Update from Mom

On Monday morning we had been asked to arrive a bit earlier as David has been chosen to be part of one of the research projects currently going on regarding CLL, and they needed five extra tubes of blood – which were to be extracted before 1:00 p.m.

When we saw Dr. Johnston (David’s oncologist) it was as we have suspected for some time, his recommendation is that David begin chemotherapy. It will be completed here in Dauphin under the care of a wonderful woman, Dr. Matheson. She is a kind and thoroughly dedicated doctor. David’s first chemo (Chlorambucil) will simply be pills, taken daily for one week of each month, for six months. If, after two months, the first medication is not doing what is needed to bring his levels back into a more normal range, another medication will be added (Fludarabine). This combination will continue for six months (or eight months in all).

David’s hemoglobin levels were of some concern and the possibility of a blood transfusion in the future is possible. In my discussion with Janet Olson tonight, a nurse in our congregation, she notes the levels of his hemoglobin changes are equal right now to about a pint of blood.

David is beginning to enjoy his retirement; when I called him today he had been shoveling the driveway and the pathways to his bird feeders and was filling the bird feeders when I came home from work. He has taken several pictures of the blue jays in particular, and is beginning to make lists and drawings of what tasks he wants to accomplish next. He does also reluctantly enjoy the call of his body to rest – falls asleep easily, and rests fairly well.

For those of you who don’t know we spent the week of American Thanksgiving in a trip that mean we flew from Winnipeg to Ottawa , visited with Rachael, and met up with Joel who had flown from Alberta , to travel with Mindy, to Ohio to visit with Josh and Jeanine and with Mark and Jill. We had a great time.