A beauitful day in NJ

Just to let you all know I am feeling better every day. My dear friend Joan came over to visit this afternoon. We sat out on my front porch and watched Gary cut the lawn. It was just a beauitful day. Joan made meat balls and sauce for me. Can't wait to have some pasta with home made sauce. I so miss cooking.

Gary hung hanging baskets of flowers out over the hot tub. They are just beauitful and I can see them from inside the family room.

Our new little kitten, Anabelle, is such a pleasure. Full of energy but a lover.

I will be on the 50 mg prednisone for another week and if all goes well will drop to 40 mg. So far I am doing well on the 50 mg. The pulmonologist wants me off but we have to go very slowly.

Happy Memorial Day to all and support our fighting men and women where ever they are. Pray for them to come home safe and sound.

Short trip to the hospital

Tuesday I woke up with a very sore elbow. I know it sounds strange but being on the computer so much I lean on my right elbow and developed an ulcer. Boy, did it get angry and infected. So I spent 2 days in the hospital on IV antibiotics and home Thursday evening. The elbow is much better and I just have to take the pills for 14 days. Lucky again. I am feeling much stronger and am able to stand and walk for longer periods of time. Prednisone again has been reduced to 50 mg.

We have a new addition to our family. On Friday Gary picked up our new "little" kitten, who we named Anabelle "easy to love". She is so tiny and only about 7/8weeks old. But such a lover. She along with my cat Sophie (18 yrs) will keep me company during the day. Pictues to come soon.

Mother's Day update

Hope you all had a Happy Mother's Day.

Just a little news about me. I have stayed on the 60 mg prednisone until I see the pulmonologist on Wednesday. I think I am better but not ready to go to 5 liters yet.

The great news is that my daughter, Michele Dery Hanes, is coming to visit from Erie, PA. She arrives tomorrow afternoon. Michele will be graduating from Bexley Hall Episcopal Seminary on Saturday at Christ Church in Rochester, NY and will receive a Masters of Divinity. She has worked very hard for the past 3 years traveing from Erie to Rochester every week for classes in addition to field work at a church in Mayville, NY during the week. We are so proud of her!! Send your blessings on her special day. Thank you. Wish I could be there.

Update to the saga of my stem cell transplant!

Well after that last encouraging news the doctor in Chicago called my rheumatoloist back and they talked for a long time, going over my file. The doctor said he just could not do the procedure based upon my history. So we are back to square one again.

We have increased my cytoxan to 150 mg a day and also increased the prednisone to 60mg a day. I was having oxygination problems and we are not sure if it is inflamation in the lungs or too much fluid. I am also on lasik, so you know what that means, I visit the bathroom a lot. But, the fluid is down and I feel much better. We will decrease the prednisone every 5 days to get back to 30mg a day. Hoping that the increase in the Cytoxan will prevent inflamaton in the lungs and we can continue to decrease the prednisone.

Other than that all is the same. I just keep plugging away and hoping we will find a study that will do the transplant.

I just keep smiling and never give up.