Dean Update July 30

Hello all-

First, my apologies for the long silence. I was out of town for a week (for the first time in over a year!), and promptly got sick when I came home… so I haven’t spent much time communicating with others.

An overdue update about Dean…

So much good to report. Basically, everything is headed in the right direction. (Thank you, Universe) Dean is getting stronger, physically, all the time. He is playing a lot, and is just beginning to dip back into doing recording sessions (I should emphasize the “just beginning” part of that- this is still in one step at a time territory). He renewed his driver’s license, and has been driving himself around on a few experimental outings… He is off ALL of his scheduled medications !!! He definitely looks like he is gaining back some weight. This is all good good GOOD!!!

Eating continues to be a big challenge, as does nausea. A brief experiment with dairy products led to a truly awful night of illness- which is a bummer because Dean loves cheese. Fatigue is also something that waxes and wanes. He is still having monthly infusions of “iv-IG”- a blood protein which helps with immunity (my extremely layperson explanation of this). These infusions take a long time, and leave him feeling pretty awful for several days- so that is a challenge.

Dean has his “anniversary” (one year post transplant) appointments in late August. This will mean another bone marrow biopsy (ouch), and then a follow-up appointment to find out his new bone marrow is doing. This is a very big deal. Please keep the positive energy/prayers pouring towards Dean’s entire self as he makes his way towards this landmark in his healing.

I look at Dean sometimes and wonder how it feels- to be slowly slowly re-entering this world. I feel as though he’s been to the moon, or somewhere even more extreme. How does one return from such a journey?

Slowly. One step at a time. With plenty of time to rest and recuperate.

And sometimes I remember to give thanks (although never as often as I should) that he is having the opportunity to return at all.

As always, I am thanking each one of you. For the love you have shared, the prayers, the endless healing energy. I do not think we could have done this without you- your practical support, your emotional support, the love and prayers and phone calls you have shared… This is a marathon, and I understand that we aren’t done yet. But I think both Dean and I feel a new sense of hope and possibility, and I can’t begin to tell you how good that feels.

LOVE Megan

PS- I think there is one more benefit coming up in mid-August (where to begin with the thank you’s on this one? There is no way to say it with enough frequency or volume. Thank you.) You can find out more details here…