John was In the hospital a lot recently

My husband, John, has been in the hospital a lot recently. I've lost track of the number of times, but I think he's had six hospitalizations in the past few months. 

His immune system never came back after his bone marrow transplant. He's just one of the few who had that complication. So he just keeps catching things this year, even with his IVIG treatments. I guess his IVIG treatments -- 9 hours at a time in the chemo room --  just aren't enough to keep sickness at bay. His cancers are definitely NOT back -- he just hasn't quit catching things this year.

Three of John's hospitalizations were for graham negative and graham positive infections.

During the last hospital stay John actually got sepsis. He had a graham positive infection in his blood.

The doctor took me aside and told me there was a chance John wouldn't make it. She went over to his bedside and explained to him that he must fight very hard. She sort of explained the situation to him.

Her telling John the truth of his situation really surprised me, as I am not used to John's local doctors, as a whole, dealing with us in such a straight forward way. I was most grateful, however, for her straightforwardness, as was John. It allowed John the information he needed to have to fight, and the ability to do so if that's what he chose to do.

I explained to him a little more of what the doctor had said to me while he had been sleeping. "Krissy, I'm going to do it. I'm going to fight," John said to me, looking at me weakly, but in his determined way.

"OK," I said. "I'm going to be quiet then, and let you go into your survival mode, and do whatever you do when you do this, then."

"OK," John said quietly.

"I love you, Honey," I said, and gave him a quick kiss. Then I leaned over and drew a little cross on his forehead. "Good night."

"I love you too," he said. "Good night."

Then he quickly shut his eyes, and with a very determined look on his face, John slipped off into that "survival zone" he goes to when he fights to stay alive. I've seen him do it many times before. He's working hard to stay alive there in that place. Nobody can distract him from that task. Nobody can reach him there until he's ready to come back. Not even his wife. I can't distract him there. He can't hear me. But somehow I think he knows I'm at his bedside.

I have no desire to distract him when he's fighting to survive. He needs all his energy. When he's fought himself safely through he'll be back to talk to me. I can wait. I always wait. Because it's always worth it. Do what you need to do, John, until you're done. Whether you're awake or asleep -- stay in "the zone". I can wait. I always wait.

So I wait for him to come back. To let me know he's going to live. And like each time before this one, he does a stellar job again. Just because he wants to live. Which is more than reason enough.

But I think I made it all sound too easy!
It was scary when he was first sick. In my heart I knew he'd make it, but sometimes I was a little scared.

The first night John's temperature shot up so high that they put him under a "cooling blanket". It was basically a sheet with ice packs sewn into it. He was under that thing for about a day.

At first John didn't respond to any antibiotics they gave him -- I guess the graham positive infection, which had since become sepsis (blood poisoning), was now antibiotic-resistent. But then after a day or two the doctor found an IV antibiotic that worked. Dactomycin.

So after several days of Dactomycin, some time under an ice blanket, and lots of old-fashioned just fighting to survive -- John was good as new.

Except you're never as good as new after these things. It always takes a toll on you. And you need some time to recover. From something or the other. John's latest something or the other is something called "encephalopathy". He got it as the result of the sepsis. It effects his cognition. But that's a subject for another post. That post will come soon enough. I think I've already given you more than enough to read about for today!

I just wanted to let you all know what's going on. I'll keep you updated.

I hope everyone is doing ok. Thanks for continuing to read and comment. God bless you all!  :)

Monday Morning Question for Feb 18 2013

What are you known for? Give the first
answer that comes to your mind!


my answer: I'm known for being honest, direct, and telling it like it is.
That's the first thing that came to mind. As it did, I was kind of taken aback. Something like "loving" or "full of mercy" would have been more to my liking, LOL.

But, you know, I've thought about this one before. Being direct with someone, telling him what's going on, is not a bad thing.  I've come to find, actually, that its a very loving thing. Why would someone want to be in the dark about anything, anyway? I know I don't want to be!

So people do appreciate me for my straight forwardness. And I do love others terribly. I'm so glad they know that, and I hope they find my honesty refreshing! ;)

Now  your turn. No fair not answering! I do this every week and a lot of you don't! Come on.

What are you known for?   

Monday Morning Question for Feb 11 2013

What's the worst advice you've ever been given?

My answer:
"Don't expect anything. Then you won't be disappointed."

That's just way too negative for me, you all! It doesn't encourage one to even look for good in anything, look for any possibilities, encourage one to change his situation or life. It merely sets you up to think of everything as negative, even when it's not. If your life is so negative, go out and do something about it -- change it!

And yes, I've actually been given this bad "advice" of expecting nothing so I won't be disappointed, and from more than one person! I guess they're, what you'd call, cynical. Thanks, but no thanks!

Now, please tell us, in the comment section below, or in your blog with a link back here, the worst advice YOU'VE ever been given.

We're really curious to know! 

Maybe John has Cancer Again

It's going to be another trip to Hershey, PA today --  tomorrow my husband John will be seen in the Hershey Medical Center, Cancer Clinic.   

A few things are going on with John physically.  And it is hard for him in other ways too.  He's undergone a lot of stress.  And to say I haven't gone through a lot of stress also, would definitely be an understatement...

John and I are leaving for Hershey, PA, in a few minutes.  We want to leave early enough so that we'll be at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge soon. We want  go to bed early, and be fresh in the morning, as John's first  appointment is very early. 

At 8 am, John and I are expected in the Infusion Room, directly above the Cancer Clinic.   John will get labs done in the Infusion Room.

Many things go on in The Infusion Room beside getting labs done.  Some cancer patients get chemo while in the Infusion Room (John has had over 90 rounds of chemo), while other cancer patients get cells (cells from white cells in plasma), that will strengthen their immune system.  This process is called getting IVIG.  IVIG stands for Intravenous Immunoglobulon. IVIG is given to cancer patients to strengthen their immune system, because as I stated, they don't have one.  That's because after a bone marrow transplant, some BMT patients immune systems go away, and some never even ever return.  It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.  So having low antibodies, and not getting his immune system back, did happen to John, of course, LOL.

I said "of course"

because John just keeps keeps getting unusual and far more rare complications than most other BMTers.  It keeps happening, inevitably, year after year.  Maybe the complications are finally slowing down.  I do hope so! Especially for John's  sake.

Because I want him to be more confident that he can relax some, that he can embrace life to it's fullest, to be more secure, and to just love life! I want him to really step out and live his life now.  

Being confident and secure is somebody John has always was, but has had a little bit of trouble being this way, during this last cancer he's had. I mean this third blood cancer John's had.  Actually, I'm not sure if he is on his second or third blood cancer right now.  I've heard two doctors say he had three cancers. The cancers were Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma, MDS (preleukemia), and AML (leukemia).  Some of the other hem/onc doctors said he had the first two cancers but not the leukemia. Dr Claxton, His blood cancer doctor says he had NHL (lymphoma), MDS (bone marrow cancer and preleukemia), and Leukemia.  I am going with what Dr Claxton says, as that is his Dr, and he has known him the longest and the best... He told us this just a few months ago, that he had all three of these cancers, and that at that time about four months ago -- that all four cancers were in complete remission!  Like he thought, 99% John wouldn't be coming out of remission anyway!...  So why didn't I tell you all yet?  I don't know, I just wanted to be sure or something... Make sure I heard him correctly or something... I know I heard him correctly, Dr Claxton I mean, but I  just wanted to ask him a few questions first, before I announced it to you, my friends, and to the world!!

Anyway, getting back to John, my beloved husband, the physical things my husband has gone through, all the cancers (especially the last two), all his chemo treatments and the bone marrow transplant, all his complications and their treatments -- these physical things that can make a person a little shaky (even if it's subconscious), I think could hold someone back a little in life.  He hasn't told me that any illnesses of his are doing that to him.  But I do wonder at times if it happens.  I do know that he is in CKD3 (that's Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 3), and that comes before needing permanent dialysis and a kidney transplant (if you're able to find a kidney).  And then there's the thing of his antibodies not being high enough (I'm wondering if this is in the back of his mind, I don't know if it is or not, he doesn't share his health with me too often as he thinks it will make me scared and upset), and if John believes his antibodies aren't working well, that his immune system won't function well enough, even with the artificial boost that it's often given (the IVIG), which could cause him to catch something and die.  He wouldn't have to catch something too serious to die...

On the other hand, John, while going through all this, and even considering it, at the same time, does have a pretty fantastic attitude.  My John has always pulled for life.  My john has always pulled for survival.Each and everyone of us reading this know this.

 So once again, he will go on, fighting anything that could possibly try to harm his body, anything that could possibly mess with his mind, anything that would momentarily dampen his spirits.  My John, our John, is a Survivor, and will always be a Survivor!  Long live the Survivor!  

So after John's 8 am appointment in the Infusion Room, John and I will be headed downstairs to the Cancer Clinic to see Dr Claxton, John's hematologist/oncologist (blood cancer doctor).     

One of the reasons we're going is because John has had numerous complications lately.  And one of them is fevers.  They have gone on for months.  And night sweats.  Anybody who has had cancer before knows what fevers and night sweats almost always mean.  And they know what they mean if they return.  

Fevers and night sweats mean Cancer.  Fevers and night sweats returning mean the possibility of cancer returning.  But then who knows.  We'll see.  I guess it could go 50 50. Please pray.  We have been up to Hershey three times in the past four weeks.  I just don't know.  Please pray.  Yes, I know this is sudden and direct.  I never did beat around the bush, did I, LOL.  I always thought it was much better to get to the point, then we could pray, etc.  Thanks for the prayers.  Got to run,

love you from the bottom of my heart,  your krissy :)  

Good Friday

Good Friday

Does Jesus really love you?  I say look to how He agreed to be crucified.  Look at the old rugged cross. Look at every thorn that punctured His brow.  Look at every mark on His back, every lacerating scourge.  Notice every hair of His beard plucked from His cheeks by cruel fingers.  Consider every bruise which heavy fists made upon His head. Jesus said, "I love you" by all the spit that landed on His face. By every drop of sinless blood that fell to the ground.  Jesus showed His love for you through every breath of pain which He drew upon the cross. By every beat of His loving heart, Jesus, while dying on the cross, stretched out his arms, and said, "I love you this much."  Then He died for you.

Merry Christmas

I've been doing a series about my husband John, and his recovery from the three cancers he is in remission from.  But I've decided to take a break from that today, because this is Christmas, the anniversary of the birth of Jesus.

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish a Merry Christmas to each of you.  I'm hoping you're having a great day today, and continue to have a blessed rest of the year. 

I want to leave you with a video of my favorite Christmas song.  I think The Temptations do a good job of it here.  

If the video above doesn't work please press this link:  Silent Night

I'm wishing you and yours the very best.  Have a Merry Christmas and I'll be back tomorrow to finish the story about John's journey. 

God bless you all,  Krissy :)

John is in remission from three cancers!

We've waited and waited for this day.  Thirteen years to be exact.  When my husband John was 36 years old, as most of you know, he was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  It was unusual how John's physician, at the time, found the cancer.  Dr. Hall was doing surgery for a hernia correction when he found a tumor that happened to be the lymphoma.  It was both one of the worst things that could happen during a hernia surgery, yet a real blessing -- if the surgeon hadn't opened John up, he never would have found the tumor and John would have never started to fight the dreadful cancer he had, which, as I stated, was Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  John had more than one tumor, and was staged at 3B.  And the cancer was in his lymph nodes.  The surgeon stated that if he had not found the cancerous tumor when he had, John would have been dead within six months.  

Back 13 years ago, blood cancer doctors (hematologists/oncologists) didn't have a lot of hope for patients with NHL.  John was told that even if he was put into remission, he probably wouldn't live.  He was advised to be proactive, choose a method of treatment and do everything he could to fight. This would extend his life for only a few years, they said.  And this, the hem/oncs (blood cancer doctors), told John, could buy him enough time until enough time for another treatment  or cure came along, so that if it happened enough time, John would be able to live.

I have asked John how he could live like this.  He has told me, "You do what you got to do.  If you were going to die, you would do what you had to do.  There was no other option.  Everybody keeps calling me brave.  An inspiration.  I am not an  inspiration.  All I did was survive."

On the contrary, I believe John is an inspiration.  I'm not sure I wouldn't have gotten depressed and quit.  I'm not sure I would've been able to last the 13 years, before I was declared OK, and worked so hard.  But then again, you never know.  As John says, "You do what you have to do."  

Okay, this post has gotten long, so I am going to finish it tomorrow.  I hope you come back to read the rest.  Meanwhile, I've got a question for you:

I think John was an inspiration.  I think the fact he did work hard to survive is an inspiration.  I think he did "more than survive" and he's a true hero, trying and trying, until he finally got into remission.  I will explain how his remission, and how Dr Claxton is actually calling it a "cure", came 13 years later, in the next post or two.  But for  now, I want to ask you this:

Did John just do what he had to do?  Or is he an inspiration to you? Just wondering.  I am going to be showing him the answers!

John has posted again

I thougth I'd tell you a little about what has been going on with my husband John.

Because of complications from his bone marrow transplant, which he received to put two cancers into remission, my husband John has been unable to post for two years.

This has caused my posting and commenting to also be very infrequent, but that's another story. I'll be posting regularly this year barring some disaster -- you'll just have to wait and see!

Anyway, John has started to feel a lot better, and was finally able to post on December 26, 2010, just a few days ago.

While it's been a little over two years since John has posted, he is going to attempt to post on a regular basis from now on. Or at least as frequently as he can. He is still going through a lot of health issues, but as you all know, he is very stubborn, too stubborn sometimes, LOL, and he isn't going to give up in many areas in his life!

Stubborness (or shall I call it persistence with him) is often a good thing, so perhaps he's not too stubborn! As well as the Lord, stubborness has kept my husband alive. And it will keep him moving forward as he attempts to find his "new normal" in life as a Survivor.

This stubborness will keep him moving forward as he attempts to find what he wants to do in the next few years of his life, and to see what the Lord has in store for him to do in the future.

It will be exciting for him, and for me as well! The future is feeling brighter...

Anyway, if you haven't visited his entry of a few days ago, and would like to, let me give you the link:

Merry Christmas 2010

If youd like to read more of John's blog you'll find it here:


too stubborn to die

Finally, I'd like to say Happy New Year from John and me. May 2011 be your best year yet! God bless you all.

krissy :)

White Christmas by The Drifters

About 10 years ago I received an email containing this video, and found the video hysterical and a good distraction from all the chores of the fast paced Christmas season. Each year I view the video, and I find it more entertaining than the year before.

Merry almost Christmas. Have you ever seen this video and did you enjoy it as well?

John's been in the Hospital most of the past month

Gall Bladder Surgery, Pancreatitis Surgery -- Hmmm, what'll be next??

So John's in the hospital again. Locally this time. He's been there, oh, I can't remember how long, because I've lost track of time.

I do remember he had the Gall Bladder surgery on May 5th. That was a rough surgery for him, because he has immune system problems. His antibodies never returned after his bone marrow transplant. So it wasn't same day surgery. John had to stay inpatient for awhile.

The surgeon put a Jackson Pratt Drain in John during the surgery. A JP Drain drains excess fluid from the body after surgery. Here's a photo of a JP Drain.

A JP Drain consists of a tube, as well as a bulb for collecting fluid after a surgery. The end of the tube is sewn inside the patient's body during the surgery. The other end of the tube extends way outside the patient's body, and culminates in a rubber bulb in which bodily fluid collects. These bulbs are said to resemble hand grenades. They are capped to create suction (to pull out body fluid that looks like blood to me, but I don't really know what it is!), as to prevent the bloody looking fluid from being trapped inside the body.

Another reason the bulbs are capped are so that people like John and I can empty them and measure how much body fluid they contain, LOL. Let me explain. Oh, and we also had to continuously keep the area of the drain and the wound sterile and bandaged at all times. This was very difficult because the area around the John's JP drain frequently leaked. I don't know if it was supposed to, but John's did!

Daily I had to measure how much blood filled the hand grenade thingy (capped rubber bulb)that was attached to this long rubber tube stitched to John's belly, peering out of a gaping wound. I had to do this by carefully uncapping the bulb and dumping the bodily fluids into a measuring container. John and I would take turns doing this, and laugh, actually.

We laughed because we had to put measurements on an official "Nurses' Chart", as well as comments. We had to sign our "Nurse's Names" at the top of the chart, as well as our "Nurse's Initials," and initial each time we made a comment, so that everyone would know which "nurse" had taken care of John! What we were doing was somewhat complicated, and the reason we were laughing so hard was because we weren't nurses, yet we had to fill out this complicated Nurses' Chart.

So one day into this little project, as we were filling out our paperwork, I looked up to the top of the chart that we were required to fill out per the hospital, and were to bring to to John's appointment in about a week and give to Dr. Martin, and impulsivity overtook me. I began to mark up the official chart the hospital had given me! The one we had been so meticulous on thus far. I didn't care that it was going back to Dr. Martin!

Above Nurse's Names I wrote the word Faux. After all, we were Faux Nurses, LOL. I continued to mark up the chart, and John and I just kept on laughing. Anything for a laugh for John and me. We needed it by this time.

And John started to mend.

Little did we know that in a few days he would be sick again.

But I'll post about that tomorrow or the next day. I'm oh so tired from going to the hospital constantly -- eight times in the past two months, if you count the totally necessary emergency room visits.

Just suffice it to say John suddenly began to have very serious pain, off and on, and then very high fevers. We had to go to Hershey Medical Center (Hershey Hospital) and John was hospitalized there. There they discovered pneumonia in two places in his lungs but couldn't figure out what was really making him sick. Then suddenly John's fever lowered and he was discharged.

So home we went. And of course his very high fevers returned, and he had extremely severe pain. And into the local hospital he went again. Where he had another surgery, and where he remains even now. But I'll tell you that story more in depth in a day or two.

Stay tuned for --

The Stone That Got Away!

Of Hip Replacements for John and the First Day of Spring

It's the First Day of Spring -- March 20, 2010

Even today as I look around, I see some patches of snow in the very cold part of Pennsylvania in which I live, but the snow is almost gone. Two days ago, as John and I were on our way to Hershey Medical Center, his cancer treatment center, I saw my first real promise that Spring would be here soon -- a clump of deep, vibrant purple crocuses. Then as John and I pulled into the hospital parking lot we saw a sea of yellow daffodils! I knew Spring was approaching fast!
Today I can see and feel Spring everywhere and I'm finally feeling good.

This has been the longest, coldest Winter I can remember. There has been snow on the ground for months, and it has perhaps been snowing more days than not this Winter. Or so it seems. And I feel I've finally made it through a long, dark time.

And yet, there will be some more tough days to come. When we were up at Hershey Medical Center these past few days, my husband John found that Graft Versus Host Disease had returned to his eyes. GVHD can be a sign that your donor has rejected you after a bone marrow transplant, and that your cancer will return or has returned.

No, John's donor has not rejected him -- most likely -- and he is still in remission from his two cancers. Thank God for that. John is just having problems with his eyes -- itching, burning, and a little trouble seeing.

Another thing John has been dealing with on this visit is a lump and something suspicious possibly indicative of cancer found in his body during a CT scan last week. That's one of the reasons we're in Hershey right now. But John and I are not worrying. Gee, if we worried about every scare, we'd go nuts! So we'll wait and see what happens. We're going home on Saturday (first day of Spring!) and John will most likely get the suspicious areas looked at there, by his local oncologist, Dr. Ford. If not, we'll come back to Hershey soon.

If it does turn out that John does have another cancer, he could possibly even be treated where we live. That would mean that we wouldn't have to make so many trips to Hershey Medical Center. We believe Hershey is the best place to go in the world if you need cancer treatment. It is just becoming difficult to make the 210+ mile round trip for us when John goes for check-ups or receives treatments.

I guess I should mention one more thing about John. While at home, a few days before leaving for Hershey Medical Center, he had an MRI, because he had a pain level of 7 for several months in his pelvic area (on his backside).

The MRI showed Osteo Necrosis. For those of you who don't know how to
translate that, Osteo means "bones" and necrosis means "dead" or "dying."
As in "dead bones."

John will have to get two hip replacements to correct the Osteo Necrosis -- one in each hip.

Dr. Claxton wants John to get treatment for the Osteo Necrosis, at least initially, back where we live. First he will get bone medication, then he will get the hip replacements. John will see an Orthopedic Surgeon as soon as he gets back home.

We don't know how soon the replacements will be -- within days or years. We'll have to go back home and ask our local Orthopedic Surgeon.

Yes, I'm glad it's Spring, but I'm already tired from the challenges that lay ahead!

But John and I are always up for challenges, I guess, because that's the way we live our lives. So, one day at a time, onward...

love you all, krissy :)

It's My Birthday

Today is my birthday. And yes, I'm in my forties.

Until a few years ago, I never thought I'd like this decade. How frightening, I thought. But I'm pretty much at peace with it. I'm feeling old, but it could be a lot worse!

I'm looking back, considering all the things I never accomplished -- all the things I have yet to do! At the same time, I'm looking at all the things I have done.

In the past year, since my last birthday, I have learned so much, and have really grown.

I've met a lot of people and learned a lot of skills. I've grown a tougher skin and gained a lot of self-confidence. I have come to learn more of who I am and what I can do. I've realized the possibilities in my life are almost endless, and I've picked up a lot of new challenges. I look at the world in a positive way now, for the first time again in years, and am ready to take on what comes along, with the help of the Lord. Life is looking good.

I know it won't always be easy, by any stretch of the imagination, but I also know I'll be able to survive now, and sometimes even thrive. I will be okay...

And that is what life has taught me in my 40s. It is a much more comfortable place to be than in my 30s. I can only wait to see what life brings next!

love you all, krissy :)

My First Bracelet

The first bracelet I've ever made

I'm designing and making jewelry now. This is the first bracelet I made. My sister Therese calls it "Tropical Citrine." John calls it my "Brady Bunch Bracelet." What do you think? Did I do a good job? And what would you call it?

Krissy :)

How were you successful in your blogging this week

How were you successful in your blogging this week?

Many don't like to think of blogging in terms of something one wants to be "successful" at. "I'm just doing this for fun," you might say. I've actually heard others say, "I don't care if I get comments." I'm astounded when I hear that. I think, "Why are you writing, then, if you don't want to be read?"

Whether you're blogging for fun, or you're blogging for money, it's hard for me to believe it doesn't matter whether or not you get comments, or whether or not your're being read. If you don't care to be read, why are you writing? Don't go online then! Write what you have to say in a little paper diary with a lock and key, and stick the diary in your drawer at home! If however, you do come online, then you may as well admit you want to be read, and furthermore you like those comments (so you know somebody is listening, and you have an engaged community)! There is certainly nothing wrong with that...

So now I have a question for you. How were you "successful" in your blogging this week? What did you do to be successful and to draw readers in? Please tell us of some of your successes.

Did you write good content so that your readers would want to come back? I'm not saying you wrote good content for the sole purpose of having readers come back. I know you would have written good content anyway. But did you "make an effort to write good content" in your posts this week?

Perhaps you added more pictures to your blogs (either graphics or photos). Perhaps you tried to explain things to others. Perhaps you took the time to comment in other's blogs more.

Some of the things I did were to write good content (write about interesting subjects), to be more open and honest in my posts -- give more of myself, think about what my readers wanted to hear about and write about that, and comment in more blogs. I think I was successful.

How were you successful in blogging this week?

For John -- I'll Stand By You

This song is dedicated to my husband, John Knox, a two time cancer survivor. It's I'll Stand By You by Carrie Underwood. A few weeks ago, John had another cancer scare. We were sure this time his cancer was back. The numbers and symptoms indicated it. I'll tell you more about it later, but I just wanted you to know that as of now, it appears he's still cancer-free. We were stunned when we heard the cancer was most likely back, and just as stunned to learn a few weeks later that it wasn't. But let me digress for a moment. During the weeks when we weren't sure if the cancer was back, or rather, were almost positive it was back, I would sing this song, I'll Stand By You, to John. Now it's "our song." Listen to the words, it's beautiful...

Monday Morning Question -- What is your Star Wars name?

Monday Morning Question -- What is your Star Wars name?

For those of you too young to remember, Star Wars came out in 1977. My husband John tells me he watched it 13 times the first year it played. But then he was 15 at the time. Over his lifetime he's probably seen Star Wars 30 times! Despite this, he says he's "primarily a Star Trek fan."

Now for the Monday Morning Question:
What is your Star Wars name?
Take the first three letters of your last name. Then add the first three letters of your first name. Finally, on the end of that add the last medicine you took.

My answer: My Star Wars name is KnoKriLantus

Now tell us --

What is your Star Wars name?

Do this one! It may be silly but it's lots of fun anyway! Krissy :)

Monday Morning Question -- What are you good at?

Everybody is good at something. What do you consider yourself good at? Don't be shy, let us know.

My Answer:

I think I'm creative. I come up with interesting and cool ideas for my blogs. I don't write as much as I'd like as my time is often limited, but when I do, I think I'm pretty creative. I also design and make some artistic, cool jewelry.

So what's your answer?
I dare you to answer this question!

Please leave a comment! Or post your answer in your blog and mention Sometimes I Think in your blog post. Then come back to the comment section here and leave your link to your post so we can all go read your answer. :)

John's post cancer checkup went well

John had a great checkup!

As most of my readers know, my husband John had two cancers, but is in remission from both of them. After much chemo, a Bone Marrow Transplant, and excellent medical care -- John has pulled through. It has come at the expense of many complications. As John says, however, it's all been worth it, as he is alive...

Anyway, John and I have been gone for about two weeks. We went to Hershey, PA to see John's oncologist Dr. Claxton on December 21, 2009 . As usual, Hershey Medical Center and it's staff are superior.

John's checkup went quite well!

The Shingles and Chicken Pox he had gotten again this year (in November and December -- just like last year) had already cleared up a few weeks prior to his appointment with Dr. Claxton. John's local doctor as well as his doctors in Hershey were just that good that he was able to be treated and his Shingles and Chicken Pox were eradicated without hospitalization this year!

That is pretty unheard of for a person who has almost no immune system, as John does. John has almost no antibodies since he received his Bone Marrow Transplant (for two cancers) in January of 2006. He lost his antibodies after his bone marrow transplant and they never returned. They probably never will. He wears a mask everywhere and is not going to venture outside -- at least during the winter months. Especially this year with flu and H1N1 (swine flu) pretty rampant in our town.

If I were to mention any other problems that are going on with John, I would mention he still only has about one third kidney function and that is never expected to improve in his lifetime. He has about a 50/50 chance of getting dialyzed in his lifetime. But then we've known that for awhile.

And then finally there is the issue of Hemolytic Anemia, of which he could get back at any time, and was getting seven bags of blood for at a time at one point. He had to get several bags of blood every day or every couple of days for months and months.

My old readers remember that. I guess I'm mentioning this for my new readers.

Having said all that, John really is doing fantastic. New complications are not constantly creeping up which is fantastic. John is beginning to live his "new life." You can never go back to your old life, because it will never be quite the same after cancer, but you have to make a "new normal." John's deciding what he wants to do with his life -- what he wants that new normal to be. He's gone back to writing. He has already started, and will soon be posting again in his blog too stubborn to die.

John gets stronger every day. He does a lot of work around the house, drives us places. Most don't know he has kidney problems or anything wrong, when they just see him around the house or whatever. He doesn't just lay around... Many don't know he had cancers (except for the mask he wears) and we are praying his cancers stay in remission. He was told he has a 90% chance that his cancers will remain in remission. Praise God for that.

On his tests at Dr. Claxton's appointment he John did excellently. He also had four baby immunizations! The immunosuppressants you receive after the Bone Marrow Transplant wipe out alll your baby and childhood vaccinations, so at three years post Transplant, you have to get your childhood vaccinations again! He usually gets four or more shots at a time! You can imagine he doesn't like driving afterward, each shot must be given in a different place, LOL.

So, overall, John is doing quite well, and if he doesn't have any problems he doesn't have to go back for about 4 1/2 months, which will be his longest time between appointments ever!

Next time I'll post about my "New Normal" and some of the things I've been doing with my new life. It's been good and I've been loving it, even though I have struggles. I'm so glad my life is starting to move on... krissy :)

we're going through our earliest snowfall on record

I only have time for a short post. John picked up the phone a short while ago, and it was from a local county emergency official, telling us that we may have to go to a shelter at any time. And if we have to go, we may have to stay for several days. If you don't find me anywhere online, you'll know why, I may not be able to get to a computer ...

This all started with a snowfall that began three days ago. It was Thursday morning when the snow started. Friday night was a little scary, as the electricity went out. I had intended to have candles or flashlights ready, but had forgotten, and John and I stumbled around in the dark until John found candles and lit them. I didn't like to have lit candles in the house with Michael. No, I'm not talking about our son. Not a human one anyway! Michael is our Maine Coon Cat, and I was afraid he'd knock over a candle and burn himself or the house down. Finally we found places to place the candles where the cat couldn't reach and went to bed. At 2:30 we awoke to blaring lights, noises from my computer, and the TV. It was hours before I was able to fall back to sleep, but I ran and blew out the candles before I did anything else.

By Friday morning we were blessed with six inches of snow. But in Pennsylvania we are not lightweights when it comes to weather, and the roads were plowed in no time, as were the parking lots. Although it was still snowing on and off, John and I made our way down to Wal-Mart and bought three flashlights and eighteen batteries.

Light snow kept up throughout the day. We started out to see a movie, Where The Wild Things Are (okay, I'm still a big kid!), but had to turn around and come right back home, because it was snowing to heavily, and we didn't want to get in a traffic accident.

No, we don't usually have snow in October in Pennsylvania. It starts in November. This was State College's earliest snowfall on record!

This morning I awoke, and there was more flakes coming down, mostly flurries. But enough snow to put a damper on the Homecoming Parade for Penn State University. Folks had come from around the country to see this parade, as their children were in it, students who went to PSU.

As John and I sat in McDonald's this morning after the parade, eating breakfast, we heard a lot of people griping about the cold. I laughed inside, because I had left the house initially this morning without a coat! I hadn't even put on a jacket.

Sure it must have been below freezing when we left the house, or at least freezing, as it was snowing again! But I didn't find it cold today at all. But I did think better of leaving without any coat at all, as I walked away from the house, so I turned back and retrieved a jacket. "No sense getting sick," I thought, "and besides, what would I use to put my cell phone in if I didn't have the pocket?" So I grabbed my jacket and out into the snow I went with John this morning ...

So, getting back to about an hour ago, and the phone call John got from the emergency official -- John was told that there were still "thousands" without power since Friday. Those without electricity have been staying at a local shelter, John was told, and that if power were to go out again, we were to go to the shelter also. He was given the shelter name. John said thank you and hung up the phone.

John and I have spent the last hour packing. I am writing this quick entry in case you don't hear from me for a few days as I don't know if I'll have access to a computer. I also don't know if I'll be staying with family, at a hotel, or at the shelter. It will depend on if I can even get to a family member's house, the street lights will most likely be out, and driving may be rough. I suppose I can wait it out at home, I think I'd rather do that. But John is a little concerned he may catch something at home, as we won't have any heat to stay warm. Our heat is electric ...

I'm hoping that no more power lines are downed due to falling trees ladened with heavy wet snow. I just want to stay home!

Okay, I need to post this, before the electricity goes out. I was attempting to post on Friday night when I lost everything, as I lost electricity ...

love you all, krissy :)

John's Battle with Zoster

John and I have been in Hershey for the past several days. From Sunday through last night. That's the reason you haven't heard from me. I didn't have time to post because John had six medical appointments, and I of course accompanied him.

Overall, during his appointments this time at his bone marrow transplant center, John fared pretty well. He received better news than we both thought he would. John does have fungal pneumonia, as we suspected, but it has greatly improved according to the report given to us by one of his oncologists. The report was a result of a CT scan John had this visit to his oncologists. It was very reassuring to know he has greatly improved, as fungal pneumonia can be serious.

John has had viral and fungal pneumonia since September 2008.

John contracted the viral pneumonia in Sept 2008 when he was taken off Valtrex, a medication he takes to prevent viral infections. I remember sitting in Dr. Claxton's office last year, as he stated, "You can stop your Valtrex now. I'm sure you won't catch shingles at this point, this far out from your transplant."

So John went off the Valtrex, then promptly turned around and caught shingles! I don't know if participating in the Light The Night Walk, to raise money against blood cancers -- such as Leukemia -- had anything to do with John catching shingles. We were around thousands of people that night. Who knows? He may have gotten shingles anyway, because he was no longer taking the Valtrex.


John at Light The Night
Walk in Sept 2008

A few days after the Shingles started, John noticed Chicken Pox. Yep, Chicken Pox. His immunities had been wiped out by the bone marrow transplant he had had over two years earlier. Those who have a bone marrow transplant literally have their immune system wiped out, and they have to get their baby and childhood vaccinations allover again.


John with Shingles in Oct 2008

So on the last day of September, off John and I went to Hershey Medical Center, because he had very severe Shingles and Chicken pox. We went by ambulance, as I have narcolepsy, and I just can't drive. John was admitted, and we ended up having to stay in Hershey most of October. By the end of the visit in October, before leaving the hospital, Dr. Claxton told John that if he had waited another couple of days to come in he wouldn't have made it...

John said shingles pain was a 9.5
on a scale of 1 - 10.

John was admitted again to the hospital in November for Zoster Pneumonia. The Zoster (Shingles Virus) just wouldn't quit.


John with Zoster
Pneumonia in Nov 2008

John was discharged from the hospital and we got home the last week in November. I spent Thanksgiving and its surrounding days giving John IV infusions of viral medications -- through a port (PICC line) that had been inserted at the hospital -- to try to end the pneumonia caused by the shingles and chicken pox. The IVs were around the clock. There was no time to make anything for Thanksgiving, but we were just grateful to be in our own home...


John getting IV antiviral at home

I'm not real sure why the oncologist (I'm not referring to Dr. Claxton, but an oncologist subbing for him) let John out of the hospital before the pneumonia was cleared up, in the first place. I remember John feeling pretty poorly when he left. On second thought, I do know the reason, I believe, that John was discharged early by Dr. E., but that's a post for another day... I'll tell it later.

During the months of hospitalizations and home treatments, John just couldn't seem to get completely better, and just couldn't seem to get over his fevers and pneumonia. The viral medications he was given orally and by IV weren't improving his health completely. As a matter of fact, John hasn't felt significantly better until this month -- March 2009...

This is because, it was discovered, John also had contracted fungal pneumonia. The doctors were able to ascertain this by the pattern the pneumonia formed in his lungs. John had x-rays and CT scans which showed "multi-focal pneumonia."

Anyway, as I stated, we're thankful that per the report we received, John is doing so much better now. He will have to live with some permanent damage to his lungs on both sides. One issue is scarring. He has had some difficulty breathing, tires easily, and can't take in full breaths at times.

But I'm very thankful John's making great improvements, and it appears that things are looking up from here. I'm glad he's out of the woods!

I finally feel that we are out of a long, long Winter, and Spring has finally arrived.

Love you all, Krissy :)