Happy Birthday to me….100 days and still chemo free. I’ve also avoided any infection or illness but I’ve stayed away from public places. My only concern at this point is my white cell count is still low. Within the next couple of weeks I will be scheduling xrays, and one of those wonderful bone marrow biopsies!! So far, I feel good and mentally fit. As always, thank you for all your prayers and support. All my best…. Gary

Happy birthday to me. I just turned 60….60 days post-transplant that is. I’ve been on a mental vacation, please excuse, just returned, chemo webs all gone from the brain. I’m gaining strength every day and feeling pretty good. Sometimes you just have to take a vacation from cancer. Update report: I can smell, taste food, and growing peach fuzz on the head, mustache growing thicker than before…..life is good. Still having problems where former lesions were on the spine but Docs very optimistic about upcoming 100 day post-transplant tests. Again, thank you for all you prayers and support and please keep our friend Beth in your prayers for her upcoming transplant….Gary and Amy.

The transition from hospital life back to civilian life, post-chemo, has had its challenges and obstacles. I am doing well, as a matter of fact, tomorrow I will be seeing Dr. Shea and hopefully checking out of the hotel and heading home. Still low energy level, nausea under control, require lots of rest but feeling good……Gary

“I’m free to do what I want any old time” and almost feeling like I could dance across the stage like Mick Jagger—-well not quite, but I’m excited to get out! Just waiting for the wheelchair taxi service to give me a ride! See you on the outside……Gary

I took my first walk yesterday afternoon outside the room! The vote was unanimous, they want my room tomorrow. Actually my WBC is up to 15.0 and platelets holding at 66. I’m going home–well almost–out of the hospital and back to the hotel. I’ll be back to UNC on Friday morning for labs, but no extended stay. My umbilical cord from The Old Bag has been severed. I almost feel like a free man! Still fatigued and some nausea but I hear that’s par for the course. Looking forward to seeing the outside world….Gary

Talked to the Head Cheese today and received some interesting news. I stand an excellent chance of checking out of the hospital this Wednesday! However, I’ll still have to stay in the area for daily checks. As you probably have guesssed by now, my white count has shot up to 4.4 and other values holding their own. This coupled with no fever for 48+ hours is making Wednesday looking very promising. Let’s all hope and pray that happens. My biggest fear is checking out on Wed is I dont know what to tell Old Bag. She’s been with me from the start feeding me chemicals I need! Oh well, I guess that’s the price for recovery!….Gary

Saturday…hmmmm…what should a person do…..maybe I’ll stay in tonight and take heavy doses of antibiotics, drink sterilized water and hang out with the old bag (my chemo tree that is!). So those of you who can get out tonight… ENJOY……..Gary

Gary very tired today. WBC still.1, HCT up to 29.7, platelets low and needed two bags of platelets today. He started to get a sore throat and slight fever last night. Still has low fever and sore throat today. Back on ativan for nausea which usually hits around 1:00 pm but it works great…..currently enjoying a slice of pizza…..Amy

Looking out my window over UNC-CH campus with Carolina blue sky and sunshine, a few thoughts crossed my mind: There are many people here who aren’t doing near as well as I am and I feel very thankful that I feel so good; I want to thank those who donate platelets, because people like me need them to survive; I know now I’m on the upside of this proceedure and that makes me feel fantastic! My WBC is still.1 but thanks to two units of packed red cells and 4 bags of platelets yesterday, my HCT is 28.4 and platelets are 70. Apparently, since I am on a blood thinner to prevent the blood clots from forming again since my Thal/Dex days, they don’t want my platelet counts to go below 50 because then there is a big threat for unclotted bleeding. So they continue my blood thinner but try to keep my platelet count around 50. Interesting fact…platelet donations only last for a few days so it is something hospitals always have a need for. The HCT count needs to stay around 25 or higher because that’s the red blood cells that carry the O2 throughout the body. When it falls below 25 it becomes difficult to exercise. My shower yesterday morning wore me out. Thanks to all of you for your thoughts, comments, and prayers….Gary

Extra, extra, read all about it…..the CRASH is here. Counts in the basement: WBC is.1; HCT is 23.5; Platelets 36. They’re bringing in the big guns now–bags of platelets and packed red cells. I still feel pretty good, no nausea and my big treat this morning…Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Starbucks…ahhhh, Life is Good…..Gary