she is not doing very good. She is not eating, we tried to get her to eat and she spit it out. Kristina did all the work. She got her to drink an Ensure, a whole one, and 2 glasses of water. She brushed her teeth and wiped her hands and face off with a warm cloth. John and T sang her Elvis songs and she seemed to enjoy it! I pray she is not in pain but we know she has to be in some way. She moans like she is in pain. We had a good visit! T wore his mask just in case! Please pray for us as we travel to Illinios and pray John and T are still alive when we come back! Just kiddin! They will be fine! Will report after we return from our trip. John and T are supposed to go to Nashville and meet with my cousin who is over-seeing John's writing. He wants him join ASCAP. So they may be going to Nashville while we are gone. We love all of you who are still keeping up with us and we all celebrate Terry's recovery as it was 3 years ago this month he was diagnosed with AML. In May it will be 3 years from his transplant! He will be 3 then! God is good and takes care of us everyday! God Bless You! Alyce