tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33702142011-10-25T13:10:27.175-05:00My experiences with leukemia, blindness, and life in generalJohn Slatinnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-65099668093986828222009-03-27T18:36:00.004-05:002009-03-27T18:52:36.675-05:00

Anna, Mason, Melissa, Peter, Nevah, Hannah, Jay, and Mafalda have been commemorating the one year anniversary of John's passing in Paris, John's favorite city. We will update you soon. Love, Anna

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-90190715977098832452009-03-10T09:38:00.005-05:002009-03-20T11:34:52.244-05:00

Hi everyone: Reaching out to you with love---I have found myself reliving a lot of beautiful and sad experiences from last year at this time. Peter, Nevah, Hannah, Mason, Melissa, Jay and I will be joined in Paris by Mafalda where we will commemorate the 1-year anniversary of John's passing. In the blogpost before this one, there is a description of our ceremony plans.For March 24th, we will read

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-91815051849890274382009-01-18T15:52:00.005-06:002009-01-18T16:37:34.319-06:00

Dearest friends and family:To mark the anniversary of John's death last March, Peter Slatin, Nevah Assang, Hannah Slatin, Mason Carroll, Melissa Craven, Jay Byrd, Mafalda Stasi and I will be gathering in Paris for the core dates of March 23, 24th, and 25th. You are invited too.We plan some simple events for the 23rd-25th:March 23 will focus on "Past"--with memories of John in Paris, to be held at

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-59160382062431625582008-12-09T13:15:00.003-06:002008-12-10T12:45:33.412-06:00

56 years ago today, john came into this world, to myles and diana at a hospital in buffalo. when he died eight months ago in houston, i climbed into the hospital bed with him, covering us both up with the dayglow lime green blanket......it felt peaceful, surrounded by our family. so much love.soooooo much love and impact he had while here.a year ago, 85 people showed up on short notice to laredo

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-27483308514152774152008-04-30T16:58:00.002-05:002008-04-30T17:14:05.508-05:00

Loved ones: Dillon died at 4:30pm today in the presence of Jay Byrd, Diane Colvard, Jack McKinney, and myself. He had been unable to walk properly since yesterday and spent his time lying on the grass on the front yard and then last night on the grounds of Dancing Waters Inn at friend David Baker's in Wimberley.Jay and Jack carried him into the vet's today on his "blue cloud" rug, while he lay

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-88216514699597305592008-04-28T17:18:00.003-05:002008-04-28T18:02:45.004-05:00

Hi all:It is very sad to see Dillon, who provided so much beautiful service as a guide dog to John (and opened our hearts wide wide wide) growing weaker. I don't think he will be long for this world and I will keep you posted. He has greeted so many people over the last month and continues to love to be petted as he lies down and dozes most of the time.So many of you have helped me and continue

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-32730767605440292102008-04-15T10:23:00.004-05:002008-04-28T17:18:39.113-05:00

Thanks again for all of the loving messages, gifts, and invitations I've received from you guys. Each and every one of these connections has been healing, helpful, and hopeful to me. I look forward to more and more time and lovely conversations with you. A few messages ago, I mentioned carrying forward John's mission. I know that this is already being done by so many of you in the wonderful work

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-69996705753125343742008-04-12T09:49:00.002-05:002008-04-12T09:53:40.086-05:00

Hi there: I just had the grief & joy experience of reading the newly posted words of these 5 individuals who also spoke at John's Memorial Service. You can find their words by going to the edited post on April 9th. I love you all!Anna

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-21821900208076961052008-04-09T14:26:00.012-05:002008-04-12T09:48:42.512-05:00

Dr. Evan Carton, UT English ProfessorOpening Meditation (Malachey Elyon)The Hebrew word for angel is malach. Which also means messenger. One who is sent.Not the cherubic creatures that adorn architecture or valentines. Malachey Elyon, messengers of the most high, may be anyone who is sent. It is required only that there be an errand, a message.One thing separates Malachey Elyon from other sorts

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-21135289185764266642008-04-08T13:34:00.004-05:002008-04-08T15:50:22.821-05:00

Hi everyone: Thank you so very much for your messages of love and support. Many of you are emailing, calling, coming by, and maintaining your lovely connections. Thanks for the touching comments on this blog. You are easing my pain for sure and I am so grateful for your kind acts.We really really are about to post the notes for the memorial service--you will see it tomorrow. Also I have a CD of

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-72982576054446568232008-04-01T14:40:00.012-05:002008-04-02T15:05:06.290-05:00

Hi all: Thanks again for all of your support. It has taken me a couple of days to go in as an "administrator" of the blog (which I didn't know I was:) and set it up to receive comments. I know a lot of you, particularly from out of town, would like to share memories, stories, or comments about John's life. To prevent spam, the comments will be quickly reviewed before posting--probably by Diane

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-30899370606004743822008-03-31T15:57:00.011-05:002008-04-09T16:55:29.058-05:00

In Memoriam, John Slatin, 1952-2008Photo taken of John by Sally Weber, New Year's 2008 at "The Plant," country home of Dana Friis-Hansen and Mark Holzbach in Kyle, TexasLove abounds and John was so exquisitely remembered and celebrated at yesterday's events! I love you all so much!I am asking all of the speakers from yesterday (if I haven't talked to you yet) to email notes so that we can offer

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-43618773887250768212008-03-27T15:44:00.004-05:002008-03-27T15:56:33.509-05:00

Please join us for two events honoring John's life this Sunday, March 30:Memorial Service 2-4pmUniversity of Texas Alumni Center (on UT campus)2110 San Jacinto Boulevard, Austin TX 78712Street parking and underground parking available on San JacintoBarbeque supper in the Hill Country (with vegetarian options)5:30 pm onOpen mic for your remembrances of John, and music by LZ LoveSalt Lick Pavillion

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-47845563430980085472008-03-26T07:36:00.006-05:002008-03-26T08:20:32.718-05:00

Hi all: Peter, Myles, Ledia, Mason, Wolf, Melissa, and I returned home to Austin at 7pm to a houseful of loving people to eat, cry and laugh with. More than a dozen angels from our dance group, having heard how traumatized I felt about walking into the house so infused with everything "John & Anna," had re-arranged furniture and wall art in the whole house to make it fresh and comfortable! Larkin

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-35125428557834169482008-03-25T00:20:00.003-05:002008-04-10T09:14:55.867-05:00

John passed away at 10pm tonight in the presence of Anna, Peter, Mason and Melissa. His breathing became softer and breaths further apart as Peter told him it was ok to let go, and we had just started playing Lakshmi's gentle meditation CD. Ledia, Wolf, and Myles joined us in the hospital room a few minutes later.Earlier Lakshmi Jackman, Sharron Rush, Celia Hughes and John Van Strien had visited

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-51410282712133347582008-03-24T14:26:00.004-05:002008-03-24T14:53:30.237-05:00

Today, Peter, Mason, Melissa and I were here when Dr. Jones told us that John's kidney and lungs were shutting down and that the liver and heart were very stressed. Also platelets are extremely low. We made the tough decison to take the doctor's recommendation and pull away all of the medicines that would prolong his suffering. Also they willl do no more blood tests as it would cause bleeding.

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-11615525192090193942008-03-24T04:34:00.002-05:002008-03-24T05:08:50.653-05:00

Hi all: It is very early Monday a.m. I didn't sleep much as John is breathing hard. When the nurses move him or do a breathing treatment, he seems in pain. Then I ask them to give him more pain medication and he breathes more quietly. Although I wake up some here, this is the most restful place for me to sleep. During the day, when others are here I can curl up for a nap now and then. This is

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1029999858474910642008-03-21T15:04:00.002-05:002008-03-21T15:36:36.625-05:00

Ledia, Mason, Myles, Peter and I have been sitting in John's room, with Ledia and Mason switching out to take care of baby Wolf at Rotary House, as children under 12 are not allowed on this floor. Bill Nemir just arrived this minute from Austin. Mason's girlfriend Melissa plus Allison Orr, Judith Sokolow and George LaSalle will come tomorrow. It has been a peaceful "time out of time" experience

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-44729832273133790872008-03-20T09:39:00.002-05:002008-03-20T11:26:55.083-05:00

Hi sweet ones: It is Thursday morning and we are listening to gentle African music in John's room. Hope Lipnick, close friend and Jewish chaplain here at the hospital, is visiting. Luis, very (sweet and caring sitter from Honduras who comes in every day at 7am and stays most of the day) was just massaging John's neck gently from the side of the bed. I called Jewish Family Services and hired Luis

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-47608594523658891492008-03-17T09:20:00.006-05:002008-03-18T09:24:41.791-05:00

Hi all: The photo here was taken Thurs, when Dillon, Diane, Jack, Morgan, Will (Morgan's guide), and Richard visited with us in the hospital lobby. I love how golden retriever Will looks so concerned for Dillon and John. Just wanted to say a quick hello, and update you that John's pneumonia is worse. They have increased his supplemental oxygen and he is using a clear plastic mask over nose and

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-39039070166152765072008-03-15T07:38:00.004-05:002008-03-15T10:13:42.719-05:00

Since our last post a few days ago, we find ourselves on an even more difficult journey. John's speech has gotten even more slurred, coordination of legs and hands more difficult, and brain going through changes that make it hard for him to understand others and be understood himself. On top of that, John has a very painful bladder condition (they think it is a BK virus common to

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-2747479583348479992008-03-15T03:16:00.001-05:002008-03-15T05:06:24.406-05:00

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-56563906452691452722008-03-10T23:05:00.002-05:002008-03-11T00:57:35.246-05:00

Hi all: We want to start by thanking my amazing sister Patti and our brother in law Dennis who spent a 3-day weekend here taking care of John, me, and Papa Joe (Dennis' dad) who is in his 90s.It has been quite a demanding week and I have to admit feeling a bit overwhelmed and distressed with John's neurological symptoms from the radiation injury. Also, tomorrow he will have a bronchoscopy to

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-26748129200725477942008-03-07T04:43:00.002-06:002008-03-07T05:54:44.770-06:00

Loved ones: Dr. Forman came in yesterday afternoon and informed us that he neurology "tissue committee" met yesterday with a crowd of pathologists who specialize in brain pathology and they concluded the same thing Mason and I figured out (via net surfing on phrases we had picked up from the doctors) to be what is going on in John's brain---good brain cells are being damaged by the radiation he

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-6890468396411902212008-03-05T15:34:00.002-06:002008-03-05T15:38:23.490-06:00

Hi all: We are back on the bone marrow floor, in Green 1174, under the care of Dr. Andersson and his team (plus many consulting doctors). With the surgery, pneumonia, six or more medical disciplines involved, and the complexity of John's neurological symptoms, we've been constantly in motion since our last post. My part has been talking with doctors and nurses, helping them with John's day to day

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-28566373860527202622008-03-01T00:37:00.003-06:002008-03-01T00:57:06.083-06:00

Hi everyone: Thanks to so many of you for the amazing emails and calls after the last update. You guys have encouraged us all the way!Around 7pm, they moved John from the recovery room into Room 802 where he is on constant monitoring of his vital signs and he is being watched by nurse one on one. His nurse is Raja and knew her from the rehab wing on the other side of the floor. Peter and Mason

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-16366016089741644812008-02-29T16:44:00.002-06:002008-02-29T16:50:29.237-06:00

Very quick note: John's surgery was finished at 3:30 and he is in the recovery room. They started the surgery at 8:30am and there were some MRI scans along the way. We are about to visit John in the recovery room. He tolerated the surgery well and they got a piece of "abnormal" tissue. Dr. Prabhu said the tissue was not any kind of cancer tumor and didn't appear to be an active infection, but it

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-21551088093800981912008-02-29T08:03:00.002-06:002008-02-29T09:30:22.933-06:00

Hi all: I left John with the anaesthesiologist and two nurses this morning at 7:15. All three were friendly and re-assuring. They seemed to know a lot about John, his medical history and even his profession--as they called him Professor Slatin right away. John was alternately relaxed and talking nervously, definitely ready to get the surgery started. We were both awake a lot last night--John

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-37901903465189466032008-02-27T04:10:00.002-06:002008-02-27T05:33:22.132-06:00

Hi there loved ones: So much and so little has happened in the last few days. So much waiting for medicines to work--now around 6 weeks that John has taken anti-fungals and other brain infection meds. So much time back in the hospital recovering from the pneumonia and experiencing same plus additional neurological problems--like swallowing problems that risk John aspirating food into lungs (a

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-69080778696158485632008-02-21T23:28:00.005-06:002008-02-22T00:57:33.102-06:00

Hi cheering squad: Yesterday was Dillon's 11th birthday and he celebrated in the lobby of the hospital with John, Diane Colvard (the angel who brought him from Austin and his primary caregiver while we are in Houston), Peg Syverson visiting from Austin, and me. It was the happiest few hours in John's whole day--I could tell by his non-stop smile!Today was a busy day, with lots of doctors and

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-42970756607387449152008-02-20T11:47:00.002-06:002008-02-20T12:16:40.145-06:00

Wednesday 2/20. Thanks for so many encouraging emails and calls! At 8:00 pm we decided to do something fun to pick up our spirits, so we asked permission for John get off his IVs for a bit, so that I could wheel him over to Rotary House for dinner. It was lots of fun eating in the bar there, splitting a cheeseburger (plus John's onion rings and my salad) while watching the favorable election

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-43729384884373075672008-02-19T18:20:00.002-06:002008-02-19T18:46:23.207-06:00

This is a short post, as the energy is drained from both of us. Dr. Forman came over around 5:30 p.m. to tell us the results of this morning's MRI with anaesthesia. (By the way, they did the MRI planned for Friday this a.m. because the slot opened up when someone else cancelled. This MRI was of the brain, for the purpose of comparing it to the earlier MRIs of the brain.) Dr. told us that here

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-29214362388440577422008-02-16T11:19:00.008-06:002008-04-09T17:01:16.705-05:00

Happy Sunday all--Both of us wish we could go to dance and then have a nice brunch like we usually do on Sunday--Perhaps we can have a modified version--At least listening to fun music on our boombox and eating goodies I can bring from La Madeleine in Rice Village. We'll see how John's stomach feels later. He's has some stomach problems--perhaps from antibiotics, perhaps from something else.The

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-12025268277404467502008-02-14T16:56:00.003-06:002008-02-14T17:35:44.640-06:00

Hi all: Sorry to shower you with so many emails today. Part of the reason for doing this update today instead of tomorrow is to inform our kinfolk--like Myles and Peter and Mason and Ledia and Marge and Patti, etc.--who are awaiting MRI results from this a.m.'s 2-hour MRI of John's neck and upper spine, and some imaging of the head.Starting with John himself--he's walked around twice today with

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-76533410577151106332008-02-14T14:20:00.003-06:002008-02-14T14:27:05.296-06:00

One of the previous pictures posted is way too small and it doesn't do justice to John and Jim Thatcher! This was taken while Jim was reading the Lance Armstrong Foundation Manifesto to John. Glenda Sims is the wonderful photographer who captured this beautiful moment! Thank you to both of you for all your love and kindness! Anna

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-16835847936516931952008-02-14T10:02:00.006-06:002008-04-09T17:07:58.274-05:00

Hello dear friends,I am posting the promised pictures I wish to share with you of both John and Dillon! Love to all of you! Anna

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-77707437991183337642008-02-14T05:03:00.003-06:002008-02-14T06:19:38.250-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone--John certainly feels the love that comes from all of you. And so do I. Thank you. He would like me to tell you about three amazing valentine's gifts before we get back to the blow by blow here at the hospital.On Tuesday, Jim Thatcher and Glenda Sims came here and spent the day hanging out with John--joking and talking shop, and he found it delightful. Sharron Rush

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-51909763609330369912008-02-10T14:37:00.000-06:002008-02-10T17:23:41.076-06:00

Hi there: It is Sunday, 2:37 pm and John just finished having a breathing treatment. A respiratory therapist comes by about 4 times a day and places a clear plastic mask over his nose and mouth. Running through the mask is a warm cloudy mist of a medicine called xopenex (mixed with ipratropium bromide) that opens the bronchial passages. It lasts for about 7 minutes. Mason and Melissa and I

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-49654080405047159162008-02-08T08:18:00.000-06:002008-02-08T08:50:47.479-06:00

Hi there: It is Friday morning and I am sitting in a large atrium called "The Park" below John's new room on G11, the bone marrow transplant floor. I am drinking coffee and deciding that I should update you guys on what is and isn't happening. I can summarize by saying that we still don't know very much about what is causing John's walking and talking problems, but there are many doctors trying

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-89425903318640132122008-02-06T21:54:00.001-06:002008-02-06T22:43:32.164-06:00

Sweet ones: Thanks for your calls and emails. Everyone wants to know exactly what we want to know--MRI results, diagnoses, and next steps--To make sense of all of this chaos happening with John and in our lives, of what Dr. Forman calls the "mischief"And yet, nothing seemed to happen today. We had been admitted late last night to Room P602 on the leukemia floor, with the idea of transferring--

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-316182686838781412008-02-05T17:03:00.000-06:002008-02-05T17:22:49.401-06:00

Quick note from the ER at MD Anderson Hospital, Houston. John oxygenation was below 90%, so they did another chest X-ray, blood gases, and other tests. Results show pneumonia. They are starting an infusion of a different kind of antibiotic, while continuing his oral medications that include, I think 3 antibiotics. The physician's assistant who was just in the room told me that John's chest pains,

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-76820484006845201722008-02-05T07:22:00.000-06:002008-02-05T07:44:39.913-06:00

Hi all: This is just a quick note to many who've been following and especially in Austin--the folks who've signed up to help this week with rides and food for his infusions.John is getting weaker and weaker. At first we thought it was the ambisome treatments that cause chills and chest pains and some nausea. But John's walking is getting worse--he can't go more than a few steps (and has to have

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-2416338060193051392008-01-31T20:01:00.000-06:002008-01-31T20:53:23.459-06:00

It is peaceful here at home. We arrived at 1pm after a very long 24 hours in Houston. Dillon greeted both of us by walking between our legs. I got to work hard all afternoon on a real work project with Diane, who had taken care of Dillon in her home. John took a nap. Brianne went out and bought groceries for John that included pear almond muffins, eggs, fresh squeezed orange juice, and a brownie

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-52168762283577502202008-01-30T21:14:00.000-06:002008-01-30T21:59:13.326-06:00

From John: Hello, everyone. It's 9pm and we've just switched to a new room at MD Anderson in the outpatient clinic. We have several more hours before we get to sleep in "our own" bed, and miles to go before we sleep, and miles to go before we sleep.Anna was just talking to her sister Patti, an RN, and learned almost by accident--a drug that we were given two weeks ago creates multiple side

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-17086541057662719182008-01-30T16:36:00.000-06:002008-01-30T16:49:49.381-06:00

Hi there. John is currently waiting for infusions of saline, magnesium, and ambisome in the ATC tranfusion unit (2nd floor), a particularly inefficient unit (IMO) at M. D. Anderson. I think the Fox news and 2 stale coffepots always on, combined with our average wait in the small waiting room of 2 hours (based on only 4 visits here) makes for a difficult venue. Dr. Andersson will meet us here

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-59972542166592361302008-01-29T17:29:00.000-06:002008-01-29T17:54:41.129-06:00

Hi everyone: We are in Room 429 at Rotary House. We came to M.D. Anderson yesterday after John's dizziness seemed to be getting a bit worse and his speech was intermittently reverting to its previous slurredness. He had taken 10 days of ambisome infusions and 5 oral drugs (for infections they are hypothesizing as the likely cause of problems). Although we had seen quick improvement in speech and

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-77603745397690908632008-01-24T21:43:00.000-06:002008-01-24T22:01:53.896-06:00

John (as dictated to Anna): Good evening. Let me give you some sense of what my day has been like this past week. On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, we spent days and early evenings at Seton Hospital, first going to admissions, presenting insurance ID and filling out forms, being assigned a room upstairs, and going up to the 7th floor to my room—a different room each time, getting vital signs

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-724484915370854522008-01-20T10:37:00.000-06:002008-01-20T11:11:49.772-06:00

From John:Hi all. I am about to go to Seton Hospital for Day 3 of my anti-fungal infusion. I certainly hope the 3-hour infusion will not require 9 hours at the hospital, as it did yesterday (Day 2)! Day 1 had been at MD Anderson and it took 3 hours. At Seton, there were a lot of bureaucratic hold-ups and some mishaps with the nurse not noticing for 2 hours that the IV machine had stopped the

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-7218675217602187552008-01-18T19:34:00.000-06:002008-01-18T20:07:29.637-06:00

It is 7:38pm Friday and we are still at the 10th outpatient infusion clinic ("ATC" for Ambulatory Treatment Center) at MD Anderson in Houston, while John completes his anti-fungal medicine called ambisome. It was a very busy day in which an MRI, lumbar puncture (spinal fluid tap), lab visit for blood draw, visit to neurologist Dr. Art Forman, chasing down prescriptions to take to Austin, chasing

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-43794339112283486372008-01-17T19:05:00.000-06:002008-01-17T19:28:22.355-06:00

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! Dodged another bullet. Instead of preparing for brain surgery, I'm having Vietnamese food in preparation for being discharged TONIGHT!!!It turns out that after many doctors did and didn't make contact as efficiently as was desired, neuronsurgeons Dr. Weinberg and his department chair reviewed the MRIs again and decided that the affected ares in John's brain were too small to

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-39482262039380422202008-01-16T15:32:00.000-06:002008-01-16T15:59:57.324-06:00

This has been a confusing, somewhat chaotic week of plans, changes, and an overload of medical information. John, Mason, and I have learned way more than we ever wanted to know about craniotomy, brain biopsies, infection, treatments for infections, being rushed, and then....and then..... waiting.Which is what we are doing now. Having agreed that a biopsy of the infection or lesion is necessary

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-36209462247271181492008-01-16T15:21:00.001-06:002008-01-16T15:21:47.252-06:00

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-41768952318792102182008-01-15T19:22:00.000-06:002008-01-15T19:42:15.474-06:00

Tues 7:30pmWe wanted to let everyone know where we are and how we're doing. We're in our room at MD Anderson Hospital, G-1147, c/o Anna's phone 512-431-6619.Yesterday and today have been very intense, involving many conversations with doctors after putting a hold on the diagnostic craniotomy Dr. Forman planned--purposes of determining what is in being seen--inflammation? fungal, viral, or

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-62984006561830130562008-01-13T17:59:00.000-06:002008-01-13T18:28:03.298-06:00

Quick update from Anna as so many have called and written. First to clarify our access---John's email is not working here so you may wish to email John through me at annac@interactiondesign.com.John is eating beef udon noodles with veggies. Mason and I picked it up on the way back from Bush Intercontinental (Did I really have to type that name?) where Mason arrived from San Francisco. Welcome

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-6399451618332829102008-01-12T09:25:00.000-06:002008-01-12T10:13:24.254-06:00

Hi everyone: This is from both John and Anna. Each of us has had a lot of technical difficulties lately getting into the blog to post--with passwords and disappearing messages, etc. so we are jotting this down quickly so we can click the "publish post" button in hopes this will reach you. We plan to follow it up with a more longer post later today or tomorrow.John came for a follow-up MRI and

annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13417970058921109109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-30871289109686060412007-12-10T10:08:00.000-06:002007-12-10T12:47:02.693-06:00

We have the most amazing party yesterday evening. The official occasion was to celebrate my 55th birthday, and it did that in grand style. But really, the point was to celebrate the fact that we're alive, hear to celebrate. It seems like a million people turned out -- from UT , from the accessibility community, from family and friends, and from BodyChoir. sometime during the afternoon the

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-80214298369014051212007-12-01T22:13:00.000-06:002007-12-01T22:34:05.222-06:00

Speaking of Anna being in her element, he or she is again, inviting you to yet another party! Yankee! I know some of you live in in other towns, reason you can't come! Here's AnnaPastes edit menuPlease join us to celebrate John's 55th birthday on Sunday, December 9th at 6pm at Cantina Laredo at 201 West 3rd, corner of Colorado and 3rd. (A few dollarstoward drinks gratefully accepted.)   If

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-82763115881265779962007-11-29T10:18:00.000-06:002007-11-29T10:23:35.862-06:00

Written by John, with additional notes and editorial fixes by Anna Another update. And Diane, not to mention quote help" from deck Dragon NaturallySpeaking. So much has happened since the last time I wrote, and no amount of time will allow me to catch you up—but here are a few highlights: First, Dillon. He seems to be doing okay, for a sickie. He sleeps most of the time (and in the cold, wet

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-52017457511048666312007-10-19T11:00:00.001-05:002007-10-19T11:00:53.832-05:00

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-956946519618831292007-10-18T17:22:00.000-05:002007-10-18T17:47:04.772-05:00

• Anna and I went to Hyde Park for dinner tonight, and had a good meal and great conversation. At the end of the meal, the waiter came up, somewhat hesitantly, and asked, didn't you used to travel with a dog? I said I did and explained that Dillon was sick -- that he was home with cancer, and retired-- and the waiter said that he’d wanted to ask but had been afraid to because there would

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-71870596441249497692007-10-02T21:39:00.000-05:002007-10-02T21:40:45.111-05:00

Dillon’s in a lot of pain today, and he seems also to be confused by my use of Dragon Naturally Speaking, a program that allows you to dictate to the computer instead of typing to it. It's very hard to hear him panting so hard, and know that he's suffering so much. I don't know what to do and he can't tell me what he needs. He's such a wonderful dog, and I try saying the Buddhist prayer that

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-20588303234963626112007-10-02T13:03:00.001-05:002007-10-02T13:20:39.004-05:00

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-48946468286908170102007-09-20T10:45:00.000-05:002007-09-20T10:52:14.697-05:00

Hi ya’ll:Tuesday, September 18th--That sound you heard in the background, if you heard it in the background, is the sound of road noise because we are on the way back from Houston to Austin--from MD Anderson to home. There’s good news. Dr. Foreman, my neurologist, told us that today’s MRI, as contrasted with the one taken ten days ago, showed that there had probably been an inflammation of some

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-70274632461364683532007-08-13T20:59:00.000-05:002007-08-13T21:40:45.328-05:00

It's 9:15 Monday evening.Dillon is sleeping peacefully in the living ro or actually on the hard pine floor, half his body in the dining room, half in the living room, so that I have to move very carefully and slowly to get around him without stepping on or tripping over him.We've decided against amputating his leg. We thought about it and cried about it long and hard, and read

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-41991304179042077252007-07-30T09:11:00.001-05:002007-07-30T09:52:15.174-05:00

He does have cancer after all. I'm devastated, and so is Anna, who heard the news (from me) shortly before leaving Seoul, S. Korea, where she spent last week on business while I came on home from our wonderful trip to Cape Cod.I took him to the Snall Animal clinic at Texas A&M because no one here could read the xrays, and in fact the cancer didn't show on ordinary xrays-- only on a CT scan, which

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-37580043423476001332007-07-22T16:35:00.000-05:002007-07-24T13:15:19.474-05:00

This is just a quick note. We spent a wonderful week on Cape Cod, at the beautiful home of our friends Steve and Helen, on Scraggy Neck, near Catawmet. I sat on the deck, enjoying the sun and the breeze in the trees and the crash of the waves on the beach a few hundred feet away. One afternoon Steve and Helen and I went out in the boat for 45 minutes or so; another day Anna a and I drove down

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-31599882186518016412007-06-25T08:56:00.000-05:002007-06-25T09:18:57.679-05:00

Today-- June 25, 2007-- marks two years since I was first diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. I'n here!!It was in the Emergency Room at St. David's Hospital on 32d Street in Austin. Anna took me in there with the help of our trainer, Marc Heard, knowing that I'd resist, knowing that I'd argue we'd seen the cardiologist teh day before and he'd set up one more test for us on Tuesday (this was

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-29914781507943921692007-06-13T19:03:00.000-05:002007-06-13T19:25:22.565-05:00

hi everyone: we are in celebration mode and have been since the moment we came home from seton hospital on monday a.m. dillon has been jumping around playfully--day & night (ughh--wants to chase sounds in the backyard fountain at 3 a.m:) since we arrived. i wanted to thank all of you for holding us in your prayers and positive intentions and for the many who have sent cards, called, and visited.

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-77511333561263142812007-06-11T20:16:00.000-05:002007-06-11T20:37:05.415-05:00

I’m sprung from the hospital! We got back to the house at about 10:45 this morning, somewhere around there; I went to bed; Anna and Diane went back to work, and Dillon bit his bed, humped it, and fell happily asleep, which nicely expresses the sheer physical pleasure of being at home.I still coldnt manage to get a functional Internet connection at Seton. Why I dunno. Hence my continued silence.

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-70927373577788773492007-06-06T22:30:00.000-05:002007-06-06T22:53:36.198-05:00

Well, I'm keeping my streak alive: I was home for 24 hours, it was wonderful, and now guess what? No, really--you have 2 guesses about where I am. If you guessed Seton Hospital in Austin, you would be right. Dr. Tucker called me at about 5:10 this afternoon and had just gotten off the phone with Dr. Jones at MD Anderson in Houston, and from what I remember of what he said, a test made yesterday

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-68632622959162267882007-05-30T11:33:00.000-05:002007-05-30T11:43:18.707-05:00

Just got report from radiologists at Gulf Coast Specialty Animal Hospital that Dillon's lesion on sternum is just degenerative disease associated with aging and not cancer!!!!! (Rice Village Animal Hospital had thought it was bone cancer and had sent x-rays to radiologists at Gulf Coast). Also Dillon has a stiff neck which could be a pinched nerce "referring down" to his right leg--Thus the limp.

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-16046372590401405642007-05-29T17:35:00.000-05:002007-05-29T17:54:05.263-05:00

Anna: Dillon has had a limp for about 10 days. Last Friday, took Dillon to vet and she checked him out and made x-rays. Nothing showed up. Limp got worse--I took him back today and vet found lesion on cervical bone (breastbone--center of chest) and said it's probably bone cancer. We'll find out more tomorrow. We are weak with sadness. When I returned John asked nurse to disconnect IV so he could

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-59490266188117321492007-05-26T21:15:00.000-05:002007-05-26T21:38:48.536-05:00

Anna here again. Believe it or not, someone from MD Anderson's IT group is on the case of getting John's email up--thanks to Sharron Rush--who called and called....and they even came on a holiday weekend!!! We'll cross our fingers and blow on them--and then wait a day or 2 to see if the magic worked.Dillon is now on the scene, and John and Dillon--with the help of wonderful occupational therapist

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-37706453303529486502007-05-23T10:04:00.001-05:002007-05-23T10:19:11.884-05:00

Hi everyone: Anna here again with quick note. John is doing quite well! We had him home from hospital since Wed but he remained dizzy for a few days plus it was difficult to do all the IVs he needed for CMV infection at home. Came to MD Anderson on Monday and since then he's been steadily stronger, finished out most of the IVs, CMV gone completely. All blood counts great now. He'll be moving to a

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-63892049827815675252007-05-16T10:56:00.000-05:002007-05-16T11:17:41.001-05:00

Anna here: Love to all of you!!!!!! The celebration continues. Just heard the news that last test John needed--bone marrow biopsy--was negative in this a.m.'s preliminary report, and we're ok to come home today!!! John has been in the hospital continuously now for 34 days and is ready to leave. Will pick up Dillon at the Cotton Club on San Felipe and thank the marvelous Cynthia.There's still a

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-86073577794658089242007-05-15T10:05:00.000-05:002007-05-15T10:15:05.880-05:00

The subject line pretty much says it all. Ledia and Paul's son, Wolf, was born at 9:30 pm last night at St. Luke's Hospital in San Francisco, with nurse midwife & doula in attendance. Very healthty baby we hear, and beautiful too (according to experts Mason and Melissa)!! It was a wonderful happy close to what had been an otherwise tense day of waiting here in Houston for my doctors and news from

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-51093864319578290092007-05-10T14:33:00.000-05:002007-05-10T15:10:09.630-05:00

Hi all: Anna here again. John is still in Room 1179 at MD Anderson in Houston. His computer is still not connected to Internet, even though he's been issued an account at the hospital--(hardware problem we need an expert to solve). When I go back to Houston on Saturday(from Austin where I came this morning), will try to have a service call made. Maybe it'll be fixed before he leaves:)---Which we

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-61605397057647090992007-05-04T11:15:00.000-05:002007-05-04T11:54:15.547-05:00

Hi all: Anna here again while John the gets spa treatment--nurse assitant Robert is giving him a sponge bath.The clinical team (Dr. Champlin is on rotation for Dr. Andersson, along with PhD pharmacist, etc.) just left and good news is that CMV infection is essentially gone; the counts have dropped enough to discharge John with tablets he can take at home. Graft vs. host disease is considered

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-39843902367432273922007-05-03T10:53:00.000-05:002007-05-03T11:15:13.124-05:00

Thia is from Anna in Austin--John is still at MD Anderson and Jay Byrd is there with him these 2 days while I work and dance! Ahhhhh--breathing out feels good.John has been in the hospital so long because the steroids he's had to take for the Graft vs. Host Disease (pretty common event for transplant patients) knocked him for several loops--extreme weakness (that made it hard to even walk a few

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-44435016327738537912007-04-28T20:11:00.000-05:002007-04-28T20:44:19.004-05:00

Hi everyone: My cyto-megalovirus is on the wane and I'm feeling stronger. Just finished a dinner of shrimp in garlic olive oil with angel hair pasta and a dessert tart of raspberries & blackberrie with whipped cream. Anna brought this from Carrabba's on Kirby.Jim Allan and KC Dignan stopped in after their visit to the Museum of Fine Arts. It was great to see them and they brought me homemade

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-2918663575649363832007-04-25T18:53:00.000-05:002007-04-25T19:31:12.182-05:00

Hi everyone: We're still at MD Anderson. Today's been much better than yesterday. Dr. Andersson and his team came in early this afternoon and said they think they figured out what the problem is. My CMV count is very high based on test results this a.m. CMV stands for cytomegalo virus, which I keep imagining as something the cyclops hurled from his mountaintop when Odysseus jeered that he'd been

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-79431580282781543942007-04-24T16:30:00.000-05:002007-04-24T16:42:48.806-05:00

Hi everyone: We arrived at MD Anderson last night. Anna is typing this from my room, 1179, in the old familiar bone marrow unit where Dr. Andersson and his team regularly make rounds. Hopefully I'll only be here for a few days. I'd been suffering from muscle weakness, low blood pressure, and rapidly lowering platelets and Dr. Andersson thinks I either have an infection masked by the steroids or

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-80865950717057534722007-04-14T12:13:00.000-05:002007-04-14T17:35:18.663-05:00

Hi, all. Thanks so much for your phone calls and emails and waves of good wishes. It all seems to be working!My liver enzymes show significant improvement-- not normal yet, but definitely headed back in that direction. Bilirubin's headed down, and so are the other ones that are just initials to me, and that's a good sign. As of today the dose of Medrol (the steroid) has been reduced from 160

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-92212865152526135992007-04-11T15:44:00.000-05:002007-04-11T16:05:42.137-05:00

Well, I did walk into the tall grass, and I've gotten mauled a bit. But it wasn't the paper tigers turning back to real ones, or not the way I thought they would, anyway. It was me, waiting for myself in the bush.In this corner… Johnny (“Graft”) Slatin… and in this corner, Johnny (“Host”) Slatin… Hard to tell Self from Other in this post-transplant era.I’ve been diagnosed with Graft vs. Host

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-74282283033044356382007-03-28T13:20:00.000-05:002007-03-28T13:35:21.392-05:00

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.I learn by going where I have to go.(Theodore Roethke, “The Waking,” 1948)I pushed it too hard yesterday, and the extreme fatigue I felt at the end of the day—heavy in body, heavy in mind, slow getting to sleep—made me realize I’ve been pushing it for a while, for example not really having given myself time to rest and recreate after coming back from four

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-68526083636744100112007-02-28T20:29:00.000-06:002007-02-28T21:08:20.265-06:00

: I did a lot today, and though I feel good I don't want to push it too hard. Anna's coming home late tonight, probably well after midnight (she's been in Indiana since Monday), and I'll want to be functional enough to talk to her when she gets in. Ledia arrives tomorrow ahead of the ceremony/party in honor of her and her new baby on Saturday, and Patti (Anna's sister) will be coming in tomorrow

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-69981947030073806312007-01-10T14:42:00.000-06:002007-01-10T14:44:22.416-06:00

Some very sad news this morning. Shareeka Hill, a young woman who was on the transplant unit at MD Anderson while I was there and who suffered terribly from Graft Versus Host Disease, died last night at about 11:15 in the Critical Care Unit. She was 23, and there is a two-year-old son named Kamran (who now lives with Shareeka’s parents, Sherry and Roland Hill, in New Iberia, Louisiana). We were

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1167086148110530962006-12-25T16:35:00.000-06:002006-12-25T16:35:48.190-06:00

There’s Big News from the Carroll-Slatin household for 2006:We’re going to be grandparents!Ledia’s pregnant! It’s going to be a boy, and he’ll be born in May, in San Francisco, where Ledia and her partner, Paul, are living and loving, pursuing their visions as artists, landscaping, plumbing, fixing up their apartment, creating the future. So we’re going to be grandparents, Anna and I—Granna and

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1164258431831914682006-11-22T23:07:00.000-06:002006-11-22T23:07:11.890-06:00

It’s Wednesday night before Thanksgiving. I’m at home, and Anna’s at BodyChoir dancing for joy and thanks. I’m not ready for that yet, but I’m thrilled that Anna can—I’ll be back before long.As one small expression of my gratitude, I want to go back ten days, to the weekend before we left M.D. Anderson, to say thanks for yet more beautiful letters.It was Anna’s birthday last Sunday (the 12th).

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1163982369589201682006-11-19T18:26:00.000-06:002006-11-19T18:26:09.796-06:00

Written on ThursdayIt appears to be true—barring some unforeseen something, we’re heading home tomorrow! It’s a joyful, exciting, slightly bittersweet time—in the three months we’ve been here we’ve met some wonderful people, formed some intense relationships, been terrified, been elated, been watchful, learned a lot about ourselves individually and together, become even closer. And now this phase

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1163479320776364142006-11-13T22:37:00.000-06:002006-11-13T22:42:00.793-06:00

Great news! We’re coming home Friday—just four days from now! We’ll have to come back to Houston Sunday night, for a bone marrow biopsy on Monday and to have my catheter removed! And then we’ll be home again Monday night to stay. I can hardly bear it!I wrote the following a few days ago but held off posting it; now I want to send it in a hurry because my computer’s acting very strange and I want

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1163284304028153402006-11-11T16:31:00.000-06:002006-11-11T16:31:44.080-06:00

Early this past Wednesday, Anna and her friend Diane started the four and a half hour  drive to Alexandria, Louisiana, to attend funeral services for Frank Jackson, who died on Sunday, to our great sorrow. They returned late that night, tired but not weary, saddened but also exhilarated by the experience. Here’s Anna’s account:drive to It was a profound experience to have driven with Diane

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1162856560036879812006-11-06T17:42:00.000-06:002006-11-06T17:42:40.116-06:00

Frank Jackson died yesterday, Sunday, at about 3:30 in the afternoon. He was in the hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana, where he’d been taken by StarFlight a week ago Friday, a few days after the doctors here had told him and his parents that there was nothing more they could do for him here. Rest in peace, Frank.Rose, Frank’s mother, thanks everyone who sent cards and thoughts and who contributed

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1162329440241075592006-10-31T15:17:00.000-06:002006-10-31T15:17:20.500-06:00

Anna talked to Frank’s mom, Rose, this morning. Frank seems to be feeling a bit better—he’s got a bit of pain this morning (so they’ve given him some meds), but he’s up and walking around the hospital floor while the plan evolves. We’re hoping his computer will be fixed and ready to go either later today or sometime tomorrow—at last report the new motherboard hadn’t come in to the repair shop yet

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1161807067260227672006-10-25T15:11:00.000-05:002006-10-25T15:11:07.270-05:00

Anna and I are off to the Lab for the ritual blood-draw, then on to the ATC for IV fluids ((equally a ritual). They’re starting to taper these off in preparation for our return to Austin (!). This means that they’ve reduced the amount of magnesium in the IV fluid and increased the number of tablets I take orally—up to four per day, starting today. We’ll see how my stomach handles it; so far I’ve

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1161805470781389512006-10-25T14:44:00.000-05:002006-10-25T14:44:30.836-05:00

Here’s a quick note from Anna, which includes a brief update about the young man I told you about the other day. He’s not doing well. Here’s Anna:Hi all: John and I look forward to returning to Austin before Thanksgiving and appreciate all of the special blessings you have sent to heal John. It is all working!!! Thanks again for your visits, cards, sweet notes, poems, books, CDs, Central Market

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1161462729606978792006-10-21T15:32:00.000-05:002006-10-21T15:32:12.013-05:00

Some bad news about another patient, a young African-American man who was in the Transplant unit when I was, whose mother and Anna have become friends: he learned today that his leukemia is back. He’s been having a really hard time all along. His transplant was in May (I think), and he was still in the Transplant unit when Anna and I came in mid-August, and still there when we left in September.

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1160849674391691512006-10-14T13:14:00.000-05:002006-10-14T13:14:34.573-05:00

Friday, Day 52, and so far a quiet day. Anna and I got to the second-floor Lab a few minutes past 6:30 and waited just a few minutes until I was called back. The blood draw was quick, efficient, and friendly, and when it was done I buttoned up my shirt, picked up my laptop bag and my fanny-pack and went back out to the Waiting Area where Anna was in fact waiting. We took Elevator A up to 10 and

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1160532264449727002006-10-10T21:04:00.000-05:002006-10-10T21:04:24.486-05:00

Just got back from the clinic a little while ago. The IV’s done for the day, and my blood counts are good: overall white count 5.6, neutrophils 2.63, hemoglobin 12.8, platelets 70 (up from 50 on Friday, which in turn had been up from 39 two days earlier), electrolytes all OK except for slightly low magnesium (I’ll resume taking the pills again at dinner tonight, hoping that this time my stomach

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370214.post-1159411885894770252006-09-27T21:51:00.000-05:002006-09-27T21:51:26.610-05:00

Hi, all. Sorry it’s been so long—over a week!—since I’ve written. Today is Day 35 post-transplant—so I’m now five weeks old!—and everything seems to be going well. My blood counts were very good yesterday—red blood 11.7, overall white count 5.0, Absolute Neutrophil count 3.04, platelets 65 (still low, but no change from Friday, meaning that the continuing drop-off from 251, the first

John Slatinnoreply@blogger.com0