Christmas Day, 2011

Dear Friends, today is a BIG DAY.  One year ago today, I received NEW LIFE in the form of a stem cell transplant - stem cells that were donated by my sister, Laure.

So the big news......that I am announcing today.....is that I have committed to hike the full length of the John Muir Trail in August of this year, and hopefully become the first stem cell transplant patient to do so, and the first Richter's survivor to do so.  This is a 212 mile trail, one of the most scenic in the world - it traces the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountains from Yosemite National Park southward through the Ansel Adams Wilderness, Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park.  My longtime friend, Mike Nix, has joined me and will be my partner throughout the training and the hike.  I have 4 goals:

•  To raise a significant amount of money for the pursuit of CURES for blood cancers
•  To encourage and inspire blood cancer patients in their fight 
•  To fulfill a lifelong dream to hike the most scenic trail in the world
•  To bring glory to God for what He has done   

With the help of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I have a fund raising blog open now at:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nc/frndstnt13/dkrooker         <----------CHECK IT OUT!!

Mike's fundraising page is here:  http://pages.teamintraining.org/nc/frndstnt13/mnixwc  (under construction)


I have a team of supporters, which I hope will grow - a team member just has to be enthusiastic about raising money to fight leukemia and lymphoma, and be willing to support my fundraising efforts along the way.  Right now my team includes:

Renee Rooker
Mike Nix (hiking and training partner)
Laure Rooker McKenna
Jeff Williams (buddy-for-life)
Harry Rooker (dad)
Tiffany Drummond Armstrong, Executive Director of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of NC

If you want to join the team - just let me know!  I cannot tell you how excited I am about this project.  Help me spread the word!  Dan

Giving Thanks

Getting a boost of anti-EBV t-cells at the Baylor College of Medicine

Hello friends and family....it's been an up-and-down week.  I've been fighting a fever and sinus infection since Sunday morning, and a couple of times, my fever got high enough that we were getting ready to go the hospital. - but each time it backed off a bit, and we kept a bag packed.  I've been without the fever  now for 36 hours or so, so we're hopeful that the latest antibiotic is doing the job.  On the big plus side, I heard Wednesday that the bone marrow biopsy was found to be normal, which is great news :-) !!

My parents have been here since Monday...unfortunately it's been kinda like a sick ward, as my son Kenyon has also been suffering with fevers and bronchitis.  Nonetheless, we had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner yesterday and enjoyed a beautiful fall day here.  The football was plentiful and exciting, too.

Who I'm most thankful for 

Well, that's about it...we hope you had a great thanksgiving, if you celebrate it, and if you don't celebrate it, you should start - everyone has something to be thankful for.  A year ago, Renee and I were making preparations to go to Houston for my transplant.  What has transpired in the past year - valleys, hilltops, being uplifted by so many friends, family members, strangers....is nothing short of a miracle.  I am so thankful for what the Lord has shown me and how He carried me through these troubled waters.  I owe everything to Him.  May He be with you this Christmas season.

Shiloh getting a bird's eye view

With Alice and Coy at Dr. Keating's office yesterday

Hello friends and family and followers....a quick update from Houston - by the smiles in the photo above, you can tell that the news was good - great actually!  The PET and CT scans were negative, and we are thanking the Lord for these wonderful results.  We were also blessed yesterday by the reaction of my entire medical team - including Erin and Dr. Hosing over in transplant - to how well I am doing, just 11 months after transplant - they were amazed at how healthy I look - of course I don't see myself that way, but it's a real blessing to have them fuss over it,a nd it makes me realize more and more how blessed I am. 

So we are THANKFUL, THANKFUL, THANKFUL to the Lord and King Jesus, without whom nothing is possible.  I have to run now to get an infusion of T-cells - originally from Laure, but they have been put through a rigorous training program and will do a search-and-destroy mission on any lymphoma cells that dare try to mount a threat to me.  Love to all - Dan

What's New......

Just about to cross the starting line, center, waving :-)

Greetings - are you still with me?  I'm still with you!  I hope my infrequent updates and all-around normalcy haven't dampened your interest...but I would understand.  I've had several check-ups in a row now where there have been no anomalies in my blood counts - which is fantastic news.  Also, since my last post, I've been taken off of the protective anti-biotics, anti-virals, and anti-fungals that have been helping to keep infections away.  The reason for this is that my t-cells - key components of my fledgling immune system - have surpassed a key milestone.  That means that I am drug-free, except for the neurontin that helps manage my neuropathy symptoms (tingling feet).  Hard to believe - my "original equipment" immune system is long gone, and my transplanted immune system from Laure's bone marrow is doing everything my old one was - except produce cancer cells!  A true medical miracle - but above that, a miracle of God, because the docs don't know why one transplant works and another doesn't.

At the finish with my cheering squad

As I announced in my last post, I joined the Team in Training with the intent of running in the City of Oaks 10K race in order to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society - that race was 2 days ago and I completed it without walking - which was a big surprise - I never ran more than 4 miles in practice - but the excitement of being among 5,000 racers must have gotten me past the pain.  More importantly, I raised $12,500 for L&LS, thanks to many of your generous donations.  I plan to participate in more events in the future.  A very special thanks to my good friend Eddy Tsang from Hong Kong, who made a particularly lavish donation, which was the major contributor to my being the top fund-raiser out of 75 TNT participants.

Work is going well and it looks like I will be installed in a "real" job with an organization and everything very soon.  I am a little anxious but also very excited about it.  I end my post today with a request for prayer.  Next week, Renee and I will be going to Houston for my 90 day re-check - so I will get the battery of cancer screens.  Your prayers will see me through.  Trusting in Him and praising Him for all he has done - Dan and Renee  

Big Development

Discharge Day, January 4, 2012

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nc/Oaks12/danrooker

Friends, I am joining the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's "Team in Training (TNT)" organization and participating in a 10K run here in Raleigh - called the "Oak City 10K" on November 4th.  As a member of TNT, I train for endurance events and raise money for the society, which is committed to finding cures for blood-related cancers.  I am posting a link to my TNT website where you will see a message from me, along with a photo of me and my awesome doctor, and a button to make a tax-deductible donation to the fight for cures (you will receive a receipt from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for tax purposes).  I hope you will join me in the fight by clicking the link above.   Dan

Back So Soon??

End of the Trail - 10.4 miles later (I only have 10 fingers, but close enough)

HI friends, I know it's only been a week since I posted, but I wanted to share with you how I chose to mark my 9th moniversary (made-up word that means 9 months, instead of "anniversary" where "anni" specifies years) of being reborn, i.e., my transplant.

My pal Mike Nix and I have enjoyed hiking together over the years and done a few camping/backpacking outings with our boys (he has three).  He and I hiked 10.4 miles along the North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail, which meanders through Wake county along the south shore of Falls Lake.  This was yesterday, by the way, so my gams are still a hurtin'.

Just after completing 1st 3.6 mile section and crossing NC route 98

The actual moniversary was Sept. 21, last Friday....that day I saw Jessica, who is Dr. Kritz' APN (advanced practice nurse;  she has a masters' degree from Duke).  I don't see Dr. Kritz that much anymore because I'm doing so well.  Anyway, that day, my moniversary, was about the best day I've had at the doc in a long time....first, I got my first round of childhood immunizations - that's good because I'm getting them about 3 months earlier than normal because my 'graft' is so stable - i.e., no transplant complications, no graft-versus-host disease, no issues after the suppression drug had been stopped.  So, while I didn't enjoy being shot 5 times, it was for good and valid reasons.  Second, my counts were as good as they have ever been, with no assistance from Neupogen....whites at 5900, neutrophils at 3300, hemoglobin at 13.8, platelets at 121K.  Third, as a result of all this outstandingness, Jessica told me to come back in 3 weeks(!) - this will be the longest time between doctor visits since the transplant (assuming all goes well).

So, I continue to be amazed at the capabilities of today's medical professionals and at the payoff in lives saved by the dedication and commitment of the researchers who develop these incredible treatments.  And I continue to be amazed at the loving God we serve, who created the universe out of nothing, and our bodies, minds, and consciousness out of carbon and DNA (massive oversimplification, I know!).  How amazing that a God so great would be mindful of me....and every day is a gift from Him.

Signing off for now...........Dan

Mike contemplates the pain in his gluteus maximus as he gazes out over a quiet cove on Falls Lake

The New Normal Life........

I see that my last post was a full month ago.  No doubt the biggest reason is that there hasn't been anything really newsworthy on the medical front.  That, in and of itself, is a wonderful thing.  More good news - I'm not posting because there is anything negative to report.  I just feel like I ought to check in and let you know what's going on.  The biggest medical news is that I developed a cold a few weeks ago, and just before I was supposed to go on the big annual western trout fishing trip.  Of course my counts responded by dropping, but we started the neupogen and they came back up....we also started an antibiotic to help prevent the dreaded infections.  It all worked like a charm, and the trip came off fantastically, as you can see:

On the Clark Fork (of the Columbia River), with Scott Nicolarson, Trout guide par excellence, August '12

Brother-in-law Scott with a fat Montana Rainbow and guide, Chris

Dad and I on a cool Montana morning

Other happenings have included a visit from my sister Laure and her family, a harrowing surgery for our oldest dog, Shiloh (he's recovering well), and as of this week, 2 months back at work for me.  I feel well and strong;  I am planning to do a 10-mile hike to commemorate 9 months since my transplant (that anniversary will be September 21, a few days from now).  My next full re-staging will be in Houston, November 6 and 7.  

This week is the one-year anniversary of my hospitalization for pneumonia, which led to the lung cancer, then lymphoma, then Richter's transformation diagnoses, and all that came after.  It is hard to believe it really happened.  Among the things I will never forget is the support and love that surrounded me and my family.  I will always be grateful for it.

        

God's best to you and your family.  Trust in Him;  He will not fail you, for He has your eternity in his hands.  

Dan and Renee