Day +2

Hi All,

I was not sure I had enough in me left to write tonight after watching a gut-wrenching, four hour 3 overtime Bulls game, but the "BABY BULLS" beat the mighty Celtics, and forced game 7, and I am totally amazed and and stunned, as are all of you who I know watched this instant classic!
I'll let you get all the rest from the media, but I really find the Bulls to be inspirational in their efforts, and will be using them as a role model for my own playoffs. Needless to say, I have never watched more NBA action than this postseason, and it has really helped pass the evenings by quickly. I watched the beginning of the game with Mike Weiner, and then heard at half time from my friend Brent in New Zealand. What a connected world we live in, huh?
Meanwhile, today was also good and uneventful. My Love Cook brought me a Potbelly's sandwich for lunch, what a treat! (Have I mentioned how much I like Hospital food?) Mylove 2 took great care of me as usual, and I got in the all important shower and shave today! I figure that is of greater benefit to my caregivers and Cook than me, but it really does feel good!
(Denise...yes I have had 2 male nurses, Mark and Bruce, and neither has shown much interest in me, but they are not all babes, for the record.)
Well, it is getting late, and I am emotionally drained, so goodnight to you all, and thanks as always for reading and responding! Love to all.

Mike

Day + 1

Hi to all,

The old saying you all have heard..."today is the first day of the rest of your life" has taken on a new meaning for me today. With transplant day being day "0" on the hospital calendar, today is truly day +1 for me, and the count goes on from there, all positive numbers. They may not all be great days, but they all will lead to better ones, and that's what counts!
Still doing fine, and had a relaxing day. Cook, Kim and Grandma Dee stopped by to visit. A special thank you to Kimmers for all her incredible efforts on our behalf. She has been doing amazing things around the house in our absence, and she is the driving force behind this fabulous source of communication between us all on the blog. She is heading out today for a new adventure with Habitat for Humanity for the summer, and we will miss her, and wish her well!
Cook and I started watching Planet Earth today...very cool (thanks Sabins). After missing one day, I got back to some exercise today. Had a short workout with Bridgette (aka Wii girl) in the room with some resistance therapy of hers, and later in the day I got my mile walk in with Daisy Mae-pole. It felt good to move around again, and I hope I can continue that daily.
Not much else to say other than I really really enjoy all your comments, and they are great to read daily...keep up the good work. Thanks for all the support!
Love,
Mike

My "New Guy"

I am watching Mike for subtle changes that indicate that the 21 year old donor is emerging. What I noticed upon entering his room today is that he was listening to rap music...knew all the words and greeted me with "Yo! Whazup?" I must admit that it started me thinking how I should respond to his possible youthful changes. The big question is should I "play along?", or should I call Bonnie G. to intervene? What I noticed next is that Mike is swaggering when he walks...this is just a little funny as he is still wearing scrubs. Right now, he is watching MTV and singing along. He asked me if I wanted to watch "Real World"...I thought we were living "real world", but he told me that it's a reality show. He said that he can't wait to get out of the hospital and go "clubbing" with me. Don't laugh...he wants ALL OF YOU to meet him, too. I don't think we are going to be able to keep up with this new MIKE...but, I'm sure gonna try and know that you will, too.
Well Friends, thanks for keeping us laughing and making us feel loved. Everyday we thank our lucky stars to be your family and friends.
On a serious note...Mike is doing well. His blood counts are holding, so far. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

Day 0, a new start!

To all of my dear friends and family:

It has been a long, wonderful, and very eventful day for many reasons! As many have told me, I have a new Birthday to celebrate. I'm not sure I quite have a handle on it yet, but the good news is that my donor came through, and I was given my new stem cells this morning. All has gone smoothly so far, and I am feeling pretty good. They tell me the next week will probably be the roughest, but I am prepared for almost anything, I think. The good news is that the only thing I know about the donor is that it was a 21 year old male. So not only do I get young again, but I get to keep my manhood (forget the sensitive side...etc.)! Cookie is already concerned about keeping up with me! Speaking of my true love, let me note how wonderful she has been, and I sometimes think this is harder for her than for me. Between her and my sister Barbara, they are logging lots of hours sitting around here, and are simply the best!
Speaking of Barb, this day has been great for another very important person in our family. Some of you know of my niece Jennifer (married to Barb's son, nephew David) and her long standing battle with cancer. Well, ironically,today was surgery day to remove a tumor from her, the fourth surgery she has endured in this fight. We got word she came through with flying colors, and the surgery was much less invasive than they thought it might be. Imagine how relieved Barb and her family are today. (Jen, Dave, Sandy and Len...I am so happy for you today as well, and thank you for all your support in the midst of your battle).
The day could have ended totally perfectly, if only I had not just watched my Bulls lose in another overtime heartbreaker in Boston! What a game, and what a series...I am proud of them to for their spunk against great odds.
The fact is that I remain overwhelmed by many things today: The actual science of what has been done for me is amazing and hard to grasp. And it all has been made so much easier due to the incredible support of all of you reading this now. I still have not figured out what I ever did to deserve all the wishes, love, and prayers that I have received every day. I am so lucky to have all of you in my life, and words will never express my gratitude.
I think it's time to rest for the night....love to you all!

Mike

Recipe for a Transplant

Well, today is the BIG day. I've given the transplant idea a great deal of thought and decided that it should be approached as a recipe. So here it goes "Michael Dear"...
Preparation:
First of all, please make sure to groom yourself (shower and shave). Next, make sure that you put on your dress scrubs, fresh white socks and your "really cool" slippers. There is nothing like a well dressed man to give a great first impression.
Ingredients:
Practice your best smile. A handshake is not appropriate here since you will be meeting the essence of the donor in a bag. The smile is for you and me...and Mylove and the transplant team.
Use your best (lower decibel) voice to proclaim your love and gratefulness to "said" donor. I will join the chant.
Directions:
Think positive thoughts while blending the mixture of stem cells into your body. Think health, strength, and determination. Mentally welcome the cells into your body, making a spiritual connection to the cells that are bound and determined to make you a better golfer, an avid shopper, a better basketball player, and a man who is in touch with his feminine side.
Consult the hospital prayer book for the "Stem Cell Transplant" prayer.
NOTE: You don't have to change a thing about yourself. I REALLYlove you just the way you are.
Dear Friends,
Thank you for all your comments. We really love reading them. It is a reminder of how lucky we are to have you in our lives. Today is the beginning of our new life together. May we have many years of laughter, love, and celebrations with all of you. We Love you. Cookie & Mike

The Day of Rest (no reference to G_D)

Hi all,
Here I am at day -1 (we count funny here, minus days till transplant day which is day 0, then on from there). This is called the day of rest...no more Chemo, and preparation for tomorrow. I have a little less energy, but no real problems as yet. (Will not be mentioning personal functions ever again after much poor feedback, especially from women.) Only "inconvenience" is that I am now permanently attached to my girl Daisy May Pole 24/7 to receive stuff called pro-graft that helps with rejection issues. But we went for our usual 1 mile walk together last night, and I must admit she has a great set of "wheels"!
I forgot to mention a couple of days ago a cute anecdote: I got a visit from a Rabbi, who brought in a little bag of Challah rolls and Kosher Grape Juice for the sabbath. Cookie and I said the two appropriate prayers that night for Shabat, and it was very warm and fuzzy. Can't cover too many bases on the prayer front, right? It got me wondering if, after the transplant, I will qualify to be called a "born again Jew"?
Speaking of tomorrow, I still know nothing about my donor. We had a few laughs when one nurse told me it is possible, if not same sex, to transfer over those chromosones in the new blood. If I start exhibiting my more sensitive side, and yearn to cook like Rich, and shop like Cookie, you will all understand, I trust.
Someone else mentioned that tomorrow will be a new Birthday for me, which I guess makes a lot of sense. Not good planning to have 2 birthdays in the same month, but oh well.. Since we are all communicating on computers, I decided I would liken it to having my hard drive replaced! Hope I get rid of things on the prior drive I could never erase. Bet some of you hope for the same.
I guess that's all my rambling for now. Loving hearing from you all, it puts laughter and joy in my heart. Love to you all!

Mike

Step one done

Hi all,

As I sit here awaiting the arrival of the real mylove (Cookie of course), I thought I would give a quick update. I have just completed my final Chemo treatment, and that seems to be a milestone to me. Step 1 is over, and it is on to the transplant on Tuesday (I get Monday off for good behavior). Really can't complain too much about the first 6 days...only minor issues. The big news this morning was I got permission to take a real shower!! Amazing how you appreciate the little things in life at times like this (that includes a good BM!). I'm sure that the shower will not only make me feel better, but be good news for all who enter my room. One interesting task I have today, starting a half hour before the treatment, and lasting for 6 straight hours (I am almost 3 hours into it) is the job of sucking on ice cubes non-stop for that span. This is called kryo therapy for those of us in the know, and is intended to constrict the blood vessels in the mouth to keep out the drug I got today from entering that area and causing mouth sores. (Don't want to get too graphic, but I thought that was interesting.)
Luckily, this is a time of lots of sports on TV, so I usually can entertain myself that way. In fact the Bulls game just started....GO BULLS! Hope all you football fans got your wishes on draft day. What's up with the Cowboys you Dallas people? How about da Bears getting a real quarterback?
The real Mylove, Kim and Grandma Dee just arrived so I will sign off for now. Love to all!

What's up with Mylove?

We have a situation here that gets very confusing. I called Mike to see how he was doing and he started talking about the great people who are taking care of him. He referred to his favorite nurse as Mylove. I really have never been the jealous type, but I was a little taken aback by his referral to his nurse as Mylove...I thought that I WAS HIS LOVE. When I suggested that he might be referring to his nurse in a more intimate manner than was acceptable, he told me that her name is really Mylove. After several questions on my part, all reverting back to REALLY? I met the infamous Mylove and she is as sweet as her name. Now the hard part...Please try to remember that Mike is talking about his nurse and not me when he tells you about Mylove. I will give up my title (My LOVE) for now in order to avoid confusion, but as soon as Mike gets home...I WANT MY TITLE BACK! Mike loves all your comments. So do I. Be Well!
LOVE,
Cookie
AKA The former "My LOVE"

Hi All,

Well, I know the suspense is killing some of you, so here's the golf update: I misinformed you due to Wii ignorance. I did not wind up playing against Tiger, I WAS TIGER. Meanwhile, I was playing against Natalie Gulbus (the therapist is blonde also), and admittedly was not Tigeresque! This game is harder than the real thing! I won't talk about the couple of maximum score holes (11 is easy with three balls in the water), but on a positive note, I did have an eagle (150 yd.'s that flew into the cup on a par 4), and a birdie. We played TPC Sawgrass, which I know some of you are familiar with (the golf group, and the Enro team from a long ago sales meeting, when I played it twice...remember Lonnie?) After my therapist had to leave, I played both players to finish the nine, and on the famous 17th Island green, the babe hit one in the water long, and then proceeded to have a hole in one off the tee, for a PAR!
Only walked a mile today, as it was really hot in here, and I didn't want to gross everyone out, since I still can only sponge bathe! Treatments are still not a problem, thank goodness, and I remain pretty strong. Every day like that is a very good day. Thanks for all your posts, it's fun to read.
To other rookie bloggers who may be having trouble responding, here's a tip: Click on "Comments" under our entry, then you scroll down to the white box to enter a post. There is a drop down window below it. If you do not have a Google account (not necessary), select the "anonymous" in the drop down. Then just type in the big white box, and remember to sign it, so I will know who it came from.
Love to you all, and I will be in touch.

Mike

Day 3 in Paradise

Hi All,

Didn't think I would be writing this often, but since I am feeling well, bored, and the spirt moved me, I am reaching out to all of you. Love the responses we have gotten thus far on the blog! I'm done with the 3rd day of chemo (50% home..hooray!). The staff here has been really great to me thus far, aside from the cute aspect, and my guardian angels, Cookie and Barbara have been great company. Biggest accomplishment of the day was a 2 mile walk on the hallway "track" (FYI that is 70 lengths of the 159 ft. hall that I am confined to in this section of the hospital). Not a very scenic hike, but it felt good, and I did it all with my trusty companion Daisy Mae (last name Pole, as in I.V.) rolling beside me. Then I got a visit from the Recreational Therapist, who has scheduled me for a game of Tiger Woods Golf on the wii machine tomorrow in my own room! How good can it get? I'm sure rougher days are ahead, but so far so good. Love to you all...keep in touch.

Mike

My first ever blog entry

Hi to all my fellow bloggers (never dreamed I would say those words!)I have to admit this was a great idea. I love hearing from all of you, and really appreciate the good wishes and prayers. One silver lining so far has been that I have a team of 3 doctors taking care of me, and they are all women! And 2 of the three are really cute!So having Cookie, sister Barbara, and all the doc's and nurses being babes, how bad could it get? I won't bore you with medical details...suffice it to say that so far so good, and everything seems to be progressing nicely. I can only tell you all that I am one lucky man to have the kind of friends and family I am blessed with, and I really cannot thank you enough for your support. Keep the feedback coming, it's great reading. Love to you all!

Mike

Day 2
Mike began chemo today. He is doing pretty well aside from a rash that came on fast. He had an allergic reaction to the codine that they gave him after the procedure yesterday. The Doctors are now trying to clear up the rash, at the same time as they proceed with the chemo. His spirits remain intact. We're hoping that they will find a quick cure for his rash. He loves your messages. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Anyone know a "rash prayer"? XO Cookie

And so it begins...

Mike had his central line put in today. He is doing well. Finally got him moved to a room at 8:00 pm. I don't recommend this "hotel". They take too long to clean their rooms. They had us believing that the room was being cleaned for 4 hours. I'm not sure that I believe them:) Tomorrow Mike starts chemo. He was in great spirits up until the last 2 seconds of the Bulls game when they lost. Oh well! Tomorrow is another day. Make it GREAT!

Stem Cell Transplant

As many of you know on Monday April 20, Mike will be entering The University of Chicago Hospital to undergo a stem cell transplant. This blog will help you stay up to date on his status and will also allow you to leave encouraging messages if you wish! Please know how much we appreciate your support and concern.

Happy Birthday Mike

Birthdays have always been cause for celebration in our home, but this birthday seems even more meaningful! Mike we hope you have a wonderful day and a healthy, prosperous year to come.

We Love You!

Your Family