January 13, 2014

Dad has been doing wonderfully.  The chemo has worked!  He’s currently getting surgery on his broken arm.  They are putting a 9-hole plate on his arm after they fill in the broken and missing bone with cement.  His scar is going to be significant, which he’s very excited about!  Once he recovers from the surgery, he’ll be looking at being released from the hospital to stay in the hotel until his next two surgeries.  The second will be on one of his hips and femur.  They will be putting rods and pins to secure the fragile areas to help prevent breaking.  Once he recovers from the first hip and leg surgery, he’ll have the other side done.  He’s going to be part bionic!

After he gets back on his feet, so to speak, he’ll be discussing transplant plans with his oncologist.  They aren’t sure yet if they are going to do another round of chemo before initializing the transplant process.  Since he has had such a good response with this last round of chemo, the doctors are expecting another round to be a walk in the park.  The same compromises to his immune system will occur again, but the docs handled it all perfectly this last go round.  We are all optimistic this is going to be successful!

Over the next month or so, we should be in transplant recovery and looking at long-term remission.  If you get an opportunity, Google stem cell transplant and get familiar with the process.  Not only is it amazing medicine, but you’ll have a clearer understanding of what will be happening to his body.

Yesterday he celebrated his 59^th birthday with Joel, Rachel, Isabelle, and myself.  It was a pleasant day in the hospital.  He was in great spirits and it was wonderful to spend some time with him.  We were all there as the doctors came in and explained the surgeries he’s going to be having.  As all the information was delivered, his smile was bright and full of joy.  This is going to give him so much of his mobility back.  His right arm has been a pain and debilitating.  The docs told him he should feel pretty awesome within a day of the surgery.  Physical therapy and very soon the ability to exercise!  He can’t wait to do that.

I am continuously proud of his attitude.  He has been so full of positive energy despite all the trials he’s faced over the past month.  We were able to take him outside for the first time since December 18^th on Saturday.  He felt the Arizona sun and smelled fresh air.  As long as his white blood and platelets remain in the black, he’ll be able to keep going outside.  That has been an emotional booster for him.  I’m certain the successes he’s experienced has been a direct reflection of his attitude and overall acceptance of how this situation progresses.  He has been a bright shiny example of how to accept life’s challenges and go with the flow instead of balling up and complaining about it. 

On my front, things are stabilizing.  We still have a LOT of work to do to get my house back to feeling like a home.  Boxes are everywhere and it’s becoming increasingly necessary to find a storage unit to store the things we won’t be unpacking.  The Russell’s have a ton of stuff!

The kids are settling into their routine with school and finding their places.  I’m so proud of them in how they’ve handled all of this.  I can’t imagine how disruptive it must feel to suddenly be yanked from all familiarity and thrust into a semi-familiar place with so much uncertainty surrounding them.  They are also wonderful examples of how to go with life instead of fight it.  I look up to them all the time.

Today begins the new semester of classes for me.  I’m a little anxious to take on three more classes with all the things going on.  However, if I stall or postpone, I fear getting back into it will be harder than it was.  I’m taking two psychology classes and a sociology class.  I’m looking forward to all I stand to learn. Upon completion of these three classes, I’m almost halfway to my associates!  I’m excited and proud of myself (Toot! Toot!).

As always, if you have any questions or want to learn how to get in touch with my dad, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  I try to be diligent with correspondence.  Forgive any delays.  Just know that I will get to you as soon as I can.  Thank you for your interest and prayers.  This story continues to be very dynamic and a lull isn’t far, but it isn’t exactly close either.  Thank you so much!

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