Sunny day on T15

It's a beautiful day in sunny Vancouver. Audrey and Mark are watching Winnie the Pooh on his mini DVD (thanks Tracee!) and I'm checking my email. It's been a rough week for Mark but things are finally starting to settle down. The first round of chemo is over and the waiting game has just begun. Still no word on a match yet, probably won't know for another week or two. Now we just wait for the numbers to drop and then recover. Once that happens they will do another bone marrow biopsy (#5!) to hopefully confirm he is in remmission. Now we wait...

At first it all seemed familiar, coming back to the hospital, driving back and forth to Vancouver but we never thought it would be this hard. Such unknowns lay ahead it's hard not to fret about the future. We appreciate all the love and support from everyone, it makes it feel not so impossible. Keep checking for updates.

Leslie

Well here we are back again working towards Mark's recovery. Our "vacation" is over and it's back to VGH for some intense chemotherapy to get Mark back into remmission.

Thankfully, we have our family and friends to get us through this and we are trying our hardest to stay positive and optimistic that Mark can win this fight against leukemia. I can honestly say that this is the hardest thing we will ever have to overcome in our lifetime.

Mark's initial treatment plan was made up of 3 separate rounds of chemotherapy spread out over five months. His chances of achieving lifetime remmission with chemotherapy alone were about 40%. Not the best but it is always the first line of action. Now we have been forced to go to plan B which is a Bone Marrow Transplant from an unrelated donor.

It is hard to comprehend that Mark's life depends on the unselfish gift of a complete stranger but this is the reality we are faced with. Mark's doctor has given us every reason to believe that this is the best chance for him to beat the disease. So many people want to know if they can be tested to see if they are a match for Mark. Nothing would make us happier - but the donation process is an anonymous one to everyone in need. The more people who donate, the greater the liklihood of finding a match for Mark and everyone else in his situation. The Canadian Blood Services Website is the place to read about becoming a Bone Marrow Donor and changing someone's life forever. http://www.bloodservices.ca/

Mark's treatment began this morning and he will be undergoing chemotherapy for the next 3-5 days. Once that is done we will hopefully have heard from the registry to see if they have a match. The transplant is still a long ways off so we are focusing on getting over this first hurdle.

Email us when you can, we love to read the words of support and encouragement during this trying time. It is the last thing we both do before we go to bed and it gives us hope that the next day will be easier than the last.
lesnmark@shaw.ca
markatvgh@hotmail.com

More than surviving...

It's been 140 days since treatment began for Mark and I think it's safe to say we are over the hump. It's been almost three weeks since Mark's last appointment so they are getting farther apart which is always a good sign. Mark's hickman line was removed on July 13th (the day before his birthday) and doesn't have to go back until next Thursday. Mark's recovery/treatment plan will be decided and hopefully he'll get the go-ahead to return to work in the fall.

To celebrate this momentous occasion My parents sent us to Whistler for 3 days and 2 nights to relax. A little time away from everything was just what we needed. Thanks to Granny and Grandpa, our first weekend away (ever) from the kids was a success. Audrey and Noah had a wonderful time, asleep by 8pm, slept in till 7am and completely convinced us that we should go away more often. Thanks Mom, thanks Dad!

Now that Mark is a Cancer Survivor instead of a Cancer Patient things seem a little more normal again. Allthough it's only been 3 weeks since his last visit to VGH, it feels like it was a long time ago that I was sitting in traffic and paying a fortune for parking. Unfortunately for someone else, they have Mark's hospital bed and my parking spot. I am thankful every day that it's not us for now and I hope in my heart that it will never be any of you in that spot.

For now, the skies look clear. Mark is in remmission and the next 12 months will be the most important. I like to think of Mark as more than a Cancer Survivor now. He chose strength, not weakness - and that is what has helped our family get this far. We're over the hump and Living Strong.