In My Mind, I'm Gone to Carolina.....

Valentine's dinner at Miss Saigon Restaurant

And tomorrow,  I will be actually on my way to Carolina....this is a very special day - we got a call from our nurse at about 12:30 letting us know that my CT scan from yesterday was clean;  the small features that they were re-checking were not even there(!)  Also, my former tumor, now demoted to 'lesion' because it is not active, has shrunk again.  That could be due to residual effects of the chemo, but it could also be due to the beginning of "host vs. tumor effect", the miracle of transplants - where the new immune system attacks the cancer....time will tell.  In any case, after over 3 months in Houston, we are homeward bound.  Praise God in the Highest!

My leukemia nurse, Alice, said she had never heard of a patient going home on day 58.  How wonderful is that?

Friends, just a reminder that there are many challenges and milestones ahead that I will be depending on the Lord to get me through.  I am not 'cancer-free' yet - the 5% remaining CLL needs to be dealt with and hopefully will be gone when I come back for my 100 day re-staging.  Graft-vs-host-disease is always a threat, even years after transplant.  And of course, during the first 5 years after transplant (once full remission is established), the possibility of relapse is a shadow that most survivors live with.

I need to run - lots of packing to do!  We'll be on the road Saturday and Sunday, hoping to arrive home Sunday evening.  Will update you soon.....thanks thanks thanks thanks again for your prayers and support.  God has been merciful and answered many prayers!!   Dan and Renee