2-Year Anniversary
I am not sure there is a finish line to this marathon but I hope I am close: I celebrated the second anniversary of my transplant on Sunday, September 26th, with no evidence of leukemia and, finally, stable blood counts. My blood DNA is 100% donor. Jakavi, the drug I started in June, is mediating the graft versus host disease (GVHD) that had been suppressing my blood counts for so long. UCSF has changed my blood tests from weekly to every six weeks and, if my counts remain stable, will extend the testing to longer intervals. I feel good!
It’s been a long and challenging recovery, which often has felt more rocky than rockin’. With stable blood counts, my recovery is now focused on rehabilitating my achilles and fractured vertebrae and waiting for my T-cell count to rebound to a level where I can stop taking the last of my antibiotics. I am hiking again, pushing my mileage up to between three and five miles and working on pace and strength. I am relieved to have developed some immunity to COVID after receiving a booster of the Pfizer vaccine.
Having reached the two-year milestone, I can connect with my stem cell donor through the Be The Match Registry (bethematch.org) to tell her how grateful we are for her gift that has saved my life. Tami and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary on September 1st with a trip to Napa Valley. She has been my rock throughout this journey. We have been savoring our time together and with our boys, extended family and friends. My donor made surviving this journey and being here possible.
Here is a recent picture of the family. Our song on this two-year anniversary of my transplant is I Got You (I Feel Good) by James Brown. Thank you for all of your prayers, thoughts and support to help us stay positive and strong through this marathon.
Lots of good news in there, Steve, with some sad news too. Our condolences. We love you all and hope we can see you soon. Larry and family
ReplyDeleteThat is by far the best news ever!! Thank goodness!! Beautifully written Steve! Incredibly inspirational! Every time you got knocked down you kept getting up! You and the family deserve this! And the extra good news of showing signs of immunity to COVID is fantastic!! Hopefully we will get to see you and the family next year once travel restrictions ease! A truck load of hugs, kisses and love from The Morrissy Family!! Xx
ReplyDeleteUplifting update, Steve. So much to celebrate- happy 2 yr & wedding anniversary. You & your family look fabulous. Heartfelt condolences for the loss of your sister, Sue, she sounds like a warrior like you. Surrounded by family, we wish you continued good health! Lots of love from the Labadan family- Nic, Beatriz, Jun & Maria
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderfully encouraging post, and we are so glad for this good news, yet so saddened by the loss of your sister. What a roller coaster you have been on, but you have finally evened out and are thriving. Fantastic! FYI that Greg has retired and we have made our move to Oregon, so we are waiting for the right time to visit the Fillinger/Paynes. Joey stayed in Boston, working full-time and attending graduate school, but Tillie is still in the Bay Area, so we will visit her often. In the meantime, all of our love to all of you. Hope to see you soon!
ReplyDeleteSo my message that got blasted into the ether the other day by the FB blackout went something like this:
ReplyDeleteDear, Dear Steve: Never would have had reason to mention this till now, I suppose, but Larry and I have often referred to you as “brilliant Steve” – simply to distinguish you from other Steves we know (please don’t tell the other ones). But now! Wowie! A completely different description is required – yes, of course we’ll keep the “brilliant,” not to worry, but I think I’ll go with “indomitable and totally admirable Steve!” Truly. The courage and strength you’ve shown all the while on your wild and crazy journey is a real inspiration. Really is wonderful to hear your positive news.
And the owls! How fantastic! Half of New York City was making daily treks to Central Park last year when people were perhaps feeling their loneliest from the pandemic isolation, and it was Barry the barred Owl who brought everyone immeasurable joy and comfort. Barry was super-amiable, too – and seemingly unconcerned with what lurked beneath him when staring down upon “human” nature. Ha-ha. Anyway, Barry didn't make it the whole way through the pandemic, but I was merely thinking that it was pretty great that you had your own pair of owls on the west coast as we had Barry on the east – owl-watching is easily as good as yoga and maybe even up there with Beethoven.:)
We miss you guys, our Singapore meet-ups, and the sharing of all our Beijing recaps and remembrances. What a changed world since we last saw you. I’ll save our news (not that we’ve got much) for January when I think we’ll just have to hop on a plane and get out to SF. Long overdue.
We send our deepest condolences as well, Steve. We'll look forward ro hearing stories about your sister who must be as wonderful as her brother!
Love seeing the photos of you all and feeling your strength gives us a lift, too. So grateful for that. Lots of love and we will hope to see you very SOON. Susan and Larry
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/11/science/barry-central-park-owl.html