Gary Bonjour 1951 – 2008

photo: 6/17/07

Gary is on week seven of his twelve week drug program. He just had his mid-point check up. His health is slightly improved. The doctor is hoping for more improvement these last five weeks.

We were hoping that Gary’s steroid dose would be cut down. There is new research out that suggests that cutting down the dosage of the steroid still has the same benefits, but with less side effects. The side effects can be very serious which includes blindness. Gary’s side effects include severe bone and muscle aches to the point of being able to hardly walk some days . He is now experiencing erratic eye functioning with blurred vision coming and going. Our doctor did not agree on lowering the steroids. He said that he knows the research . He recently attended a conference on lowering the steroid dosage. He talked with many researchers and other doctors at that conference. He was not convinced. He has better numbers with heavy steroid use on his team with people not just benefiting in the end, but the survival rate is much higher for the ones that could stand the steroids. Pray that Gary can get through these next few weeks without too much difficulty. The steroids are affecting his ability to see, work, walk, and sleep. Gary is still losing weight even though his appetite is good. He has lost 50 lbs now and is at 140. He will probably lose twenty pounds during the transplant and recovery. He needs extra pounds going in for just that purpose, which will help in his recovery.

The stem cell transplant is still on schedule. Gary has one big day of testing on July 2… MRI, muga (heart check), psychological exam, and a few other tests. If he passes all of these tests, he will begin the final stages of the program on Monday, July 30th. The next seven weeks Gary will be in and out of the hospital. August 27th they will give Gary his massive chemo to kill all of his bone marrow. On the 28th, Gary will receive his own clean stem cells back. If the bone marrow is completely dead with no cancer cells left and the stem cells clean of any cancer cells, then ideally the stem cells will make new bone marrow with no cancer cells ready to infect or infest the new marrow being made. We ask of the Lord to help the doctors assist on making this happen. The Lord can make this happen even if the doctors cannot.          

Prayerfully,

Patty

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I am glad I let Patty write before me, gives me less to say as I sometimes get very wordy. I feel better than it sounds like I do. Patty is describing parts of the week when I am at my worst. I actually can tell how I am going to feel now on any day of the week and be pretty accurate. Each week my body gets a little more tolerant of the chemo and steroids though.

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, I am just like my Dad (he is 86). No, I think he is a little stronger. Some Tuesdays I am starting to recover. Wed. is my first steroid day and in good recovery by 10:00am if I take my steroids by 6:00am. I am feeling really good Thurs.- Sat. When Sunday comes, I am done with the steroids and crashing by 10:00 am.

I begin church each week by lead singing at 11:30. I sing one or two modern “Praise Hymns” with the congregation. It has gotten tougher each week to just be able to walk up there, stand, and get through it. God has blessed me with strength at that moment. It is just enough to get it done and fall in my pew next to Patty when it is over. I have had to excuse myself recently from announcements, offering time, extra music, and praying for Pastor Mike before he comes to preach. I thank God He lets me lead sing, as I do truly love to serve Him this way.

We complain about the steroids and yes, those are my good days. The steroids though are responsible for the bad days as I am suffering from the side effects from their four days of using them. The steroids actually help the chemo in working better to do damage to the cancer cells. That is already a known fact. We were hoping that the new research was right and that taking less still benefits the body the same, but with now less side effects. Oh well! I will certainly not worry about these effects if they are benefiting me in the long run.

Time to go to bed… I had other things to say, but I will write something next week. And YES! God is still keeping me happy and more focused on every minute of my day. It is a fantastic side effect that only He can bless me with!

 Romans 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 “Dead man” walking, talking, singing and more than alive,

Gary