Miracles Can Happen!

Van speaking: “I actually feel good today. This is the first time in about a week I haven’t been nauseated or down. I have had some really wonderful visitors. President Schofield came to see me and talked about fresh yogurt. President Lawrence came and spent a good about of time with me and took me for a walk. It was fun to talk to Pres. Lawrence about matters of the stake even though I’m not supposed to be worrying about those things. It was good to take care of some stake business. My entire Seminary faculty came up and brought me lots of fun things. All my siblings came this morning to donate blood and my brother Lane brought me this beautiful, plush, dark blue, BYU fleece blanket. Most all the nurses are Utes fans. I like to let them know that blue is the true color.”

Great news today! Van’s white blood count has gone done from 127,000 yesterday to 61,000 today. Everyone thinks it is a miracle but I know it is because of everyone’s fasting and prayers. So we know this new drug (Dasatinib) is working. He will stay on this new drug until his bone marrow transplant. It is a big possibility it will stop working before then. And if it does, he will have intravenous chemotherapy instead chemotherapy pills. Then we have to wait two months after the intravenous chemotherapy before he can get the bone marrow transplant. All of his brothers and sister came this morning to be tested to see if they are a match for donating marrow. They have a 25% chance of being a perfect match. Then our next option is going to the 12 million bone marrow registry. Then the next option would be to go to his children which are 1 in 1,000 match. If anyone goes off the street to be tested, their chance is 1 in 100,000 to be a match. We will find out in two weeks if his siblings are a match.

Once his white blood count becomes normal and he doesn’t have to be on any IVs. They will release him to come home while they prepare for the bone marrow match. That will be about one month. They want him to lead a normal life for that one month then he will return to the hospital for about 6 weeks recovering from his bone marrow transplant. After which he will have a one year recovery period.

Van started on a new medication “the medicine that must not be named.” It causes fabulous results. It’s controlling his nauseousness, increased his appetite, and helps him stay awake. The average he has been staying awake has been one minute at a time and now he has been awake for 7 hours straight. Wendy loves this drug!

Van’s theme scripture is Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-8
“My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.