Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Test scheduled
Hi everyone, I went to the cardiologist today and the "right heart catheterization" test has been scheduled for February 13th at 1:30 pm at Overlook Hospital, Summit, NJ. He will have the results immediately after the test and I will be sending them to Dr. Burt, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital for review. My hope is that the number will be acceptable and I will be off to Chicago for the transplant very soon. Thanks for all those positive thoughts and prayers. Michele
Friday, January 25, 2008
News from Northwestern Medical Center
Finally, I heard from Kristin, Dr. Burt's nurse, this morning. I have to have a "right heart catherization" to determine the pulmonary artery pressure. If that number is acceptable Dr. Burt will proceed with the transplant.
Thanks for all you prayers. Michele
Thanks for all you prayers. Michele
Monday, January 21, 2008
Home from Chicago
As you know we were in Chicago the past five day having tests at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in preparation for the evaluation for their stem cell transplant program. We met with Dr. Richard Burt on Friday afternoon. He now has to review all the tests and blood tests and decide if I qualify for the transplant. There are 2 more blood tests that are not in yet so I may not know anything until Wednesday. The waiting is very stressful.
Unfortunately it was so very cold in Chicago that we were not able to get out much. Gary really wanted to take me around and show me where he went to school, studied etc. when he lived there. My brother, Peter, who lives outside of Chicago came in on Saturday for lunch. That was a treat. Thursday we had the pleasure of meeting with a wonderful woman named Nancy Baldwin. Nancy had her stem cell transplant at Northwestern almost 3 years ago. She is doing and looking great and has been so helpful in this process. She is a great inspiration and I know she will be with me all the way. Thank you Nancy.
My daughter, Michele Dery calls every day to check on me. She lives in Erie, PA, its cold there too and lots of snow. Michele will start her last semester of divinity school at Bexley Hall in Rochester, NY the end of January. Graduation is May 17th 2008.
More to come. Michele
Unfortunately it was so very cold in Chicago that we were not able to get out much. Gary really wanted to take me around and show me where he went to school, studied etc. when he lived there. My brother, Peter, who lives outside of Chicago came in on Saturday for lunch. That was a treat. Thursday we had the pleasure of meeting with a wonderful woman named Nancy Baldwin. Nancy had her stem cell transplant at Northwestern almost 3 years ago. She is doing and looking great and has been so helpful in this process. She is a great inspiration and I know she will be with me all the way. Thank you Nancy.
My daughter, Michele Dery calls every day to check on me. She lives in Erie, PA, its cold there too and lots of snow. Michele will start her last semester of divinity school at Bexley Hall in Rochester, NY the end of January. Graduation is May 17th 2008.
More to come. Michele
Monday, January 14, 2008
First Posting on my Blog
The BLOG seems like the way to go now a days. So now I start just 2 day before I go to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for my evaluation for the stem cell transplant. As some of you may know I have been through this before at MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta, Maine. Now I am starting over and my hope and prayers are that this time the transplant will be completed and I will be on my way to recovery and remission soon.
THIS IS MY STORY
Hello everyone. My name is Michele Marron-Meyerhoff and I was diagnosed with Scleroderma in 1990. I have lived a very full life until January 2006. Prior to January I was an avid skier, skiing in New York State, Vermont and Maine. I also skied out west in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada and California. My husband Gary and I also road biked, mountain biked, rollerbladed and I went to the gym on a regular basis. In January 2006 I was taken ill and spent 2 months in the hospital, 19 days on a ventelator. Again in May 2006 I was hospitalized and spent another 2 months and on a ventilator again for 17 day. I was hospitalized 2 more times in 2006. I was home from December 15, 2006 until this October 2007 when I was in the hospital for a week and again in December/January 2008. Christmas and New Years in the hospital is not much fun. I have been on chemo, Cytoxan and Predisone in addition to many other medications. The stem cell transplant, using stem cells from MY OWN BLOOD is the only current treatment. This procedure has been very successful for lupus and other autoimune diseased. It is in trial for Scleroderma at this time, therefore, my insurance company is not willing to pay for this life saving procedure. I am using NFT, National Foundation for Transplants, to help with my fund raising. Go to http://www.transplants.org/, go to "patients we help" and put in my name "marron" you can see my page. I am on oxygen 24/7. My lungs are continuing to get worse. This procedure has been performed on approximately 20+ Scleroderma patients with successful results. The patients are no longer on oxygen. They no longer have the autoimune disease and are living full lives again. This is my wish to be able to have a life when I can ski and bike again with my husband, Gary. Gary has been with me every step of the way and I know I am here because of his devotion to me. I love you Gary.
More to come. Michele
THIS IS MY STORY
Hello everyone. My name is Michele Marron-Meyerhoff and I was diagnosed with Scleroderma in 1990. I have lived a very full life until January 2006. Prior to January I was an avid skier, skiing in New York State, Vermont and Maine. I also skied out west in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada and California. My husband Gary and I also road biked, mountain biked, rollerbladed and I went to the gym on a regular basis. In January 2006 I was taken ill and spent 2 months in the hospital, 19 days on a ventelator. Again in May 2006 I was hospitalized and spent another 2 months and on a ventilator again for 17 day. I was hospitalized 2 more times in 2006. I was home from December 15, 2006 until this October 2007 when I was in the hospital for a week and again in December/January 2008. Christmas and New Years in the hospital is not much fun. I have been on chemo, Cytoxan and Predisone in addition to many other medications. The stem cell transplant, using stem cells from MY OWN BLOOD is the only current treatment. This procedure has been very successful for lupus and other autoimune diseased. It is in trial for Scleroderma at this time, therefore, my insurance company is not willing to pay for this life saving procedure. I am using NFT, National Foundation for Transplants, to help with my fund raising. Go to http://www.transplants.org/, go to "patients we help" and put in my name "marron" you can see my page. I am on oxygen 24/7. My lungs are continuing to get worse. This procedure has been performed on approximately 20+ Scleroderma patients with successful results. The patients are no longer on oxygen. They no longer have the autoimune disease and are living full lives again. This is my wish to be able to have a life when I can ski and bike again with my husband, Gary. Gary has been with me every step of the way and I know I am here because of his devotion to me. I love you Gary.
More to come. Michele
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