November 21, 2003
Second E-Mail
Hi everyone,
Thank you all for the cards, letters, e-mail, prayers, good energy and kind wishes. We have created a "Get Well Wall" at our house that is quite the beautiful sight.
The first piece of news is the lump on Joe's arm is visibly smaller! We are very happy about that. Both Tom and I had noticed it but it wasn't until the nurse manager said at his recent pre-admission appointment, "wow, look at that!" that it felt confirmed.
Joe finished his second round of chemo on Tuesday, November 18. Joe was back at school on Thursday and went again today.This one was longer (5 days) with different drugs that were harder on him. In part we had to figure out which of the medications he was given for side effects actually helped and which made things worse. That should help for the next time he has a long course. Again he got to stay in the palatial Bone Marrow Transplant unit which was great. It has many things he does not have at home including his favorites - a Playstation 2 and cable TV. Many of the amenities are provided courtesy of the Dance Marathon program here at the U of IA. They are also throwing a holiday party this Sunday that Joe and Seth will attend.
The Healing Touch treatments are going well. The most striking thing is that they really seem to increase his energy level and his appetite. He will get them three times each cycle: before and after chemo and at the "low peak" when his white count is expected to go down between treatments. So far his weekly white counts have all been at or above normal.
We are spending Thanksgiving at our lovely cousins' Marnie and Mike's house here in Iowa City along with the Britton side of the family. My brother David and our cousin Lee will be cooking up a sumptuous feast. Tom's mom and Aunt Wilma have been here helping us out. We are happy to announce that they have completed the plans they made this past summer to move to Iowa City and have signed a lease for next April. My sister will be here for Joe's next short course starting Dec. 5 and my parents will be back for his next long course starting Dec. 26. We are still anticipating surgery in January.
Attached is a picture of Joe, Tom, Seth (in front) and our friend & neighbor Bjorn, who are all sporting the very latest in haircuts. As a favor to Joe, I did NOT offer to join them.
I really wanted to include the Heart-of-figures graphic by Keith Haring; it is an accurate representation of how we continue to feel all the love and support everyone continues to give to Joe and to all of us.
The following is an excerpt from an e-mail we received from an old friend:
Dear Jenny and Tom,
This sounds concocted, but it's true. A couple weeks ago, I was awake at about 4
am, thinking about Joe.
Jack (her son) was beside me, snoring. I was thinking I wanted to pray for a mir
acle for Joe
(snore)
but there was this oddball thought of "Maybe it's too much to ask."
(snore)
So, I'm thinking this, and the obvious next thought is, what the heck?
(snore)
"Lord, we could use a miracle here."
(snore)
"A miracle, really, can you make him ---"
(snore)
"Can you make him stop snoring?"
(silence)
"Wow, thanks. Now about Joe ---"
(snore)
I'll take the snoring. You take every miracle that's floating around out there. We're all glad to know there will be light at the end of this long tunnel. Hi to Seth and Joe from all of us.
We wish everyone a good Thanksgiving. We are very thankful.
Love,
Jenny together with Tom, Joe, Seth and Happy the dog