Transplant Time!

Harrison here,
This past month of November has been a real roller coaster. I was treated with my third round of Chemotherapy at the beginning of November . I was in the hospital most November. It was tougher than the first two chemotherapies and keep me down with a lot of infections. I was released on Thanksgiving afternoon. It was great to go home and have a little turkey dinner with my family. The fallowing week I had a bone marrow biopsy and received the result back say my bone marrow was clean. Meaning NO LEUKEMIA! Remission! As soon as we found that out we celebrated at Texas Roadhouse and it was the same day as my older brother Makay's birthday. What a gift!

After that I also met with the Doctors and we decided that we need to move forward quickly with the Bone Marrow Transplant before the leukemia would grow back. The transplant Doctor wanted me to come in on my birthday but, we asked him if I could come in a day later which wasn't a problem. So on December 10th my family and me had a Christmas Party/Birthday Party. It was fun and good to be with them. Now I'm on my third day of Radiation and that is going alright. It gives me pretty bad stomach aches. I'm also waiting for day one of the transplant when I get my new bone marrow from my sister. Thanks Amanda!

I"ll be here at the University of Utah Hospital for a month or two. So if I don't see you all I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. Thank you for all of your comments, support, and love. Sincerely,

Harrison

It has been a while since I have been able to update my blog. I recently was discharged from the Cancer Institute for a couple of weeks and received a visit right before I left. A surprise visit from some friends from the Czech Republic where I served a mission for two years! It was neat to see them and practice a little Czech language.

It was good to go home for a little while and see some friend and regain my strength. I was pretty weak after being in the hospital for two months. I have been meaning to update my blog but some days are easier than others. Good thing I have a lot of friends and family to jump on me and remind me to update my blog. (Thanks Nick)

I have received great comments from family and friends and I sure appreciate hear from all you. I can't thank you enough for your support and love at this time. My last Chemo treatment has seemed to be a little tougher than the last. My body just seems weaker and my spirits are up and down each day. The Doctors have decided to let me be an out patient and recover at home. I like being able to be home and see my family each day. It sure has been a blessing! I have been going in for a lot of check ups and things seem to be going as scheduled. I have another bone marrow biopsy in a few weeks and then will know more on the transplant.

I'm trying to stay positive and optimistic and eat a lot of home cooked meals! Some days harder than others. (Just Kidding Mom) Keep the comments coming and I'll keep on keeping on! Love, Harrrison

One Long Month of Chemotherapy

The month of September all of the fun began. I started by taking a quick flight up to Utah from Colorado were I was working back and forth from between the two states. I was diagnosed in Colorado by a group of Doctors at Swedish Hospital and also at the Colorado Oncology - Hematology Clinic. I spent a week there were they did many test for infections and disease and when the last test came back as Cancer I was shocked. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia I learned was a form of cancer in the blood. It is found in the bone marrow where blood is made and attacks the white an red bloods cells in the body. It takes over your immune system and spread into the spine and brain it not treated quickly. At this point I then decided that it would be a good idea to get treatment in Utah were all of my family lives. I took the next flight home and was emitted the next day into to the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

I have been here for the past month and have received two rounds of Chemotherapy and many other treatment. I have received care from some of the best Doctors and Nurses I have ever met. The Huntsman Cancer Institute is really a wonderful place and is treating many types of Cancers and performing a lot of research for them. I see a lot of different patients each day as I wander the halls. I also met a young man named Nick who invited me to his room to hang out and play some video games. I found out after speaking with him that he has a very rare form of cancer called Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. It was found under his right eye as a cancerous tumor. He has also undergone many treatments of Chemotherapy. It was nice to met someone going through the similar conditions and seeing his positive attitude.

After being here for almost 6 weeks now a positive attitude is sometimes hard to keep but, when you are surrounded by family, friends, great nurses and doctors it help you get those little boosts you need to make through each day with a good attitude. I can't be more grateful for the support and love I have received by all of these people and the strength that I have received from God at this time. I'm also happy to say that my older Sister Amanda is a match for a bone marrow transplant. That has been some great news to hear and comforting as well. I will keep an update of events and new blogs as the fight goes on. I'm going to keep on keeping on and will be able to go home in a week or so! Harrison