Monday, July 21, 2008

Not so good news...

Well after having visited with Dad yesterday, the news is not so good. Apparently on top of having unique good looks, Dad also has unique antigens in his blood and they having only been able to find one donor in the world that's right world. It came from Southern Italy and they cannot find this person right now. I offered to go looking for him but no deal. So Dad has said that he is pretty disappointed, he says he feels like in the beginning the doctors really tried to sell him on the bone marrow plan and Dad felt good about it, and now they have for the last week been trying to talk him out of the bone marrow. So we are in a holding pattern to see how he does, his platelet counts are not going up like they have hoped but he is able to get them outpatient at Mckay Dee. He did say he will need to go in next Friday regardless of what happens. But we would ask for your continued prayers. Also even though in the heat of this summer it is hard to imagine but cold and flu season is right around the corner and now more than ever, Dad cannot get sick so please keep that in mind when visiting. Also something to remember is even though it is so natural for all of us, if you could think twice about shaking Dad's hand or even just a put a glove on before you do, (there is some right by the front door and masks too!) It is just such an easy way to pass germs. Thank you again for all your love and prayers and thank you so much to the members of the Layton Hills Stake I took up the guestbook letters and Dad just loved them. Keep them coming he really does appreciate it. Thanks a ton!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

As much as the doctors say that Grandpa's children and grandchildren are unlikely to be matches, stranger things have happened. I work in organ donation where organs are allocated every day based on many aspects, one of which being antigens. I'm not saying I am an expert by any means, nor am I saying that I know more than the doctors BUT since I work in this field every single day I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of what we are up against. It is my feeling and belief that anyone in the family who wants to be tested as a donor for Grandpa ~or~ to be a donor for someone else in his same situation (believe me, they are out there), I would encourage you to do so. The cost to be tested against Grandpa's antigens alone and done locally in Utah is $355. The cost to join the National Marrow Donor Program to be among the 12,000 U.S. donors is $55. I know money is tight for everyone right now but I can't think of anything that is more important to me. I don't know if anyone reads these comments and I would hope that I haven't offended anyone, I just feel such desperation to find someone to help Grandpa.