Dr. Carr decided to put me back in the hospital on Thursday to begin consolidation therapy for the leukemia again. The transplant insurance company has been unbievably uncoporative letting the okays go to check for a donor match so we can proceed with the plans. On Wednesday all day us and Dr. Carr's office delt with the insurance company on the phone, most of it not in an amicable way but things did seem to begin to move in the right direction. They had sat on the request for 45 days and had made one excuse after another. Seemed they were trying to let the cancer run its course and take me so they would not have to pay for the transplant. Of course they assured me that was not the case but no one will ever convince me that was not right. I'll never understand how insurance companies can call the shots in medical situations they know nothing about. One thing I went from being so overwhelmed with the whole situation and feeling like I couldn't do it to just being mad and determined I could last them out and not give them the satisfaction of not having to pay for the procedure. This feeling seems to be better for the situation I am going through. Anyway I have a new strength so some good came of it.
I met with the transplant doctor, Dr. Berryman, on Thursday at Dr. Carr's office. He was so imformative and helped us all understand the procedure. We are shotting for transplant within the next 4-6 weeks because I am in remission and that increases the success of the transplant by 50%, obviously it is urgent that we find a donor and the insurance moves quickly. I will go to Dallas to the Baylor medical center and the bone marrow transplant procedure will be about 6 days long and then we wait and see if my body accepts the marrow without rejection. He said there was a 50% percent chance that would happen but there were great anti-rejection drugs and they work very well to pull you through that stage. There is a 10-15 percent chance of not making it through the transplant which kind off freaked me out but that is a pretty low chance of death so I'll take it and obviously that is a huge prayer request. One could get hit by a car sooner than that. They will continue to follow my progress for the next months and I will have to stay in the Dallas area but there are apartments available through the hospital. After about 2 months I should be able to be monitered from Midland because Dr. Berryman comes to Midland once a month to check on patients. The odds of no reacurrance go up with each month and year I can stay in remission. The transplant gives me a huge boost and will help the leukemia to stay in remission. Without it he guarenteed it would return and be more an more difficult to control.
So much to digest but very encouraging from this side. I do understand that God is in front of me and know what lies ahead and I trust Him with the details and plans He has for me.
Right now we need the insurance company to move quickly and okay all the procedures. Also my brother, Bob, will be the first place to go for a since he is my only sibling. That is a 1 in 4 chance he will be a match and that would be wonderful as he lives in Tyler and would need to be available during the donor transplant procedure. That would be so perfect so I am praying that God will allow that to happen. We have already started on that so should know something soon. If he is not we will go into the donor pool to find a donor. They say not to worry someone is out there who can help. That is definitely in God's hands as well.
Seems so much depends on straightend paths before us and that is out of our hands and is all with our Lord. I can't think of better hands to be in-He loves us so and knows what lies ahead. I have let all those plans I had made let go and I am comfortable with that! Praise Him.
These were my scriptures from my devotional for yesterday and seem so appropriate for the situration. God always gives us strength for the moment:
Lam 3:22-24--"Help me to call this to mind and therefore always have hope: because of Your great love, I am not consumed for Your compassions never fail. They are new toward me every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I will say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him"
Ps. 31:7-8--"I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, O God, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place."
Deut 33: 27---"You eternal God, are my refuge and underneath are Your everlasting arms. You will drive out my enemy before me, saying, "Destroy him!"
I'm ready for the enemy to be destroyed and to get on with a cancer free life to enjoy till God calls me home.
I covet your prayer support over the next days as many things must come together. God is in control, and I am glad.
God is good----------all the time!
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