Monday, November 23, 2009 8:44 PM, CST

Good evening to all. It has been another normal day in LR - gray and chilly. I have decided why this is considered a duck hunting paradise - the sky is usually gray and you can see the birds really well!

But surely this is not normal LR weather…………

Another ground hog day at the clinic - same song and dance different day, different nurse. I know Mark is so glad that today is the last day of chemo - while he is getting one of the drugs he has to eat ice for about 2.5 hours to prevent mouth problems. Plus he is ready for the Day Glo Dough Boy to be gone. The APN told him yesterday that she was going to get him a lamp shade - we don’t need lights on with him in the room. They all tease him - it is actually caused by one of the medications - he is just brighter than most. Mark slept most of the afternoon then decided he wanted Italian for dinner. There is a little restaurant close by so we ordered take out. Made it easy on me!!

Our RN brought in a fellow WAR Eagle to meet us today. They are from Birmingham and she has just had her second transplant and is doing great! They also live here in the same apartment complex, just a few buildings over. The world gets smaller everyday.

Tomorrow is the BIG day, we are to be at the clinic by 9:30 and begin the transplant by 10:30. It takes 10 -16 days for the stem cells to engraft. This is when Mark will have a greater chance of catching a bug - so we will have to be diligent with sanitizing and wearing masks.

As Thanksgiving approaches we are reminded of all the blessing God has bestowed upon us. Our family, church, friends, country and these good people and this place that is taking care of Mark.

Your love and prayers give us strength,

Karen