The Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly"

Time to represent our soldiers firefighters and police officers too, with Arron Tippin's post 2001 ode to this great Country. it made think another ten years will go even more quickly. If given an opportunity try to say hi,pass along a prayer or mayube something as simple as a smile for a couple of weeks. I had a good scare today at about 4Am. I was reaching for some sparkling waters that made me get sick Monday  What happened instead came from a totally boby order that seemed to say "Let's fix this thing:
Live Hqppy.

post transplant day 14

This is Yvonne again. Greg is now 14 days post transplant. He is past the stage where the mouth and throat sores get worse. This is beginning to stabilize. The sores when they break open are very painful. I really feel bad for Greg. There is not much that can be done.

Greg does have slight decrease swelling in his cheeks. He is able to talk a little better each day but this still takes a lot of energy. The walking has improved over the last few days along with a little longer distances.

Today Greg had one bag of blood of O+ due to low red blood cells, eventually he will turn to A+. The doctor feels the transplant is going very good even with the mouth sores and low grade fevers. He is receiving many different antibiotics to keep any infection away.According to one of the nurses, 75% people get the chipmunk cheeks and sores.

The sores will start to heal as the white cell/ neutrophils  start to show. This does mean the new cells are beginning to graft. This most likely will occur at day 20-24 but lets hope it will occur sooner.

I do give Greg everybody's good wishes as they come in. Hopefully he will be up to talking in the near future. Have a great Memorial day weekend. I hope there is some fun involved.

11 days post transplant

This is Yvonne , making a post for Greg. I apologize for lack of writing and musical skills. I wanted to let everyone know Greg`s progress is going just as were told it would by all of the doctors/professionals. He is still in the most difficult days post transplant. The mucositis that started approximately one week ago is  still in full swing. Greg continues to have severe mouth and throat sores. Most likely it goes through his entire gastric system, stomach and intestinal track. His cheeks and throat at this time are very swollen and puffy like a chipmunk.

There was a low grade fever that did resolve Sunday after the doctor started another antibiotic. Due to the mucositis Greg has been unable to eat for a little over a week. He loves to talk and losing that ability to compete has frustrated Greg. He is being fed intravenously in general a liquid slurry that if forced to smell it might remind folks about of rotten eggs, peanut butter and various vegetables, a V-8 like concoction for the blood.We are really asking for help and praying for a quick resolution.

With the above symptoms he has had severe nausea with occasional vomiting this is now getting under control. He takes a lot of cat naps and the pain meds cause relief and sleep at the same time.

It is amazing how fast Greg went from doing ok but feeling so-so to the severity of the current issues. This last week he has 3 different platelets transfusions, 2 bags of A+ whole blood and maybe more blood in the next day or two.

The short walks have been restarted the last 3 days so this is improvement. He will soon be back to his usual exercise routine. I can see why the better condition somebody is in before transplant the better tolerance a person has.

Everything that has happened so far is not unusual. As his white counts begin to show again the mucositis will improve. Hopefully this will happen by the end of the week. This is also a sign the graft is taking.

Greg and I thank everyone for all of their support. It means a lot. Live healthy and happy!

"Blue Sky"

Good Saturday to everyone, here's to a blue sky in your weekend plans! Sorry I am posting a little late about my transplant experience. As you can probably tell my title post today indicates that things went well. Other than what seemed to be endless delays in starting the procedure I did receive a small bag of a complete stranger's condensed bone marrow stem cells with Yvonne by my side. It took two hours to transfuse the cells into my bloodstream and we finished with a half hour to spare before the cells were expired. I will admit to some anxiety due to the delays and slow delivery.

"Blue Sky" is a song about Dickie Betts' and the love he expressed to his wife nicknamed Bluesky. Dickie of the Allman Brothers Band handled his first lead vocals for the group and the song is known for the dueling guitar solos between Duane Allman and Dickie. Duane died shortly after this song was recorded in a motorcycle accident. I just like the positive quality to the lyrics and melody.

"In The Living Years"

First of all, I have to share this super cool tattoo my Friend Phil inked to his ankle recently. He joined our "Big Climb" team and after the experience combined the Beatles Apple with our team mantra. Very special tribute I must say!

I don't stray into the 80's or 90's very often but had to after checking out my sister's blog yesterday. Cathy posted this Mike and the Mechanics' powerful song about love. I found another live version after the band reunited for a 2004 concert and am sharing it here. The song was co-written by Mike Rutherford and B. A. Robertson. Robertson wrote the personal lyrics about losing his father and their lack of communication before he died at an early age. Paul Carrack handles the lead vocals and he too coincidentally lost his father at an early age, his bluesy voice fits perfect in the lyrically intense song. Mike Rutherford created this band while on a break from his main group, Genesis in the mid 80's. They had quite a few hits including many played on MTV and VH1. My reason for posting this song to go with a Wednesday break in the action for me is simple. It is never too late to communicate more. Whether with family, friends, co-workers, etc. Thanks for making me think Cathy! Live Happy- Greg
PS: The cells from my bone marrow donor arrive in Seattle tomorrow at 9:34 PM at Sea-Tac, then they go to the Fred Hutch for some screening and finally to U.W. for infusion. So my new birthday might be in the early morning hours of May 14 instead of May 13.

"Long, Long, Long"

It seems like a long time since I learned about my cancer, debated some options, and made a decision about the best course of action to take... it's really only been seven months.  Now Yvonne and I sit in my new 8th floor room overlooking the Montlake Cut and Portage Bay at the University of Washington Med. Center for about the next month. I was admitted this morning, given the tour and am all settled in. The three days of TBI- total body irradiation went by smoothly until Sunday afternoon when my mouth felt like it was glued shut. I solved that problem by drinking more water more often. I receive Cyclophosphamide chemo today and tomorrow and then a rest day on Wednesday. I will receive the new marrow in the form of a transfusion Thursday, it is supposed to take about four hours to complete. The marrow is screened and looks very similar to whole blood. I am in the Cascade building, NE section room 8210. The phone number to my room is (206) 598-3904. 
George Harrison wrote "Long, Long, Long" in 1968 after the fabled trip to India. It was placed on The Beatles album between Helter Skelter and Revolution 1. While it might sound like a typical love song, George was talking about finding God. The song has a quiet start, a raucous middle and an eerie ending. Part of the ending notes come courtesy of a bottle moving around on top of a speaker (thanks to Paul.) John did not play on this cut, there is also a great Hammond Organ accompaniment played by Paul.

"I've Got A Feeling"

I've got a feeling that everything is going to work out. I have been able to sail through all of my pre-transplant procedures and tests, and begin the consolidation phase with three days of radiation tomorrow. Leukemia patients who undergo a transplant have a second birthday on the day of transplant, my new birthday will be May 13th. I will end up with a new blood type, and hopefully an immune system that will keep me going for a long time. I am sending my last post from home for probably three months, it feels strange knowing that I will be moving away for long enough that when I return home everything will seem new. I do have a nice new laptop so I can communicate from the hospital, clinic, or apartment. Thank you to everyone who visited or sent well wishes to me and my family during the chemo phase, these past 7 months. The support kept us motivated. Please consider stopping by to see me after my new birthday if you have a chance. I won't know my assigned room at the U. W. Medical Center until Sunday night or early Monday morning when I am admitted- and will post that later.

• The Beatles two lead songwriters Lennon and McCartney decided early in their careers to give credit to each other for the songs they wrote or collaborated on. The relationship quickly became singularly focused and as a group they would come together and finish a song usually written by just John or Paul. Let It Be was their last studio album release in 1970, when break up rumors were swirling. John and Paul actually collaborated and combined two of their songs into "I've Got A Feeling." Paul contributes his love story part- I've got a feeling (about Linda) and John is more about how depressed he was at the time- everybody had a hard year (he divorced his first wife Cynthia, was addicted to Heroin, etc.)  The rooftop live version is worth a view, especially the comments of your average Londoner.   Live Happy!  Greg

"Hello, Goodbye"

"Hello, Goodbye" was the first single the Beatles recorded and released after Brian Epstein, the Beatles' long time manager died in 1967. Paul wrote the tune and said it was about everything and nothing. He also said it was his way of showing a positive side when presented with something negative. "You say goodbye, I say hello..." The accompanying violas add something special to the song.
We have been busy of late, we just discovered that I have passed all of the tests I have been taking including a bone marrow and spinal fluid test. I meet with my transplant doctors Monday, and sign the final papers on Tuesday next week. I have some other things that need to be done like implanting another central line catheter. We found a temporary residence to stay in about two blocks from the main Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) building where I will eventually receive daily outpatient services probably in early June. Our son Andrew flies in today to stay a month while he is temporarily laid off, and Mikhael is here for the weekend too. I start three days of outpatient radiation on Friday the 7th, then go to inpatient chemo at the U W Hospital for a few days before the transplant on May 13. Will keep in touch-

I say live happy, Greg