Scan Results

Dear Friends,
All my preliminary scan reports came back clean! Thank you all so much for your prayers!
My lung area on the scans was still hazy...but it has looked the same for a few months now. Tomorrow morning I will be seeing a pulmonologist to hopefully get some answers and treatments for my cough. 

A friend texted me this verse Sunday night, which accurately portrays God's power!

Ephesians 3:20-21- Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Only God can give the healing that He has, more abundantly than I could ever ask or think!


 

Test Results

So I had my 100 days/3 months from transplant PET and CT scan on July 5th.  I know many of you have asked about the results, and assured me of your prayers and support.  Thank you so much.  At my only other post-treatment scans, the day after Thanksgiving 2012, my cancer recurrence was found. So you can understand the trepidation with which I had these scans.   The days leading up to these scans were wrought with nervous energy in my family, as we awaited the outcome of these scans.

This afternoon I had an appointment with my oncologist regarding the result of those scans and...they showed no cancer! The CT scan did show a new spot in my lungs, but because it didn't light up in the PET (which would have meant a fast-growing cell group) the doctors are reasonably certain that it is not malignant.  I will have a follow up CT in 2 months to compare with today's results.  Also, this means that we are starting to look at taking out my Mediport! My Mediport will come out after the follow-up CT, so possibly sometime in early September.
Thank you all so much for your prayers and kind words of encouragement.  I know God is the only one to give healing, and I appreciate all your petitions on my behalf.
whom shall i fear
I'd like to include this song that I heard on the way to the hospital today.  It was a comforting reminder to me that whatever the test results, "The God of angel armies is always by my side."

Whom Shall I Fear

You hear me when I call
You are my morning song
Though darkness fills the night
It cannot hide the light
You crush the enemy
Underneath my feet
You are my sword and shield
Though troubles linger still
My strength is in Your name
For You alone can save
You will deliver me
Yours is the victory

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

Matching yet converse bald heads with Anne! 

Finally Home!

I'm finally home!  It is so wonderful to be back with my amazing family in my lovely home.  It was kinda a whirlwind (and sudden) discharge;  on Wednesday morning I was cleared to leave, as soon as my tri-fusion catheter was removed.  There was an opening in the schedule, so out it came Wednesday afternoon! AND, I got to keep it, which I think is really cool! Thursday morning I was discharged, and after doing some major packing home I was!

With Mrs. Webster, just before my tri-fusion came out.  Both my parents were at our home, and because the surgery was scheduled so suddenly, neither had time to come to the hospital.... and I was a little nervous! God sent Mrs. Webster at the exact instant that I was being taken; two minutes later and I would have been gone!  It was so comforting to have such a dear and loving friend with me for the procedure; it was also a reminder of God's love to me, that He prompted her to come that day at that time! 

Ready to leave!

Goodbye!

Because I'm still severely immunocompromised, our entire house had to be thoroughly cleaned before I could come home; this was much more than your average house clean- everything had to be wiped down with sanitizers, to be as dust and germ free as possible!
Though I'm home, there are still several restrictions I have to follow. For instance, I can't eat fruits or vegetables that aren't cooked, unless they can be peeled, and no fast food.  I can't be in crowds, including church or shopping stores.  I need to limit my visitors to people without colds/coughs/fevers or that have family that is sick.  My family also has to be careful not to interact with those that are sick; please pray that we all would stay healthy and infection free as I recover!

My last night at the hospital, two different friends asked me what was the first thing I was going to do when I got home, which of course I hadn't thought about!  So I decided to list 10 things that I've really enjoyed these past few days, roughly organized in the order I enjoyed them.  

1. Sit OUTSIDE!  Mom said nature was celebrating my discharge, as it was nearly 80 degrees that day- no small feat for Cleveland, where two days later it is snowing!  It was lovely to feel the wind blowing, soak up the sun's warm rays, and just smell the great outdoors!  
2. Walk on carpet- and barefoot! No more hospital flooring! 
3. Cook my own dinner and have my own food! I love to be in the kitchen, so I really missed it.  I made myself mac 'n' cheese shells for dinner. Also, I hate hospital food, and haven't eaten any of it for the last four weeks of my stay. It's so nice to have so many edible choices available at any time.
4. Play a real PIANO!! I greatly enjoy my piano and violin, and have missed them immensely  While I had a keyboard at the hospital, there is nothing like a real piano (not to mention it is my piano) to play on; also, I had all my music to select from!  My sister was afraid I was going to overtire myself from playing and valiantly tried to get me to stop... 
5. My own bed and bedding! No more standardized sheets or blankets, or the plastic mattress or pillows (which can get unbearably hot). 
6. See Duino! -Our (my) cat, who our music teacher has graciously been hosting for the last several weeks.  It is wonderful to have her home again! 
7. Eat good food! I haven't eaten so much in months! My dad made my favorite Indian dishes that I've been enjoying...well I've been enjoying all the food.
8. Sprawl on the furniture...I'm no longer limited to a hospital bed or chair! And no medical staff to interrupt our family times.
9. Wear t-shirts or anything I want again! Because of my tri-fusion and Mediport access and IV lines, I only was able to wear button down tops.  I also only wore certain no-frills clothes to make it easier to adapt to the multiple IV lines and other inconveniences of the hospital.   Not to mention I couldn't/didn't take my entire closet with me.  It's really nice to only have to consider the weather when I choose my clothes.   
10. And most importantly, being with my family!! I've missed them so much...It is absolutely incredible to be back together again.  I love hearing the many sounds of a busy household- both indoors and out- and just being able to do things with them  whenever I want.  

A family again

The beauty of God's creation

A beautiful filled chocolate "Welcome Home" cake from our dear neighbors!

I feel like a released prisoner, enjoying the tastes of freedom once again.  Thank you all for your prayers, supporting words, visits, and outpourings of love.  While this has been an incredibly long and rough road, which isn't over yet, I'm so grateful that God has brought me and my family through this time.  His grace has always has been and always will be sufficient for what we need.  The day I was discharged, I heard a song that has often comforted me, as it reminds me of God's amazing power.  

You Are I AM

I've been the one to shake with fear

And wonder if You're even here

I've been the one to doubt Your love

I've told myself You're not enough

I've been the one to try and say

I'll overcome by my own strength

I've been the one to fall apart

And to start to question who You are

You're the one who conquers giants

You're the one who calls out kings

You shut the mouths of lions

You tell the dead to breathe

You're the one who walks through fire

You take the orphan's hand

You are the one Messiah

You are I AM

Discharge Day!

Just a really quick post to tell everyone that I'm currently on track to be discharged this afternoon!  I just wanted to let everyone know, so that no one was planning on visiting or mailing anything :)
I'll update this post later!

Various Visitors...

So many friends have graciously come and visited me.  Thank you friends, you always brighten my day!
However, there are strict rules in the ward about visitors, since everyone here is immunocompromised.  This is an important way to protect us, because if we get sick, we will become extremely sick, have to take tons of antibiotics, and feel really bad. Maybe you've never thought about the implications of getting sick when you are immunocompormised, but even the simplest cough or cold can become a really big deal.  The ward has some rules in place, to help protect us from getting sick.

1. No one is allowed to visit if they have a cough/cold/fever or sickness.  
2. No fresh flowers or plants are allowed, as they carry germs
3. No latex balloons, as there are kids allergic to them.  Only helium balloons are allowed
4. Siblings under 12 are only allowed to visit twice a week; a nurse checks them at the door and takes their temperatures.  They are only allowed for a maximum of 3 hours, and they cannot leave my room.  While I know the importance of this rule, it makes me very sad to not be able to see David, John, and Ruth very often :( 

Here are some pictures of dear friends who've visited ...

Xioajuan and Weigang, with Ruth, who was also visiting that day!  

L-R: Sno, Daffodil, John, me, Weigang, Xiaojuan, and Ruth squished in on the side!
Daffodil has become a special friend of mine!  Also, note the beautiful balloons they brought!  

Ricci, Sno, Xioajuan

Sno and Xioajuan signing my door...in English and Chinese!  

Another dear friend who came at a different time...Hua.  She's wearing a mask because I was getting my dressing changed, and everyone must then wear a mask.  Thank you for taking the time to visit!  

 Mrs. Webster was my toddler Sunday School teacher.  She graciously volunteered to stay the night with me, so my parents could go home and prepare for my arrival!  Interestingly, the night she stayed was probably my worst night ever, but she was just as loving and kind as my own mother.   She brought me some DVDs to pass the hours, and a bag of lemon napoleon candies- sour!! Thank you Mrs. Webster!

The whole gang with Mrs. Webster

A tired looking bunch...

Reading books from the hospital library with Dad.  Even thought he is reading to John and David, the whole family is listening, cuz Dad always adds twists and funny sayings to the story, so we're all always on guard to catch them!  

One of my most favorite visitors...he always climbs into my bed! Do you know who he might be?!?!? 

I always have so much fun when my siblings come!  Usually mom will pack them food, and they'll come and eat their lunch/dinner here.  It gets a little crowded, but it's totally worth it!  Then we usually watch a movie together, since there's not much else they can do in the room.  Sometimes the little guys will bring a box of Legos. When they come, they always bring me beautiful pictures and cards to hang in my room.  Often, the Pet Pals visit when the little guys are here.  That's a ton of fun, because we all love dogs!

Occasionally the big boys will come during the day, with their school work, and we'll just hang out.  However, I must say they usually disappear when I start to puke! Once I'm finished, they'll reappear with water, wash clothes, and paper towels and help me.

The Clan getting some hot chocolate....yum!

One of the worst thing about the hospital is that there is no little people chatter.  The only noise is the nurses talking, or IVs beeping.  I really miss hearing the noise of my family, and just being with them.  I'm looking forward to being with them soon!

The whole bunch (+2 cousins) visiting on Easter Sunday!!

Family friends visiting Cleveland stopped by...Thanks!  

Goofing off with my best friend Christina...

And not all of my visitors are from outside the hospital...Here I am with the BMT Nurse Coordinator- Sharon. She really gets stuff done!  Thanks for dropping by! 

And sometimes I goof of with a nurse... fun, fun fun!!

With Mrs. LiBassi...she surprised me with a visit, which was perfect because  just then I had to drink my CT contrast (nasty stuff), and she was my cheerleader.  Here we are posing with the EMPTY cup! Thanks Mrs. L!

With Abbie, my pastor's daughter.  Unfortunately, I didn't get pics of her parents!  They brought me a stack of books to keep me occupied, and I had so much fun doing puzzles with Abbie! 

Each day is a day to be thankful for

Hello all,

Each day is a day to be thankful for !!

This is Jen's dad providing an update. Thank you for the notes and gifts and offers of helps and visits that many have made, and most of all, your prayers on our behalf.

I am happy to report that Jen's treatment is progressing as expected, although this experience is not a pleasant one for her or for any of us. Her blood counts (rbc, wbc and their component parts) are all trending downwards, as the effects of the chemo kicks in this week, and they expect it to go to "zero" in the next 2 days or so. She has not eaten almost anything since Monday, and has been on "TPN", or food by IV. She is very nauseated and has pain in her belly, and is on several meds to help with that.  Most food comes out pretty quickly. "Better out than in, I always say" - as she puts it:-)

Praises
- She still has a few hours of engaging activities (crafts etc.) per day before tiring out
- Still has a sweet smile and spirit, inspite of her physical condition

Please pray for:
- her nausea and vomiting and painful cramps to stop soon
- protection from infections (which are bound to taken place inside her body already)
- the stem cells to engraft soon and the uptick in her counts to come back up soon

This verse has been very meaningful for me many times in the past, and is again a help to me:
Ps 34: 4  I sought the Lord and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Vijay for all the Anands