Wednesday,

Bonnie and I would like to start off tonight by thanking everyone who has somehow been involved with caring for our family, from:

1) Praying fervently
2) Helping out with meals
3) Sending Cards, Notes and e-mails
4) Encouraging gifts
5) Sending care packages to Steve
6) Providing Bonnie’s nursing staff with goodies
7) Dropping off balloon bouquets twisted in the shape of flowers
8) Helping out with our kids
9) Helping out with Cassandra’s openhouse

We’re sure we have missed something, but in general we are so appreciative of all the support we have received since we embarked on this life changing event. Thank you so much!

Bonnie’s colonoscopy was completed today which revealed some small colitis which was part of the yeast infection she previously had. The doctors identified this irritation in part of her intestine and they are treating it with an antibiotic. Because of this, Bonnie also had a CT Scan of her GI tract to see if a spot by her liver was part of that yeast infection as they compare it to an earlier scan. Please pray the colitis is healed quickly so Bonnie can go home.

Tomorrow (Thursday), Bonnie will have another bone marrow biopsy. Please pray it is clear of blast cells so she will be considered in remission. As we have mentioned several times over the weeks, we have to take things one day at a time. As the time nears that we can see Bonnie potentially going home, we still have a long road ahead of us with the bone marrow transplant. She becomes a little overwhelmed thinking about the calendar and how long this process is because of the amount of time we have already spent here at Sparrow. Please pray that Bonnie will continue to be at peace and also have the endurance and stamina as new things come up that she may not have remembered in previous conversations because of the chemo.

I continue to have radiation treatment, but at this point do not have any indication of the mass shrinking. It may take several treatments. Today I had severe pain with my kidney area again as I tried not to take the medication that I was given in the emergency room last Saturday (Toradol). My doctor would like me off it as soon as I can, so I tried today and had a flare up of the same pain that sent me to the emergency room. A good friend of mine who works here at Sparrow had a couple of radiologists read my original MRI and compare to the CT Scans I had. It appears the ureter from the kidney is enflamed indicating a stone may have been passed and the reason for the pain. Please pray that the pain will subside and I can get off this medication that helps the pain.

I continue to have nightly fevers as well as night sweats which is part of the lymphoma. My doctors are stressing the importance of me getting rest and have suggested I sleep at home as opposed to Bonnie’s room. Please pray that Bonnie can adjust and regain the strength she needs to do things for herself, which will accelerate the time frame for her discharge.

Holding strong because of your prayers!

Steve & Bonnie