Thursday, January 28, 2010

God makes all things possible, not easy

Well, I guess I jumped the gun. Just when I thought I could report that things are going well, they fall apart! Ryan got sick on the way to work Monday morning. He continued on to school, but called the doctor when he got there. They happened to have an appointment in Greenville at 11:30 and so he worked 1/2 day and then headed to the doctor's office. The doctor checked him out, told him that most likely he had the flu, gave him a couple of prescriptions and told him, just to be on the safe side, that he better get his blood drawn and a chest x-ray done. Ryan went to Wayne Hospital and had those things done. When he left the hospital, the doctor's office called and told him to come back to the office.

They saw some shadowing on his chest x-ray and when they received his blood counts, his white cells were elevated. The doctor then wanted to do a bone marrow biopsy and a CT scan. They tried to schedule those outpatient for Monday afternoon, but the hospital was booked. His doctor told him that if he got admitted that he could get the tests done that night and have results on Tuesday. Ryan decided to be admitted.

They ran the tests and found that the leukemia was back and that there certainly was a spot on his chest where the x-ray showed shadowing. Dr. Marinella, his oncologist, called Dr. Devine, the transplant doctor we saw at OSU to determine the next steps. Ryan is at Miami Valley and has finished his 2nd day of chemo with the new regimen. He will likely be there a month and if his body responds well he will then be ready to head to OSU for the transplant. He will be at OSU in the hospital a month and then will have another month to month and a half of follow-up with the doctor there.

So, Aubrey and I are adjusting again to trying to do baths and everything else without Daddy around.

Ryan's white count was 96,000 before they started the chemo yesterday morning. This morning, the white cells has already fallen to 19,000. His body responded well to the treatment the first day. Hopefully, things will continue to go well.

We appreciate prayers.

3 comments:

  1. April -

    You are all in my thoughts and prayers, and will continue to be. You've been on my mind a lot lately, as I've checked back here once in a while, thinking of March being the one-year anniversary of everything turning upside down for you. I was always sort of glad to see there weren't may new posts, as I figured your lives were going back to normal. I was really hoping we'd all be praising God in March for a year down and still no cancer...but we will keep praying.

    love,

    gretta

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  2. We have continued praying for all three of you each morning on the drive in to work, and had just been asking God to continue to keep Ryan cancer-free. We will keep on praying that God will heal Ryan to the glory of His name and that's your family's testimony will be one of victory through Christ!

    You guys will most certainly be in our thoughts and prayers as you fight this battle.

    ~Jill Steinbrunner

    "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of pwer, and of love, and of a sound mind..." - 2 Timothy 1:7

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  3. We are 20 minutes north of Columbus, so if you ever need a place to stay while he is at OSU you are always welcome. Just email me... www.amy_yakos@yahoo.com . We could also watch Aubrey for you while you are in town if you needed us to. Our daughter would love playing with her :)

    We are praying. -Amy (yakos), Joe & Rosemary Walter

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