Jan 27: Forgetful - follow up

 I have been forgetful and a poor blogger. 

A follow up on Medicare coverage and my drugs. 

I talked about switching to Medicare and some of the crazy costs with some of the cancer drugs. I praise God in that BMS decided to provide a year of Sprycel, my daily oral chemo, for the whole year 2024, free of charge. Grateful for programs like this one, for BMS giving me this, and ultimately, for God's moving and acting in this way. Every, and I mean EVERY good gift is from above, the Father of lights. 

I also am grateful for what Medicare covers and being able to afford a Medicare supplemental gap plan. God provides. My month long Blincyto infusion was about $65K at the insurance rate. Medicare and gap covered that minus a small deductible. 

Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14

May your day be blessed. 

Jan 24: IPF Day

 Today is Infusion Pump Freedom Day! No more lugging around and being connected 24/7. It wasn't horrible, but it was always there, slightly in the way. That pump and IV line were sorta like our fleshly sin nature. Never quite able to escape it, always burdened by it. 

But God. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Rom 8:2

So if the Son of God sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Gal 5:1

Those that are in Christ, that have put their faith in Christ, are free from the yoke of sin. 

Happy Infusion Pump Freedom Day!

Bonus - NO detectable A.L.L. cells. 2 weeks ago I was ~1700/1Mil, which is very good. My latest bone marrow biopsy showed zero/1Mil. 

Next step is a transplant class on Feb 1, then Covid test on the 7th and check in on the 9th to begin the actual transplant. 

Blessings to you all,

Gary

Jan 14: Hair

For those that lived some of the 60's. From the musical, Hair:

Gimme a head with hair, Long beautiful hair

Shining gleaming steaming, Flaxen waxen

I don't know about long hair, but my hair is coming back. I actually have some eyelashes and eyebrows again. You might be surprised how handy and helpful eyelashes are. They keep a lot of junk out of your eyes. 

We'll see if it hangs around during the transplant. It is nice to have a little today with the temp outside of 14F. 

Things are marching forward for a Feb 9th launch of my transplant/30 day hospital stay. 

The basic phases are 

First Week: chemo wipe of my bone marrow, rest day, transfusion of donor bone marrow, then 

Second - Forth week: monitor/control rejection. 

100 day post hospital/home monitor: 3x/week trips for first 2-3 weeks, then tapered off. 

God is my assurance, my hope. 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Blessings,

G

Jan 10: Eternal

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬ 

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 

Ultimately, it's an eternal perspective. 

Jan 8: Marching forward to February 6

 My tentative transplant start date is Feb 6. 

To coordinate the practical side of this, we will be using an app called Lotsa Hands. If you're interested in helping us, please consider signing up here:

Lotsa Hands link for Gary Leavelle

We promise not to twist arms and are grateful for any help offered. 

Jan 4: My faithful buddy at my side

 A blessed 2024 to you all, 

Glad to be home and sleep in my own bed last night. Not really a 2024 resolution, but maybe in some form - it's good to be grateful, instead of bitter and resentful. We have a choice, why live in the bitter/resentful zone? I know it's easy; I've lived there many a time. 

My new faithful buddy, always at my side 24/7. I mean, he goes EVERYWHERE with me. He allowed me to leave the hospital yesterday! It was like I had a pass to leave with him at my side. 😁

Phil 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

May love, grace and mercy be yours in full measure today, 

G

Jan 1: New Year's Resolution

 For my New Year's resolution, I think I'll give up leukemia. 😁

What an intense journey it's been. A lot can happen in 4 1/2 months!

I am so very thankful for all the love, support and prayers from my family, my church family and my "Two-Wheel Texan" family. You all have shown me much love, mercy and grace. Most of all, I thank my wife who has endured much of this with me with patience and love. 

Looks like I'll be stuck in here until Wed afternoon because of supply chain issues of getting the infusion pump form of Blincynto. I've read of some cancer drugs being in short supply. I guess this is my first encounter of that. 

I'm still symptom free is a HUGE praise. 

Our pastor's sermon yesterday was on spiritual cups. One cup was Jesus's cup of suffering was carrying our sin to the Cross and dying on the Cross to pay for our sin. Some believers suffer for the sake of their faith, for the Cross, but to some degree, we all drink the cup of suffering because the world is a place still broken by sin, as is our physical body. The redeeming aspect of the cup of suffering is that God redeems it in strengthening our faith and relationship with Him. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works all things together for good, for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. 

Spiritual Cups

My prayer for you is Paul's prayer from Ephesians, chapter 3 - 

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.