Here we go

The countdown has begun. Dogger will be admitted to Moffitt on February 15. (I'm taking the day after Valentine's Day as a good sign...love will still be in the air.) We have to be there by 10:30 am. He'll get admitted by 11:30 and his surgery is scheduled for 1:30. (They'll be putting the line into his chest. I'm not thrilled with this part.) After surgery he'll begin chemotherapy that afternoon.

Then he stays there and I'll return home. He's scheduled for chemo daily until Sunday the 20th. He'll get Sunday & Monday to rest (which he'll be ready for). Christian's tickets and hotel have been booked. He and his fiancee will arrive on the 18th and leave the 25th. Christian definitely has the easier part. He'll get a shot twice a day (8a and 4p). This will get his body to superproduce the stem cells that they'll collect. The only side effect to this will be some discomfort in his breast bone (sort of like getting punched in the chest).

He'll begin his shots on Saturday (the 19th) and will continue through the 23rd. They've scheduled the 22nd and 23rd for collection days. They'll do a count of how many cells they've collected. They have to have a minimum of 3-5 million cells. But anything over 5 million, they stop counting and Dogger still gets it all, they don't cut it off. Christian and his fiancee will return to Texas on Friday (the 25th).

We had to plan a "buffer day" in case they needed to do an additional collection. If it looks fine and they want to fly home sooner, they can pay to change their tickets. I got their hotel booked today at the Holiday Inn. It's close to the hospital (free shuttle to and from) and they have a special rate for family of Moffitt patients.

So that's everything. The tickets are booked, the hotel is reserved, everyone knows what their part is and where they have to be when. This will be our last full week together and then he goes in and we begin our next adventure. I pray that God will continue to be close to Dogger and to bring him through all of this the same happy, loving and wonderful man who will become cancer free.

To all of our friends and family, our sincerest thanks and appreciation for your kind words and prayers. I've no doubt of their ability to work miracles. We are truly blessed by everyone who has offered their help, words of encouragement and offers of distraction and whatever else you provide. It's truly and deeply appreciated.

All our love and thanks.