The Power of Love

One thing I've tried very hard to do is make sure that I didn't use Donna's blog as a personal blog, but today I'm going to break that rule (I made it, so I can break it! lol).

If you have ever doubted the healing power of love, then you need to call or visit Donna. I know that most of you reading this blog haven't spoken or visited with her since before she entered Duke so many months ago. However, you can take it on authority of her family that the Donna you will see or talk with today is an entirely renewed spirit! Donna's body has a lot of catching up to do to match her spirit, but the relocation of bringing her back to Roanoke (hey Jan...I spelled it right!) has renewed Donna.

Today, I praise and thank God for the wisdom He laid on the hearts of those who were instrumental in setting the wheels in motion to get Donna back to Roanoke. All those involved were concerned that this decision was being made too "emotionally." However, God placed the right doctors in Donna's care at Duke at the perfect time and has since proven to all involved that this was indeed His will at His time. Donna's spirit is soaring!!

As healing as the love of family and friends is, it doesn't match the power of God's love. God's love is the peace the passes all understanding, and many times over we have seen Him cover Donna in that love. All glory laud and honor!

Settled in Roanoke

(The following is an update from Jan)

Donna reported she had a speedy but uneventful trip yesterday, arriving in Roanoke at about 2:00. Monica was waiting in her room for her, and reports a real busy day getting checked into RMH (Roanoke Mem. Hosp)! The docs and nurses will be taking some time this week to get their hands around all that has happened with Donna, assess her current needs and build a plan to get her on her feet. I can tell you this, on Sunday and especially Monday as we were getting ready for the transfer, Donna had a glow about her that she has not had for a very long time. She was going "home", maybe not to her house, but definitely to her town--and it showed big.

Donna had a biopsy at Duke last Thursday and we are told her transplant is at 98% -- she is engrafted and 98% of the cells she produces are donor cells. That is a huge victory. The DAH and TTP are "well controlled". Her platelet recovery has been slower than hoped, but is on the rise. The medications she needed to get through the DAH and TTP have taken a toll on her muscles and joints so she has a long road ahead to rebuild that strength. She's been holding for awhile now on 15% of the steroid dose, which will probably be continued for some time to keep the DAH in check and help prevent GVHD.

Donna's not quite ready to pick up the blog herself yet and has asked Bev to keep it going for her awhile longer. Donna's new journey is expected to be one of slow but steady progress, so the updates will probably reflect that -- will probably be weekly unless of course something big happens and we'll be sure to pass that along. Although many of you who have visited know that Donna doesn't fire up the computer and read herself, we do read your posts and pass them along to her, so please keep visiting and posting as much as you want. And as Bev passed along yesterday she is ready and excited about receiving visitors at RMH.

We have not forgotten the many blessings the Lord has given us that got Donna to this day--the strength, the miracles, the people willing to lend a hand and of course ALL of the prayers. Thanks to all of you and of course the GLORY to GOD for the hope and rejoicing we have today.

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Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

ON THE ROAD!

I talked to Jan about 1/2 hour ago. Donna left Duke about 10:30 this morning for Ronoake! This picture was taken as the ambulance crew was taking Donna out of Duke.

Donna is ecstatic about "coming home." Jan talked with her and Donna says she is definitely ready to have visitors once she arrives and gets settled in. She is excited at seeing her friends again.

Thank you to all for keeping this in prayer, and ask God for safe travels.

Ronoake Bound!

The plans are set for Donna's transfer to Roanoke!

As of this morning (Friday), the plan is that she will leave Duke about 10 a.m. Monday and will be admitted to Roanoke Memorial on the oncology unit, where she was when first diagnosed with leukemia. Roanoke will then assess her and determine where she will need to go from there; i.e., a rehab facility or other determination.

One thing we have all learned over the last 90+ days is that things can change in a flash. In fact, this transfer was originally to take place today and has already been pushed to Monday.

Donna is very excited about the prospect of being moved back to Ronoake where she is closer to especially her husband and children, so please continue to keep this in prayer.

Proceeding With Caution

There has been some behind-the-scenes activity this week in Durham. We've been down this road before with Duke--being told something only to have it yanked away--in the past so we have been very cautious about not getting hopes up and haven't posted this information yet. Having said that, let me fill you all in on what's going on and ask for some very special prayers.

Joel, Mom, and Janet have been working very hard at getting Donna moved out of Duke and brought to a facility in Roanoke. We feel the time is right, and we have the backing of at least 2 of her doctors at Duke (there may be more on board that I am not aware of), and also the backing of Donna's oncologist in Roanoke. As far as we know, the only thing holding this up is finding a place that will accept Donna who can not only perform the physical therapy she desperately needs but also provide her with the transfusions, namely the ongoing platelet transfusions.

Please pray that a facility will be found and that we can move this process along as quickly as possible.

Wednesday, March 4

Donna has been working on her exercises with Mom this week. Still working on the goal of getting her stamina up in preparation for some more intensive type therapy--trying to get her able to sustain about 3 hours a day of therapy. Continuing to back down the steroids and watching her breathing very closely. So far, so good. Also, thanks to all for their prayers on Monday. Mom was able to drive over to the hospital even though they had some snow. She also is branching out--made a rush hour trek out to get chicken quesadillas, found the quesadillas and found her way back to the hospital!

Monday, March 2

Donna had a pretty good weekend -- she sounds really good and looks really good too, just needs for her strength to catch up to her spirit. The docs were in on Saturday and told Donna and Joel that they are going to try to back down the steroids to zero this week. She is currently getting about 1/3 of what she was while the DAH was active. Getting the steroids out of her system will help with her joints, and exercises hopefully will help with strength-building.

We have some very specific prayer requests this week. First, The Matriarch (as Mom is known in our circles) does not "do snow," so she is hunkered down in the apartment for the day today. Please pray the snow in Durham is light and gets gone. Please also pray that Donna is able to ramp up her exercise program and that it gives her the results she is looking for. She really needs to see some progress as it will encourage her to do even more. Lastly, please pray that the DAH does not rear its ugly head when she is totally off the steroids; so far, so good with this. We will keep you posted.

It has been a very long road and as someone told Mom over the weekend, sometimes it may seem that God is not there, but God has been so good to all of us in so many ways. You have only to go back through this blog just to see the blessings he has brought to us throughout this time. We praise God today for all he has done and continues to do for our much-loved Donna!