back in Fairbanks

it was a little bit of a tough transition back from Mayo with some complications, but I am doing good now. it was so great to be back on Ed's deck with the crew (and some visiting Swiss staying at Ed's) eating some moose, halibut and salmon. thanks for all the support guys!
the Fairbanks gals and Heather (in black) who is an artist (you may have seen her on Bravo) visiting Ed.
we also had a great dinner with Audrey and Morgan. here is Pella in Morgan's lap because she is really afraid of their cats. looking forward to enjoying the next couple of weeks in AK because I head back to Mayo Clinic on Sept. 24th.

my mom and i made it out tonight to the local Greek Fest only one block from the Transplant House. i love gyros! they also had a torch lighting and national anthem, who needs Beijing. i was really glad to get out tonight because it was a really tough day. i feel pretty good though and i am flying home to Fairbanks tomorrow. you have to have a caregiver and of course my mom stayed for two weeks here with me after Ben left, thanks mom!

my dad and his new mustang drove my grandma to Mayo Clinic today. This is inside the hospital in the Gonda building where I had my last chemotherapy treatment for now. I have one more big day on Thursday and if all goes well I should be flying home on Sat. my dad wanted to take me for a ride with the top down, but I was not feeling too well today. we went about six blocks back to the Transplant House. it was great to see them both!

good and bad days

yesterday my mom had to push me to all of my appointments in a wheel chair with a bag in one hand and a sprite in the other. today i am a knittin' fool. i guess that is how it is going to be here some good days and some bad days. this is the nice front porch at the Gift of Life Transplant House with rockers and i am way into rocking. blogging is not too exciting here, but i'll tell you chronic illness breeds knitters, the other night in the communal tv room watching the Olympics there was a whole group of us! currently, i am here until August 24th.

Gift of Life Transplant House

I am finally out of the hospital today and moved into The Gift of Life Transplant House. It is a great place offered to transplant patients at Mayo Clinic. I was really sick in the hospital and was unable to even blog! It was a rough week and now I am back to just chemotherapy and bone marrow biopsies. It is really expensive to stay somewhere for this many weeks away from home and it is so great to stay at the gift of life, it is run by sisters and on donations. I have to have a caregiver while I stay here so my mom is here with me. I still sure missed Ben during my last treatment and surgery, but he flew back to Fairbanks because if this treatment is successful we will need more time off for him. all this means I will be spending many weeks in Rochester , MN. I am in room 23 and the info. is on the website. Thanks for all the calls and emails.
My Aunt Irene and Uncle Ken were in to visit today and I had a good day. we shopped and here at the plaza in front of Mayo Clinic, which is all of downtown Rochester. Tomorrow I have a heart probe thing that I get put under for, yet another time!

a few steps backwards

we have had some bad luck. i was admitted into the hospital on Friday with a bad infection and it was a tough couple of days. i am finally responding today to iv meds and they pulled my catheter and will not replace it until Tuesday to insure i can recover from this. i will be here awhile and hopefully we will have some good news soon. my brother dave and his family stopped by, but i was still feeling pretty lousy, so our visit was short. it was still good to see them for a few minutes anyway. then ben's family arrived today and finally i was able to get out of bed and go for wheel chair ride. we snuck out to caribou coffee too. we are still not sure of the next steps, but i will be in the hospital for the next couple of days.

Mayo Clinic

hanging out at the Mayo Clinic today after a bone marrow biopsy, chemotherapy drug and more tests. alot of close attention from doctors and nurses because this is a clinical research project, it's not so bad being first! check out ben's photo blog for a more detailed account.

headed to Mayo Clinic today!

last night we had a quick drink at Lavelle's and of course jumping pictures down by the flooded Chena River. Ben and I are flying to Mayo Clinic in a few hours. I am undergoing an intense IV infusion treatment over the next few weeks. It is complicated and involves two bone marrow biopsy surgeries because it is a bone marrow cancer drug. I am a little scared, but this is our only option to have a kidney transplant. After two years of dialysis, I am ready to get this show on the road. Thanks to the Fairbanks crew for all their support and we will blog from the Mayo Clinic. Since this is a new treatment for kidney patients, we are not sure what is going to happen, but they said it is "not fun". I am hoping to rock this treatment, just like meditation intervals :-)
Lisa and TrevAH dare devils crossing over the caution line as the river heads up the side walk here in downtown Fairbanks.