I have just collected him from Hospital - he has been allowed a 1 week pass

His white cell count started to go up mid week - and by today it was high enough for him to be out of Isolation - so they said he could come home for the week.

He has a review booked for Tuesday and we expect that he will be readmitted on 5th May for his 3rd round of Chemo.

Thank you all so much for your prayers.

Prayers continue.

Prayers continue! For both Raymond and you!

Prayers!

Continued prayers...

james

I pray you enjoy these days together. God bless you both!
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Christ is Risen!

Our thoughts and prayers always with you and Raymond..

In Christ our Hope,
Alice

We can do no less. I'm thankful he is doing better. Look for a private e-mail from me sometime soon. There's been lots going on.

Prayers and more for you and your family.


Tim

Prayers continue for my sister and her husband (and that the lag on the forum be lifted - just took forever to type these few words)

Thanks for everyone's Prayers .

His latest bone marrow biopsy takes place on Thursday and I expect that they will aspirate blood for testing . as usual, from his Hickman line . This Hickman line test should give us some indication of how things are going at present while we await the bone marrow results .

He has really enjoyed this break at home - good food and the ability to do what he wants when he wants

Neil - no lag here typing this

Tim - a candle was lit for you in Edinburgh this morning - hope things are beginning to look a lettle better and the pain and other problems are starting to lessen .

Dear Lady,

How are you holding up?

Pani Rose - thanks

I'm coping OK - honest

Prayers!

We were at Hospital today for his Bone Marrow biopsy - which was done without problem . The result from that will be given to us next Thursday.

Blood was also taken - his white count is still going up slowly and his neutrophil count is now 1.7 [ from 1.0 on Tuesday last week ]

He has now been taken off his oral antibiotic and anti- fungal but is remaining on his antiviral drug.

Best of all he stays at home now till we see the Doctor next Thursday.

Now this is GOOD NEWS

BUT

We are not yet out of the wood as we do not know if he is in remission - but we are one stage further forward.

Thank you for all your prayers

Prayers for your husband's improvement! May his guardian angel intercede for him before the throne of God.

Continued prayers and more. Lord, please look down on your servant, Raymond and his wife, our Lady's Slave. Keep them in your mercy and in your love, as a loving parent would with a sick child. Theotokos--enfold them in your arms and keep them safe, warm and let the know how much you love them, as a mother does her children.

Tim

YES!!!

Thank you Jesus for all these precious moments of assurance that you are working in our lives.
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

2. Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
(Refrain)

3. Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love.
(Refrain)

Prayers continue.

The latest update as of 2 hours ago

He is in remission !!!


This is fantastic news - but he is still to receive further chemo and then after that is over he will be given a form of maintenance treatment for 5 days every 6 weeks for about another 6 months.

As he is on a research progamme we had no choice in the follow up now he is in remission . There were 4 possibilities - another round of Chemo , nothing at all , Maintenance treatment , or Chemo + Maintenance.

While Raymond was having his blood taken he was 'randomised' and the computer decided he would get 1 more round of Chemo and then this maintenance treatment [ 5 days treatment every 6 weeks for about 6 months ]

We are expecting a phone call this afternoon with todays blood test results and a date for his re-admission [ remember they have but 18 beds and we are waiting in fact for someone to be discharged to get a bed for Raymond ]

Meantime I'm going around muttering to myself

"Glory to God for all things "

I cannot adequately express my thanks to you all for your prayers and support

Dearest Anhelyna,

Glory to God!

You and Raymond have been in your 'spiritual desert' through this experience... (that is my priest's description of prayerful psychological retreat-- most often in times of distress and great trial-- from the cares of worldly things)

I pray that the blessings and spiritual graces which 'desert' experiences bring all of us, will remain with us, even when we have come through them and back into everyday reality.

I also continue to pray for Raymond's physical endurance through all of the maintenance treatments to come.

Again, we rejoice with you...GLORY TO GOD!

May God bless you both,

In Christ, our Hope,
Alice

Well having had the phone call from Hospital late this afternoon, - his white count has indeed continued to rise and not a single leukaemic cell has been detected.

We are to phone the hospital on Wednesday to see if there is a bed - if so Chemo will start ASAP and then get followed by out patient treatment for 5 days every 6 weeks for 54 weeks.

We are starting some of the preliminary work for this round of Chemo this weekend - but it's done at home.

I really don't think that either of us are fearing the future to quite the same extent - we are sure that we will beat this despite a 5 yr survival rate of less than 40%.

Please continue to pray with me

Good news, The Lord is good to us, more prayers and then some more,
In Christ
Matt

PRAISE GOD! GLORY TO GOD! THANK YOU JESUS! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! GOD IS SO GOOD!

Continued prayers for Raymond.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the prayers of Your Most Holy Mother and all Your Saints, look with much mercy and heal Your servant Raymond, have much mercy, Lord!, and strengthen in patience Raymond and Anhelyna, have much mercy, and relieve this sorrow and heal wonderfully Your faithful servant Raymond.

Christ is Risen! Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto ages of ages. Amen.

m+

Slava Isusu Christu ! (Glory Be To Jesus Christ!)
Slava Na Viki! (Glory Be Forever!)

I am so happy for you! Words just don't epress how I feel at this news. You have been such a pillar of strength for your husband and many others and have done so much to help those in need.

There are Sanctuary Lamps being lit in two different churches near where I live for you and Raymond and your family. There will be Liturgies said as well. And there's another one that is a surprise I'm keeping to myself for just a bit yet. You'll find about it from the source soon, I hope.

Know that we all care for you. You have shown true Christian spirit throughout this entire ordeal, caring for others even though you have your own "spiritual desert." (I really like that and plan on using it, It just expresses perfectly what it is like to be going through something like that.) Thanks for the candle. I'm doing better and getting stronger. My left arm is almost back to normal and considering it was completely dead not too long ago, that's saying a lot. I went from looking like a stroke victim to looking normal in just a few weeks. God is helping me everyday. As he will continue to help you, your family and Raymond. Now, get those tickets to Lourdes and let Raymond see for himself!

Tim

Xpucmoc Bockpec!

Anhelyna,

“…blood and water came forth. And he who has seen has testified…” John 19:34-5

Trust in His will as He has first hand knowledge. May your joy increase. As I am writing a candle burns for you in the local Orthodox church I attended Vespers this evening.

Mykhayl

Well - I'm just back from taking him in again for his third , and hopefully last , round of Chemo.

After this is over he will be on the maintenance programme for the next 54 weeks !

Some of the nursing staff , when I took him in, could not believe how well he looked - he's been our having good walks in decent weather and has put on 3Kg since he came home !!

Lord have mercy

Prayers for you and Raymond!

I have several kg extra and would love to be able to somehow transfer it to someone in need...

Dear Anhelyna,

I remembered you and your husband in a number of churches in Nice last week.

Alex

Father Anthony is in meetings today, and this can be very tricky to do, so I have started a thread w/Alex's request and would kindly ask if you could reply again there. Thanks!

Alice, Moderator

Good luck to Raymond on his current round of Chemo. I'm glad he's putting on weight. That's a great sign.

Take care and tell Raymond to keep it up! We are all pulling for him.

Tim

Prayers continuing...

james

Prayers for your husband.

Well that's hopefully, his last round of IV Chemo finished today .

This session has not been totally trouble free - he's on IV Antibiotics at present but is looking better as his temp is now stabilising.

I have no idea at present how his bloods are doing - but we are now back in the waiting period.

Thank you all for your support

Glory to God!!!

Continuing...

Prayers continue daily....

May I crave some extra prayers please ?

Today we learnt that Raymond's white count has decreased to a very low level . This was to be expected - it's meant to happen

However he should now be moved to one of the 6 single Laminar Flow , pressure controlled rooms for his own safety to protect him from infection .

BUT

They are all in use and he has to remain in an 'open' 4 bed bay which is less than ideal.

He will be moved as soon as a room is free - but no-one knows when that will be.

This is now a rather scary situation

Prayers for God's intervention for all to work out well for Raymond...

In Christ,
Alice

You have given us grace at this time to offer You a common prayer together and have promised that when two or three are gathered together in Your name - which we are across the internet -, that You will grant their requests; fulfill, Lord, the prayers of Your servants, for healing for Raymond, which are for our welfare, grant us the knowledge of Your truth in this world and life everlasting in the world to come. Amen.

AMEN!!

Thank God

I have just received an SMS from Raymond - he is now in one of the 6 Isolation rooms !!

I'm not asking how it was done - the room he is now in ,had a red warning notice on it yesterday - "Do not enter without speaking to the Nursing Staff "

However that scary situation has been resolved thanks be to God.

Thank you all once more

I missed all of this latest but just read it and add my prayers of thanksgiving.
CS

Slava Isusu Christu! (Glory to Jesus Christ!)
Slava Na Viki! (Glory Forever!)

I'm very happy things are working out for you. We are all praying daily and thinking of you and Raymond. The move to the isolation room is wonderful news. That should help a lot. I hope he doesn't have to stay very long in the hospital. You always recover faster and better at home.

Tim

Lord of the Powers be with us, for in times of distress we have no other help but You.
Lord of the Powers, have mercy on Raymond.

UPDATE

He's home

well till Monday morning anyway - then he starts the 6 week cycles of Maintenance chemo which is done as an outpatient

Thank you all so much for your support.

glory to God! May God continue to renew your strength as on the wings of the snow white dove

Thanks, God. Please keep Raymond healthy and at home, where Anhelnya wants him.

Tim

AMEN!!!

Continuing prayers!

God bless,

Gordo

Prayers continue for my beloved sister and Raymond.

Praying for Raymond.

peace and blessings.

My prayers.

Thought it was time for an update.

The first round of outpatient Chemo went OK - there is a snag though - the first day of it took all day ! Blood tests had to be done first and the results checked and only then could the Hospital Pharmacy start to prepare the drug. Eventually some 6 hours after arriving at hospital he got the 2 injections and 20 mins later we were on the way home. The other 4 days injections were given in the Day Medical Unit nearer home - no problems at all .

Since then he has had , and will continue to have , weekly blood tests - white count still going up slightly so that's good.

We were hoping to go away in October for a few days - but what with a further Bone Marrow Biopsy to be done then and a round of Chemo and then bloods after that , it's not looking too hopeful. He can't fly anywhere yet so going to France by train [ the orginal tentative plan ] is a bit dodgy - we would be spending at least 4 days on a train

However not giving up yet

Life is getting back to normal - he has started riding horses again - though can't do any stable work , travel by bus is not yet permitted so he's doing a fair bit of walking.

Obviously this 6 week cycle is going to be rather restrictive - but if it is what's to be - then we'll just get on with it for as long as it takes.

Many many thanks for all your prayers

I hope the Moderator will understand why I have made this rather long post here - and forgive me

Prayers continue for both of you.

Thanks for your update. Ofcourse there are times on prayer threads where more than just the prayer is called for.

In Christ,
Alice