Lymph Journal #8

For those of us of a certain age we might remember this educational film.  A 1957 (my birth year) Frank Capra produced science film for a Bell Labs school instructional series.  I remember it well because a few years after it was produced I got to be on the crack Narragansett Junior High Audio-Visual team and it was my responsibility to thread the trusty 16mm projector and sync the film speed and sound bulb so Hemo the Magnificent’s lips appeared to work better than your standard Japanese monster film dialogue of the day.

Hemo was the hero.  Hemo (globin, if you never saw the film) got the oxygen to where it was needed in the body.  Today I got another two units of blood with all its lovely hemoglobin.  I can’t help but be drawn to the biblical assertion that “life is in the blood”, that the blood on which I depended today is a pale shadow of the Blood on which our faith and healing are based.  I remembered, again in the waking moments that seem to set the tone for my days thoughts, of one Communion service when the Pastor (John Goasdone for those who know him) likened the remembrance of the Cup to a sort of “toast”.  Ever since I have lifted my communion glass in remembrance and tribute to the mystery of God’s great love for us.

Before the fill-up this morning I was called into the doc’s office.  Here’s what I updated family with as a result of the conversation:

We're through the heavy-duty part of the first round of chemo - so far so

good.  The doc has indicated that he senses responsiveness through overall

appearance, lack of swelling in lymph nodes (there before) and reduction in

the pain I was experiencing before we started.  I seem to be tolerating the

chemo with no nausea which is a huge relief.

Looks like a course of a total of 6 treatments plus 2 bonus Rituximab blasts.

All this has been affirmed at a meeting of the area "Tumor Board" (how would

you like to be on that committee)? Autologous (self-donated) stem cell

therapy may also come into play to increase effectiveness of the chemo and

rebuild the blood - we're evaluating and playing the experts of Basel,

Switzerland off against the experts in Freiburg.  

All in all to say that the care has been nothing short of excellent and

language has been little to no barrier.  The community here and all over the

world has been supportive, Diane's a wonder and God is faithful.

It’s been a long week and I have to say I’m pretty tired but I think it’s been pretty productive.

Backpack Update from our friend Anne Bach:

Dear Russ (and Diane :) and Carl :)  ),

I just got home from a parent-teacher-conference and read your blog. Since I'm a teacher in the German school system I think I can help you out with your question about rigidly rectangular backpacks :) .
Most German elementary school students have those - they are considered better and more suitable for their backs than a sloppy soft sided backpack. At the latest in 5th grade kids want to have a nice and fancy looking backpack rather than a kiddy hard cover schoolbag though :D .Since they leave the elementary school after 4th grade here in Germany, many parents think they are old enough to have a regular backpack. Hope this helps answering your question ;) .