PRAYER REQUEST -- Pepper's Mom -- Monday, October 13, 2008

We had our tests (bone marrow biopsy and MRI) on Friday. Labs came back good, but the WBC has dropped to 4.9. ChemoSabe has been having some numbness and tingling in his feet, legs and hands. Saturday he got up out of his recliner and fell forward across the carpet. Our transplant RN has advised us to discontinue the Thalidomide. Damaging nerve endings is a side affect. After our doctor's visit tomorrow they will probably reduce the dose.

We hear through the grapevine that his second transplant will be held off until January. We assume he will still be doing the bridging therapy which are meds.

While we were waiting for the MRI we received a call that my 80 year old mom had fallen and was being transported by ambulance. She has broken her arm just below the shoulder. I met my son in ER and then went back for ChemoSabe. My son brought her to my house and we made her comfortable. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday I heard her trying to trash around. I thought maybe the pain meds from ER had worn off. Sunday afternoon when my older brother from Ft. Smith arrived we decided to call an ambulance. The result is she has had a massive stroke. The doctor reports today we need to find a nursing/rehab facility to be prepared by the end of the week. She won't be going home.

My mother is a very strong willed, independent woman from having raised three children alone. She is a very opinionated individual and would nail you at the drop of a hat. With this the doctor's have told us it looks as if she has had multiple mini-strokes over the years and with her character she would just pick herself up, brush herself off and go on about her way. This time she cannot do that.

She seems to recognize my older brother and she responds to him with, "NO!". The rest of her language is gibberish. My younger brother has been hit most profoundly by this because he is her baby. And, I truly mean that in the strongest sense of the word. They live only a few hundreds yards from each other and they talk on the phone at least 15 times a day, according to my mom. He takes her shopping, sits on the deck with her, argues with her and just plain loves her in a way I have never seen. He feels helpless. He is a Reiter's Syndrome patient and has been wheelchair bound since 1997. After about eight years in the chair, with ChemoSabe's guidance, he had both hips replaced and is at least able to walk some.

I am closing now so I can get back to the ICU. I just wanted to ask your prayers for her and for our visit tomorrow. Please pray for our strength in making the decisions for her and for mine and ChemoSabe's strength in getting through the treatment process.

Good day and Love -- Pepper