Thank You from Megan & Dean

Dear friends,
Yesterday, I finally had the chance to read through the list of performers and silent auction offerings present at the Celtic Junction benefit for Dean being held today. I started to cry as I read the list- it is like reading a love letter from the community, pouring out love for Dean.
Thank you.
Thank you to every single person who has helped- by performing, by donating, by working (for more hours than I can begin to imagine) to make this event into a reality.

Thank you to each of you who has poured love and more love in his (and my) direction… with cards, emails, prayers, meditations, poetry, websites, benefits, food, help at home, messages of love and support … I feel as though Dean is being held, with the utmost gentleness, in a web of light and love stretching across the Universe, and I am so grateful.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I have been telling Dean a little about the benefit each day (to tell it all at once would be overwhelming)… it is wonderful to see his face light up when I mention a certain performer or artist whose work will be present.

He is feeling a little better each day—

He had his stem cell (cord blood) transplant on Tuesday. The transplant itself went beautifully; the difficult part was that Dean had a very adverse reaction to some of the pre-medications, and needed to stand throughout the transplant to avoid feeling really sick.

The harshest effects of the chemotherapy started to kick in on Wednesday. But every day is a little bit better; today, for the first time in a week, he was able to eat a few bites of food and sip some tea.

The care he is receiving in the transplant unit is incredible- the nurses, the doctors, the nursing assistants… I have been consistently impressed and touched by how much they care, and how much they know.

Dean will need to stay in the hospital for at least three more weeks… during this time, his new stem cells will initially “lie dormant” in his bone marrow, and then begin to create his new immune system. Right now he is extremely susceptible to infection, so there is currently a “no visitors” policy in place.

He does have a guitar here- he hasn’t felt well enough to play it for the past week (which gives you some idea of how truly rotten he has felt), but I think as his blood counts start to climb (as his new immune system begins to grow) he will be able to spend time playing music.

After he is discharged home, Dean will still have a long haul ahead of him—he will be coming here, to the hospital, every day for blood tests and check-ups, for two months. He will probably be very tired, and he will need to continue to be extremely careful about infections for several months.

As his doctor explained to us, “this is not a sprint. This is a marathon.”

I will add that everyone- nurses, doctors – tells Dean that he is doing extremely well. They are sorry that he has felt so miserable, but all of his symptoms are “normal” for this process.

And finally-

Here are some words from Dean :

“A kindly nurse wished me “good luck with your benefit.” I explained to her that the most important gift had already come, and was still coming, in the gift of people’s love and the healing power of music.”

Thank you.

Love,

Megan Flood