We have a plan in place.  January 10th Casey will get ready for his transplant.  They didn't find a suitable match, so they are going to do the transplant with cord blood (from an umbilical cord).  He will be in the hospital for about a month.  He will receive chemo the first week of his hospital stay, prior to the transplant.  There are a lot of details we will be finding out as we go.  I will keep you updated.  Until then, Casey can enjoy a normal life.  His counts are good and he is back at work.  He gets tired, but for the most part is doing great.
Hope you all have a great New Year.
Peggy

December 24, 2009

Wishing all of you a Very Merry Christmas!  I hope you are all able to be with your loved ones for the holidays. 
Casey is doing well and we are feeling blessed.  All of his counts are good, so he is able to be with his friends, family and of course his swimming family as well.  He has been on deck coaching this week and living a normal life.  He was scheduled to be admitted back into the hospital for more treatment today, but his doctors are delaying that until next week.  Yesterday was my last day of work.  I will start a new job at my family's business after the New Year.  I have been catering forever and will miss my brides, coworkers, clients and the job.  It is a great feeling when you can help a girl create the wedding she has been dreaming of all of her life.  So I am entering a new year with a lot of unknowns.  But for now I am enjoying the fact that I have a warm home, wonderful family and friends, and of course my crazy puppies! 
Peggy

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Casey was at the Cancer Center yesterday to get checked and to get a blood tranfusion.  He spoke to his doctor about how things are going for the transplant.  They still have not found anyone who is a good match, but they are still looking.  He is also considering doing what they call a mini transplant, which is not as effective at curing the leukemia, but would be a lot safer than a transplant that is not compatible. I suppose Casey is an oddity of nature.  I am enjoying spending time with Casey.  When he was younger, and I drove them into swim practice every night, I always felt lucky to have that time in the car with him and no distractions (except for Matt Horning for a couple of years! Those two were always entertaining together).   Now when he is tied up to chemo or at home, I feel as though I am getting to spend some quality time with him and getting to know him all over again.  I really like the kid!  The thing I most admire is the way he always puts other people first.  He may feel really sick, but he doesn't want to burden you with his problems.  There are times through this where I get crabby, and then I have to think I have nothing to complain about.  He was real pale and I could tell he was feeling bad on Thursday night, the only thing he said was that he was tired.  He doesn't want anyone to feel sorry for him.  I am so proud of my boy and the way he is handling all of this!
Peggy

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

I should start this off by trying to explain Casey and Big Bob's relationship.  Casey and Bob are a comedy team with their constant bantering of each other.  But Big Bob is the first person Casey calls to tell when he is being admitted into the hospital, and Bob is there every day.  Saturday evening Casey was complaining that Big Bob and Gary were eating all of his snack food.    So on Sunday Morning, me, being the great mother that I am, went to the grocerey store to stock up on lots of snacks.  I got up to the hospital to find out that Casey was being released on Sunday night.  So I took Casey and the groceries home with me, but left Big Bob in Hershey.  He went into the day hospital yesterday for his shot and to have his blood counts checked.  So far, so good.  This is the phase where we have to be especially careful of infection.  This next week will require lots of clorox wipes!
Peggy

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Casey is in the hospital getting another cycle of treatment.  This is a different protocol than the one he was on 3 years ago.  Back then he would go into the hospital as an outpatient on a daily, weekly and eventually monthly basis.  This time around they keep him in the hospital for 5 days, giving him chemo constantly and regulating his organ functions.  Yesterday he got a spinal dose.  I'm glad they gave it to him early in his admission.  It is a lot easier to lay flat for long periods of time in the hospital than what it is at home.  After all, where are you going to go in the hospital?  At home here he has 2 puppies that love to lay on top of him.  Deli, our cat who weighed 8 pounds (we lost her in July) would lay on top of him all the time during his last go round.  Bowie, who weighs 40 pounds, has decided to take over Deli's job.  Maybe I should send Bowie up to him today.  I have a feeling he will need something to keep him laying down today at 12:30 when his Tar Heels play Kentucky.  Let's go heels! 
Peggy

December 2, 2009

Thank you to everyone who came out to the bone marrow drive last night.  We even made the channel 11 news at 10:00! 
Tomorrow it is back in the hospital for Casey for another round of chemo.  His doctor gave him an extra week and in that week he had Thanksgiving dinner, the Swim for Casey, went to the Eagles game and the bone marrow drive.  It was a full week, but now it is time for him to get back to the reality of being a cancer patient.
Sunday, December 6th is one year since Derrick Dull lost his battle with leukemia.  Derrick was a graduate of Ephrata High School and was 23 (same as Casey) when he was diagnosed.  We didn't know Derrick as well as we would have liked to, but felt a deep and common bond with him and his family.  In addition to his mother, father and sister, he left behind a young wife Mindy, who has kept his legacy through a foundation in honor of Derrick.  If you ever have an extra hour and box of tissues you should read his blog http://www.djdully.blogspot.com/.  It takes you through the horrors of the disease and the joys of his love of life and family, as well as his wedding.  In honor of Derrick on Sunday, December 6th, his family is asking people to light a candle and remember Derrick's message "Cherish each other & live life to the fullest."  The family hopes to have every hour covered starting at 1:00 am thru midnight.  They are asking people to sign up for time slots through his blog.  I got a battery operated candle for Casey's room at the hospital.  I know a lot of the nurses remember Derrick.  I think it is fitting to light up the town, because Derrick could light up a room with his smile.
God Bless
Peggy