No More Houston!

Kathy and I told our cancer doctor that we are not a candidate for stem cell transplant. We are interested in field trials and to perhaps see another doctor specializing in MDS. Dr. Sanatinia said he will contract the Huntsman Cancer Center in SLC and request they look at my numbers and accept me for review... and they have. We don't have a date for travel but will likely schedule something in June.

Meanwhile I'm starting to take a prescription on Monday which will eliminate some of the iron buildup in my blood - common effect of blood transfusions. Kathy and I go to my office everyday until about noon and I'm feeling pretty good as long as I get my weekly fill-up. JW

Lab Update

Thanks for the comments from Cousin Gail and Nephew Roger and letter from Grady. This is just a quick Tuesday update following labs this afternoon. I will be overnight in the hospital receiving units of 3-platelets and 2-red packed cells.

Kathy and I will meet with my cancer doctor (Sanatinia) on Thursday and continue to explore our plans against going to MD Anderson in Houston. More on that later in the week. JW

Staying Home

Mom and Dad arrived back in Florida last night. We spoke every evening as they traveled I-10 back across the southern portion of our country. Although Dad drove for 11-days (he's 87) and said it seemed like much more. The trip was sure wonderful healing for me and afforded Kathy and my folks to spend more time together than all of our 25-years of marriage.

I've decided to stay here in LV to fight this blood disorder. I will have more mental energy and more love around me than I could ever have in Houston. MD Anderson holds no guarantees for someone of my age and condition. Here I have quality of life, my friends, my family, my home and my doctors. I've even started seeing my kinesiologist just to gain balance in my body.

Medically, I will be doing labs 2x/week and blood transfusion 1x/week. We will continue to look for clinical trials for my MDS that fit my condition. More importantly - enjoy every minute I'm alive. JW

Caught between two places

The doctor said my blast cells number 10% following my last round of chemo and a bone marrow aspiration. That's too high for stem cell transplant and too low for another round of chemo. Caught in-between... my life over the last couple of years is setting in-between. Quality of life has become paramount in my thinking recently.
Mom and Dad's visit ended this morning as they left to drive back to Florida. Tony and Billie were here with their 5th-wheel and left this morning as well. Their visit was wonderful and I'll put some photos here of us real soon.
Kathy and I are alone with our thoughts about me especially since my meeting the Dr. Sanatinia. So we'll report our thoughts with the next posting. JW

Mother's Day update

Well, it's not been quite a week since my last post but that's good news as all the antibiotics are working and keeping me out of trouble. I finished a bone morrow aspiration last Tuesday and won't know the results until Thursday next week.
I've been returning to the office each morning... work there with my team members until mid-morning and handle the rest from my home office. I like being safe at home where I can spend as much time with Kathy as possible.
Mom, Dad, Tony and Billie should arrive the evening of Mother's Day. I'll be putting up new photos of the Whitlow clan. It's warming up in the valley and that will allow us lots of time to enjoy the patio and each other. JW

In and Out

Antibiotic drip is working and I was sent home with a nurse to continue treatment, on Thursday night. Kathy will administer the treatment every evening around 5pm the whole process takes about 45-minutes.It's beautiful here in the valley this time of year and I am so very glad not to be watching it from my hospital bed. I hope to go along with Kathy this weekend...just to ride in the car... like a dog. Anything, just to get out in the world. JW