“The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”

Do you remember the notable children’s book from the ‘70’s, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day?” Well, we just had one!

It started out like many bad days have for many other folks…our travel plans went awry. But the fact that we even HAD travel plans was so incredibly exciting that I chalked it up to experience and the interesting end to a wonderful four days!

But then it continued. I had doctor appointments first with my mom, then on to MD Anderson for mine. It was supposed to just be my labs and a visit with Dr. Shah. I wouldn’t be getting any results until at least a week or two. We discussed the current issues I’ve been having, and since we’ve been together for this long, we both knew just what I needed and what probably caused most of it.

Then she leaned in with “that look.” I know “that look” because we’ve been through a lot! She said that she had additional results from the last set of labs that she hadn’t had an opportunity to share with me. They were about my DNA. Well, I just figured that my donor percentage had dropped again. Been there, done that. But she still had “that look.” She went on to talk about “translocation” and other words, some that I knew, some that I didn’t. But the one that I had no problem identifying and that caused “that look” was 17p deletion. :( It looks like it might be coming back.

Since she’s been monitoring me primarily by peripheral blood draws instead of the frequent bone marrow biopsies, she wants to do the BMB this Thursday to further investigate and study the findings in the blood. Please pray that 1) it’s not there! or 2) that it is minimal. For those who remember my issue with 17p deletion the first go round, it was the main negative marker that made it necessary for me to have the stem cell transplant. Since then, new advances have been made in CLL research, even with 17p deletion, that could allow me to be treated with other options.

With having been awake for 29 hours at that point, I was not a pillar of emotional strength, and I got a bit teary. Then the conversation turned to my upcoming knee surgery and I was teasing how I refer to her as my primary care physician (PCP). She suddenly had this really weird look and exchanged glances with my PA. I felt like I had completely said the wrong thing! Then she shared with me that she and her family were relocating to California. Her husband had been offered a great position and she was taking a new direction as well. While I wanted to be excited for their opportunity, I just lost it. She has been part of my life team for the past five years! She is family! I could tell that it was as hard for her to tell me as it was for me to hear. How many doctors offer to give you their personal contact info? Please pray for whomever she chooses to be my new doctor. There will be amazing, fast paced shoes to fill! We have her until the end of the year….

As for us, please pray for our hearts. We’ve been here before. It was scary the first time when we had no clue. It’s scarier now when we do. But God continues to walk beside us, pick us up when we’re tired, carry us when we’re weak, remind us of His love, care, and peace. Our desire, our prayer is for time. He has graciously given it so far. We humbly ask again.



Then there was the baggage.