[mannythedog]

I know I was supposed to write on the 15th, but there have been developments. I don't want to jump the gun yet so I will tell you what I have to date.

The 15th we went to see the Oncologist and he was amazed to see pop. Pop had received blood on Friday, so he was still able to putter in under his own power. The Dr. checked him over and we discussed a few things. First, his body is eating {rejecting} the donated red blood cells and the platelets. He is on weeklies now with numbers that would have gotten him a month to 3 weeks. For example, his platelets are in the high 50's to low 60's after a transfusion, and the following week they are at or near single digits; furthermore, the blood transplants push him up to the 10's and the following week he will be in the 7's. We also talked about his pains and his increased liver numbers. The Dr. ordered an Ultra Sound, and he received that yesterday with his platelets. The Ultra Sound, right off, showed an enlarged spleen. The liver, the tech did not voice an opinion, per my mother.

Pop is going for another chemo today, but no more Procrit or neuprogin. The Dr. pulled him off of that Tuesday. Pop has become, I believe, the "experiment" for the oncologist. Pop is O.K. with that. Makes him feel like he is producing, and or, participating. It also makes him feel kind of special.

Their 55th wedding anniversary is August the 1st. Another goal he has made. There is no doubt he will make it till then; however, he is down to weekly blood and platelets. His deal w/ himself was to stop at this point. That is unless he want to see his 77th birthday, which is on the 25th of August. With Pop... who knows. He is, as the Dr. stated, very unpredictable.

Will leave note with rest of diagnosis later.

Scott,
Son of Bob