Everything is Awesome!

Hey all, 

Sorry for the delay in posting. We take the saying to heart in our family that "no news is good news."

Overall things are going very well. We're back home in Pocatello and making occasional trips to Salt Lake for checkups and lab work. They've taken out my central IV line and the remaining hole in my chest has since healed. It's nice to not have the extra hardware hanging off of me and makes me feel a bit more normal. My hair is growing back in, though I still look like a chia pet if it gets too long. It isn't back to steel wool status, but definitely coming in.  

So far everything is going as planned as far as blood counts and recovery. My counts are nearly back to normal and should get totally back to a normal level as my medicines are weaned off over the next few months. The staff at LDS hospital seems to be pleased with where we're heading. I will hit my 100 day post-transplant Feb 28th. Apparently this a milestone with transplants and means the next step to getting back to normal. This also means a bunch of tests, including another bone marrow biopsy, and they'll start to taper my anti-rejection meds. (Not too excited to have another hole in my hip, but apparently it's necessary) Best case scenario I'll be done taking immunosuppressive meds by June, never to have them return. This Fall I'll start on my newborn shots, since all that immunity is since gone. Kinda crazy!

The transplant team and I negotiated for when I can go back to work. Final decision is after flu season, so I'm planning on heading back in March. I can't wait. For now I'm just trying to stay busy and healthy. I do a lot of projects around the house and stay away from sick people and big groups. Some people joke that Keelie really got me sick so we could make up for lost time after residency and finish the honey-do list around the house. Sounds pretty drastic if you ask me. It's been nice to see one another, and the honey-do list is getting smaller. I kind of feel like a germ-a-phobe hermet and can't wait to be back to a normal schedule doing normal things. Overall I'm just grateful to be still be alive and well enough to exercise. I've been able to ride my bike, run and swim a bit due to the incredible weather. 

Thank you again to all of you for your thoughts, prayers, visits, and help financially. We truly could not have done this without such an amazing support group! While I'd very much like to forget the last few months, I hope we'll never forget everyone's kindness and be able to pay it back and be more generous and kind ourselves. 

At the start of this we said that we weren't out of the woods, but at least know the path. It's nice now to say that we're nearly through the woods and at the end of the path. That's always the best part of a hike anyways! 

Take care!

-Jordon