January 16, 2008

The Allied forces have landed and a beachhead has been established! It’s now just after 8 p.m. and we have been at the hospital since 11 a.m. this morning It was one of the most scariest days I have ever experience. We both thank Sabine’s sister, Barbara and her husband, Ken, for holding our hands through all this and being with us this week.

We had our consult with Dr Sheehan and we have the name of the “beast:” just as we thought – MULTIPLE MYELOMA.

From our consult, Dr Sheehan suggested Sabine be immediately hospitalized and an aggressive, high-dose chemotherapy begun – possibly begun even this evening. So wwe agreed to this option. The drug that will be used during this first phase is called “Cytoxin” (cyclophosphamide). It will knock down her white cell count and hopefully enable her blood marrow to generate non-cancerous cells. But she will be extremely susceptible to infection during the following two weeks and cannot have contact with others. She should be in the hospital about 2-3 days after taking this therapy and I will take her home to recover. There is probably a greater chance to get an infection in the hospital than at home.

Those of us on the home front will have to get the house in order: such things as board the cats and the dog, get rid of all our plants, and make sure the house is spic and span. We also have to be careful of any donkey or geese manure on our shoes. We have work to do!

Needless to say, this has been a tense and draining day for all of us. What we heard was that Sabine has a good chance to buy more time – the disease is still incurable, but we can buy some quality time thanks to the excellent cancer center we have here in Madison. While Multiple Myeloma does not have a cure, there have been some great advancements in containing it.

My friends, I am hopeful. I know Sabine has the will and determination to live and the job of those who love and care for her is to support her through this ordeal! I know my prayers have been answered and what was once a brick wall has now become a tunnel. Thank you all for your cards, letters, emails and phone calls. God is good! The battle begins...