Dear Friends and Family,
Nancy has made another critical and momentous decision that we want to share with you, but instead of starting my progress report abruptly—let me bring you up to date on other matters first. (I think when writers do this in their works of fiction or, for that matter, nonfiction this is called building the aura of suspense.) So let me begin our continuing story by sharing with you the outcome of our Seattle trip.
After two delightfully carefree days in Seattle during which we dined atop the Space Needle, visited the Seattle Art Museum, and shopped at the renowned Pike Place Market, Nancy and I boarded Polly and Edgar Stern’s plane for a relaxing flight back to Utah. We are accustomed, as frequent standby passengers, to traveling light.
On our return trip, though, we were not flying standby. We had as much luggage space as we could ever want in this lifetime. So we took advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring home a multicolored, uniquely shaped, hand-blown vase for our dining room table, as well as a huge cold “travel box” containing fresh salmon, oysters, mussels, and crab.
(While there are not sufficient words to express our gratitude to the Sterns for converting a stressful medical-related trip into an unanticipated glorious respite, I will say “thank you” once again. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.)
Nancy and I came home completely refreshed and recharged, and we phoned Finn Bo (Dr. Peterson) as soon as we arrived in Woodland. For nearly an hour, Dr. Peterson answered our questions and then Nancy and I spent another hour or so in deliberation,
The next chapter in our journey may surprise you. Nancy has chosen a hospital room in Salt Lake City. After countless hours spent researching our options, it turns out that the survival rates for a transplant patient at the University of Washington in Seattle are essentially the same as the survival rates of patients at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
We were thoroughly impressed with Dr. Appelbaum, his program, and the facilities in Seattle, but when Nancy searched her soul deeply, she felt equally positive about Dr. Peterson and the program in Salt Lake City. Naturally, the crucial factor that served to tip the balance was Nancy’s desire not to disrupt Jaret and Jayna’s lives. Even though they have both stated unequivocally and without hesitation that they would relocate to Seattle, their mother did not want to disrupt their lives further.
So another major decision is now in the rearview mirror, but we still need to determine the type of transplant. Nancy has recently endured a long battery of tests to see if she is strong enough to attempt the full myeloablative transplant. If it is determined that she can’t withstand the procedure, the choice will be made for us and she will have the “mini.” While Nancy is chronologically older than anyone who has ever attempted the full transplant before, Finn Bo thinks she is in excellent shape for her age. He does, however, want a more detailed look at her heart, lungs, kidneys, and GI system. (He must have seen her doing laps in the hallway while having her chemotherapy.)
We are more than a little bit nervous to travel back into the world of needles and vital signs again. But Nancy seems at peace, in large measure from the support we have been given by so many of our friends. Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers. They will, as they have in the past, help us prepare.
Summary: Nancy has decided to have her transplant in Utah. The only decision left is the type of transplant—mini versus full.
My sincerest thanks,
Winnie