Still no guests...but less cough...

Good evening everybody. I wanted to send a short update to let you know what is going on. AS you know it’s been really rough. I’ve been struggling with high fevers since Tuesday, intermittent fevers since I completed the chemo. All my vitals are great I just have this high fever. So they seem to be giving me every test under the sun to see if there is an infection anywhere that could be causing the fevers.

I am still unable to keep food down but my cough is getting better and I am getting a lot of sleep during the day. It’s hard to stay strong sometimes. Because I just feel broken down but if I close my eyes and I breathe and I pray then I can connect to my spirit and my faith. I know I will start feeling better again. I’ve had six (6) Neupogin shots and they usually say that between 5 to 10 days the Neupogin shots start to active white blood cells and the neutrophils.

For now no guests – I want to wait until the fevers are gone. Thank you for all the support and love and prayers that you are giving Noah, my family, and me. Send some out to those doctors too sot hey can figure out what is going on.

Big love and purrrs,

Victoria

Trippie dreams...but no infection...

Hey all…

As my brother said at the blog, I have been really struggling with high fevers. At this moment I have 103 and I am sweating so maybe this trend is breaking.

I’ve been sleeping 4 to 9 hours a day, babbling in my sleep and have been having trippie dreams.

The good news is every test they have given me to find an infection has come up negative. I think my body just wants it white blood cells back.

I’ve had a bad cough, which causes me to vomit so I haven’t really eaten for several days.

As I am beginning to type, I realize, I’m still out of it.

For today we will continue the no visitor rule, you can call if you want, and my mom or Noah will answer to give you my progress. Just a few more days ‘til the shots will start kicking in…

Sorry for the brief message. I’ll write more when I can sit up easily.

Thank you for all your prayers and love

Namaste
Victoria

No visitors for the time being...

This is Victoria's brother David...

Over the past 5 days Victoria's temperature has varied from 99 to 103...going up as high as 105 for a time last night.

She's doing ok now...her temp is down...but while we wait for her white blood cells to start coming up from the Neupogin it's best that everone hold off on visiting her.

She's dozing a lot from the meds also...so reaching her by phone may be tough today.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support...!!

**********************************************

ADDENDUM (at 4:48pm): The doctor has now said that he feels the fever is from one of the medications that they have been giving Victoria. They have stopped that medication and we'll see...

A foggy foggy day...

It’s a foggy foggy Day here in the Temple on the Hill. I find it somewhat comforting. The vantage point from my bed is of this huge grove of trees, and then poking out of the top it the Sutra tower on Twin Peaks.

Right now I feel good. Mostly I have been having trouble with not being able to keep my food down. Yuck. No fun at all. That makes me feel sad because I really do want to eat.

So I am sipping my soup and thought I’ll write and perhaps feel the connection to all of you…maybe that will help.

I’m told by next Monday, my counts will start coming up and they will be able to go to battle with this cold and my mouth sores and I will begin to feel stronger.

I am resigned to the fact that I am secluded to my room. I’ve gotten use to it, actually. My four walls are adorned with all the things that are healing to me. My friends' children made butterflies and they are soaring about me. This room is protecting me and making it easier to allow this process.

I’ll say it again...yikes, this has been tough. But it has taught me even more about dropping into the body and staying there. I welcome the shots everyday because I know they will help the counts to come up, I ask for Meds to ease my cough....I’m using the nurses call button without feeling like I am bugging them too much.

And the crying has been bittersweet you know. What a relief to just cry and be upset and be disappointed. It purifies my heart and almost relaxes me somehow.

Today so far is a good day. I’m moving slow and steady. I have a smile on my face. I’m looking forward to my shot today. My mom will hang up some more butterflies. And maybe today will be the day I manage to hold down the 4 bites of soup I had. It’s the simple things in life that are the most precious.

I hope that the simple things in your life and acknowledging you as you are acknowledging them.

Big Prayers
Big Love
Big Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs

Namaste
Victoria

1am and wanting to talk...

Hey all

I’m feeling better. Still night time fevers, but less coughing and sneezing. Ill be confined to my room till I show no symptoms or another test shows up negative.



I am going to open visiting back up but you MUST be healthy, no “feelings’ of maybe getting a cold or not having been around someone who was sick.

You MUST also wear a mask the whole time too.

Its not just about protecting me but the fragile condition of everyone on this floor.

I’m told that often we are contagious 3 days before we show symptoms.

So use caution…

My Parents have been amazing and patient and entertaining. We have been playing UNO and my Dad has been taking direction from me on where to hang things. We have been making due, but Id like to give them a break and send them off for a walk in the park.

Noah has been down south on assignment. Prior to his leaving he was very attentive, even stroking my back when I was feeling Ill. He has been calling to check in.

As I move deeper and deeper into this process and as I begin to more deeply realize what I and * we* including Noah and my family have signed up for. Sure we could say, oh that’s the ego who is missing your body and wants hair and wants some freedom....and everything else that is no longer completely under my control.
It is the Ego for sure, and yes my spirit is Huge and I am VERY here in it all. I am VERY much apart of it and I am very grounded.

Let’s face it this is Hard stuff.

I wonder why they don’t talk about it more in the Media, like why don’t they show more people and their struggles. All the movies and TV reality shows everyone is healthy and happy. More people need to know. I don’t wish any kind of Cancer on anyone, but there must be others. This IS my ego, this is during the times I feel slighted and wonder, wow, OK, Creator, what’s your plan for me. And I figure I just don’t know, but when I know I will know. If I ever will know.

I’ve been crying more, shedding the tears and pain and fear that is held in my heart so deeply. This is a good thing. I’ve been having a lot of good laughs with Uno, but come on and visit and lets laugh some more. I know what’s going on in your lives.

I’ve been thinking about the heat and thinking wow this is happening fast and hoping all of you have seen The Inconvenient Truth...even if you don’t like Gore. He has something to say. This is really his life’s work, political or not (I happen to think it is not). It is important. It is important to our Planet. I’ve been thinking what going on with Lebanon and Israel. All the fighting…all the war.

These are the things that are right there for me when I am in my body and grounded.

I also think of how utterly amazing this world is, how amazing people are, how much I love being in this World. I think about how much I love Big Cats and how much I want to get up close to them one day before the completely go away. I think about being out in nature and how lucky we are in Bay Area, do we go out in nature enough. I know I don’t.

Life is so delicate. Life is so beautiful. Life is meant for us to enjoy.

Although this is my life right now. I have been blessed with a glimpse of people who devote themselves to caring for others. I have been blessed with a second chance to appreciate my body and to appreciate life. I get this rare opportunity to spend so much time with my parents as adult
So many gifts among all the pain and suffering and tears and fear.

All I do is smile and be grateful for my strong body and my strong faith. I can bend my knee to all who care when I don’t even know people are still caring.

Sending you now, at 1:30am, all my love and prayers. May your life be more blessed and may your struggles be less. And be a little sweeter to one another. Because it is all about the LOVE.

Namaste
Victoria

Isolated...

Hey all

Well I got the results back and I showed positive for the Para influenza. What does this mean? I have a simple cold, the kind that might slow you down but doesn’t keep you from work. But for someone with 0 WBC it can be dangerous. Currently my symptoms are usual, sniffly nose and a cough.

But today happens to be the same day I start my Neupogin shots to start my bloods cells on the growing track. I will get these shots for about 10 to 15 days daily. They usually don’t start working till about day 5 to 10.

To day they are still keeping me in isolation, no walking and minimal visitors. My parents are here of course but have to wear a mask the whole time. NO visitors, that you have been exposed to someone who is sick or if you think you MIGHT be coming down with something but are not symptomatic. So I am making a general rule for another day (Monday) without guests. Just to be on the safe side. I’m told people shed the bug 3 days before they show symptoms.

To be honest I don’t know how long this will lasts. they do have me on broad-spectrum meds to help with symptoms and so far I am told. They will monitor my vitals and look for changes.
Ill rest and drink plenty of fluids and rest a lot.

Whenever my vitals are taken everything looks good, heart, lungs, 02 take up, and just a slight fever of 99 to 100. Like all colds there is not much one can do just let a cold runs its course.

please help me pray that my Neupogin shots start to work fast and build my white cells which will help to fight off what I have

I need to have patience with my body and go slowly in my mind. My practice is staying present to the moment of getting rest and sleeping and drinking lots of water and also of course accepting the Neupogin shots as part of the getting well ceremony.

So if you want to connect, send calls and cards and I hope that within a few days I will feel better.

Summer colds sucks!!!

White Blood cells are good. Let’s focus the yummie White Blood cells comin’ back to my body.

Ill keep you all posted. Big LOVE and even bigger prayers to each and every one of you.

Namaste
Victoria

Stuffed up...

NO VISITS TODAY (Sunday) AND POSSIBLY TOMORROW (Monday)

Hello all in case you were considering stopping by for a visit, please do not. I have a stuffy nose and a little cough. They are worried that it is this cold that is going around.

I was tested for the Para influenza today and will have results tomorrow.

It is likely I don’t have it. I have very little phlegm in my nose and throat, but they want to be safe and so do I.

Oddly enough I feel really happy and energetic right but I have a good book here and I am going to read and rest up.

Please all of you play and play and play and laugh and enough the outdoors and connect with family or friends or that someone you are getting close to...enjoy this amazing precious moment.

I’ll keep you posted when I can…

Big love to all of you.

Namaste
Victoria

I miss myself...

Good Morning all

Happy sunshine, but keep hydrating yourselves and keep wearing spf. Sounds like we are all getting hit with hot summers.

I haven’t written for a few days because things have been touch and go. Always after the chemo the body takes a real hit. So I have been tired, sick to my stomach and just plain not up for much.

Yesterday was the first time I left my room to walk in 2 days. They encourage us to walk a mile a day, which is 12 laps around the hall....after 2 laps I was ready to go back in the room.

Its been challenging for me to eat, I attempt bites of oatmeal, and soup only to vomit with in a half an hour. So the lack of food has me weaker still. I have a major rash on my body. I just feel plain awful.

All of these facts, experiences, do play with the mind and the heart and the spirit. I miss my body, and the freedom of my body, I’m making pacts with spirit that I will practice more yoga, eat better, take hikes, watch less TV. I miss myself, or who I was. Just tell me when I can have my life back. And I feel like at times I am a mystery to myself. All of this scares me. I feel lost from the inside out and from the outside in.

Last night my nurse says (after I threw up pretty much nothing). Victoria, really you are doing such a good job, this is not easy what you are going thru, you are smiling all the time, and you always have a hug for your friends and family. This will pass. You will feel stronger soon.

Those words really helped me to recall myself. To remember that Spirit can continue to remind me of who I am, who I was and who I am becoming. But I need to open my heart to that wisdom. In the middle of all the pain and pills and bathroom patrolling, I have for gotten that its important to practice staying connected to my spirit, soul, heart.

I have forgotten my gratitude as well. My gratefulness to have a strong body to endure this Cure. To be grateful for my souls willingness to be here fully to work with my caregivers to heal me. I forgot prayer works and that’s why I am praying each day. They are just not desperate words said while weeping. They are the hearts pleading and they are heard.

And all of you wonderful people that have created this community that is joined together in your common thoughts and prayers for my healing and the well being of my Mom and Dad, Carole and Harvey and my brother David, and for my husband, Noah.

There are prayers and thoughts and launage and yoga and action all being taken all over the world on my behalf.

I may continue to be ill for the next few days and there are more rough roads ahead. I may also forget and remember many times over.

I will always come back to this gratitude that fills my heart up so much and fills my eyes with tears and leaves me speechless and humble yet strong and Alive.

Thank you for helping to keep me alive!

Thank you are just 2 simple words, but behind them is my Immeasurable Love for all of you.

Big Blessings and prayers right back at you X10.

Have an amazing Day

Namaste
Victoria

New room and phone numbers...

Hey all

I am moved into the new room

Room #1122

Room phone: 415-353-8453

Namaste
Victoria

This sucks...

Hey all

I hear it is hot all over the country right now. Things here on the inside are taking me for a ride.

Firstly, I’m switching rooms. I have had a few rough nights and mornings so they want me closer to the nurse’s station. I’ll send the new room number and phone number soon…when I know. If you have sent something have no fear it will get to me.

I wish I could find a graceful way to say this, but this sucks. I had a high fever last night, was throwing up, and then passed out again in the morning after getting up to go to the bathroom.

The best gift in all of that is that I came to in my mother’s arms. That was a great comfort; I wanted to stay there, instead of going back to my bed to answer a million questions.

They weren’t kidding when they said they were blasting me good.

Today I feel OK…chilled and weak, but alive and able to send this email. So that makes me smile.

This is the rough part where the medicine is doing its work. I hope the Chemo finds its way to the Leukemia and kicks it’s but right out of my body for good.

I’ll email again when I have my room number and room phone number.

Sending love and prayers and gratitude.

Namaste
Victoria

The last blast...

Hello All

Its early morning and I’m back from the morning after a lot of dreamy sleep. I had a lot of stomach upset yesterday and instead of trying to tough it out I allowed myself to be taken care of by various anti-nausea meds...the result of which is a lot of sleeping. But today I am rested and ready for my last and final blast of Chemo.

This is the big one I was telling you all about. I should be receiving it around 10am. So send your love and gentle vibes and prayers this way around that time. The course takes about 4 hours. I feel at peace with my body and confident in the nurses and doctors that are going to be helping me today. I feel strong and receptive.
My room is cozy and huge and feels like home in some ways. So I feel cozy.

Noah is away for work right now when he returns we will post pictures on the blog. My parents will be here with me today while I am receiving this next round.

I visualize the chemo as a gift of magic to help remove the last lingering signs of leukemia from my body, I feel all of the prayers and the thoughts the hold me.

For all of it I feel so grateful and thru it all I am smiling.

Big Love, Prayers, and Purrrs to everyone.

Talk with you soon.

Namaste
Victoria

A tremendous amount of peace...

Hello everyone

I realized it has been a few days since I have sent an update.

Firstly I am really loving UCSF. It really is very peaceful here. I have found that these past few days I have been napping a lot. I’m not sure if the Chemo is stronger because the timing in which I receive it is the same, but I it feels like I am becoming affected more quickly then before.

But despite feeling a little weaker, I have such a tremendous amount of peace in my heart and peace in my body. This peace is the most healing of all am and is enabling me to rest deeply.


Come on by for a visit when you can. I would be nice to connect. Just give me a call firstly and we can arrange a good time. I am currently using a dial up so I use the phone line to connect. So just call back if the phone rings and rings.

Monday, is my last day of Chemo and it is BIG ONE. Apparently, a nurse will sit with me for 4 hours while I receive this strong dose. She will check vitals every 15 minutes to make sure I am alright. Although I will be sedated, I am going with my prayers that this dose will help to blast away the last of the Leukemia in my body, leaving me free and strong. I intend to use this peaceful feeling to move thru that day. And keep smiling knowing how blessed I am to be in the best hospital in the Nation and to have such a strong support network.

So thank you for your thoughts and love and blessings and well wishes.

I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you.

Have a wonderful Saturday, enjoy the summer sun, enjoy the outdoors, go to a park and enjoy nature, be with friends and/or family and enjoy the love and through it all Smile.

Namaste
Victoria

Donating blood and/or platelets to Victoria...

Hi there,

if you are wanting to donate blood and/or platelets to Victoria then please stop by the UCSF Blood Center on Tuesday, July 18th through Thursday, July 20th. These would be the first days that we would need your support.

Full blood donations require no appointment but platelet donations do. You would just let the Blood Center staff know that you want to donate directly to Victoria Wallach.

Thanks again in advance for all your assistance.

Love,
Noah

An episode...

Hey all

It’s Day 3 of chemo and I am feeling very queasy and weak. I had an episode this morning about 5AM. I got up to go to the bathroom and while I was trying to go I became sweaty and dizzy and felt like I was going to Vomit and pass out.

The next thing I knew my nurse was holding me and there were about 10 plus people in my room. She said I rang the help buzzer, but I don’t remember doing that.

When I passed out my breathing was labored and it seemed like I stopped breathing for about 30 seconds.
They put me back to bed, checked all my vitals and all is well.

As a result I need to be walked to the bathroom, I’m on more nausea meds and I feel weak and tired.

It was amazing how many people appeared in my room in such a short amount of time, and that word has spread quickly so now everyone knows what has happened.

Although I am feeling weak and tired I feel very taken care of.

Wish I had more to share but the truth is today is a rough day.

I’ll breathe and feel the support of all of your love and prayers. They are truly nurturing my heart and body.

I’ll email again when I am feeling better

Namaste
Victoria

The Peaceful Temple...

Hello everyone

Well I have spent my first night in the temple. It is very very quiet here, which I am really loving. I slept very soundly and deeply. I actually feel refreshed today.

My cathater is a little painful today, but what can you do when you have tubes coming out of your neck??

So far I feel pretty good receiving the Chemo but its a little early for side-effects.

Everyone here is of course very very kind and interactive. My room is a really nice size and I have a small view. I feel comfortable about making this place home for the next 4 weeks.

Feel free to call if you would like to visit. I do not have wireless and need to use the phone line to send email. So if I dont answer just call back another time.

Im feeling so at peace and supported by love from all of you and all of those people and communities you are apart of. Thank you Thank you.

Sending Big love from 11 Long, room 1174!!

Namaste
Victoria

Room number and contact info...

Hey All

I will write more later on. I'm here at the hospital waiting to get my first round of chemo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UCSF Medical Center

505 Parnassus Ave SF CA 94143

11th floor of the Long Wing of the Long/Moffitt hospital

Victoria's room number 1174

Victoria's room phone: 415.353.8477

Nurses station: 415.353.1383

CLICK HERE FOR A MAP OF UCSF (in PDF format)

*** Please give me a call before you come to visit ***

There are no visiting hours. You can come anytime.

Namaste
Victoria

Preparing for The Temple on the Hill...

Hello Everyone

I hope that no matter where you all are you having a wonderful evening.

I feel very peaceful here, preparing for the second journey into the hospital for my next round of Chemo.

This is a new hospital, UCSF. It is located about a mile from my home on top of a very large hill overlooking the City. I have no idea if I will have a room with a view yet. But I like the idea of being on this great hill. I have this feeling of going to a Great Healing Temple to begin this Amazing Ceremony.

All of this is true of course
I am going to a Healing Temple.
And this is a ceremony.

It’s a good thing I love ceremonies so much, because I am told this is going to be a big one. Bigger and harder then the last one. I am ready and I feel open to receive this next round of chemo in the best way possible.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, I will go to UCSF to begin. I will be in my room by late afternoon and begin receiving Chemo by Tuesday evening

Its very strange to think that I feel so strong and healthy now and I am entering the Temple and allowing them to give me Medicine to get me sick, so I can get better. But this is how it works.

Last week I was struggling with all of this... the enormity of it all. My poor body I was telling myself..... How much can I take? What will happen? What will change? Who will I be when this is all over? Will I be strong enough? But I had no answers really, only more questions. That process is important and I wanted to honor that sadness I was feeling. That sadness and fear that comes with not knowing.

A few days ago I watched a video my parents had given Noah and I about people that have been through this, they talked about their struggles and what it took for them to get thru it all. Really one thing stood out for me and that is you just decide you are going to do it and you have faith.

So today I am ready, I have faith and I am choosing my life.

The Human Spirit is amazing. I feel blessed that my spirit is strong and clear.

I know that things may get tough. I’m ready to be strong, I am ready to weep, I am ready to allow for my fears and the not knowing.
I am ready for this ceremony.

Thank you for coming along for the ride with your emails, cards, visits, support, prayers, and thoughts.

Noah and I will let you know my room number, phone number and visiting rules as soon as we find out tomorrow.

May your prayers and good thoughts come back to you all and your families times 10!!!

Namaste
Victoria

Blood and Bone Marrow donating 411...

Hi there everybody,

Victoria and I are so thrilled by the wonderful support you have provided in response to our request for help. Thank you so much for writing us and stepping up to support us during this challenging time for both Victoria and I.

There are two blood products that Victoria needs throughout the next stages of her treatment for Leukemia (AML). She needs blood donors to give her platelets and/or red blood cells. UCSF maintains a Blood Center that provides the hospital with blood products that will be used for her treatments. The Blood Center is located at the Parnassus, and they are open Monday through Friday 8am to 7pm and Saturday 9am to 4pm. Here are directions, further details about the center, and information about donating blood:

http://pangloss.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/bloodcenters/bclocationspage.htm

It is quite possible that you will need to donate your whole blood so they can confirm if you are an eligible to give blood and/or platelets to Victoria. We will not be aware of any blood testing results if you happen to be ineligible – this information will be kept private from us and is only shared between you and the Blood Center staff. If you have never donated blood or have not donated blood in the past year I would suggest you do this step first very soon.


Platelet Donation:

Victoria needs platelets. Platelets can be donated to Victoria regardless of your blood type. Platelets can only be stored for five (5) days so the need for donations is vast and continuous. As you can realize timeliness is really important, so Victoria’s Nurse Coordinator will be arranging the days that we would need for you to donate your platelets. Platelets can be donated every two (2) weeks. The procedure takes anywhere from 70 minutes to two (2) hours.

For more information please see the UCSF Blood Center website at:

http://pangloss.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/bloodcenters/bcgeneralinfopage.htm


Red Blood cell donation:

The UCSF Blood Center always needs people to donate blood. It’s a wonderful gift you can give anybody who is in need either because of Illness or injury. But if you wish, you can donate your blood specifically for our illustrious patient, Victoria Wallach. Victoria’s blood type is O-positive therefore she can only accept blood from people with blood type O-positive and O-negative. She can accept platelets from anybody with any blood type as long as their blood is eligible as mentioned in the previously. The donation process could take only 30 minutes.

For more information please see the UCSF Blood Center website at:

http://pangloss.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/bloodcenters/bcgeneralinfopage.htm


Bone Marrow Donations:

If you have an interest in donating your bone marrow you are welcome to contact National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) at http://www.marrow.org and/or call 1-800-MARROW2. I don’t have information on how to designate your marrow to a specific patient, but I did find an interesting link on the NMDP website at:

http://www.marrow.org/DONOR/donor_faqs.html#specific

Our doctor and UCSF medical staff are currently researching the NMDP database for people who genetically match Victoria. If you have an interest in seeing if you are a match for Victoria then you would already need to be in the database. Entering yourself in the database would give a wonderful gift perhaps to an anonymous person in great need. UCSF does have a bone marrow donor program to collect bone marrow. Please contact the UCSF Blood Center for more details; the link is above.

More Questions:

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you have more questions - [email protected]

Love,
Noah

Support Shannon...

This is from my Friend Shannon who is running as a part of Team in Training in the Nike Women's Marathon on Oct 22 2006 in San Francisco ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello Beauties,

As you may already know, I will be running the Nike Women's Marathon
this October 22nd, 2006 in San Francisco. It is one of the most
dedicated commitments I have ever made and has already changed my life
in ways that are still unfolding and I am just starting to understand.

One of the biggest lessons and opportunities is how I can be involved
and engaged in the fight for better treatments for people with blood
cancer. I have joined a program called Team in Training that not only
trains us for the marathon, but also raises money for the Leukemia and
Lymphoma Society (LLS) and I have committed to raising $2,100.

To see how I'm doing and make a donation, visit:

http://www.active.com/donate/tntgsf/sbousquet

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), a national voluntary health
agency dedicated to finding the cause, treatments and cures of
leukemia and related cancers such as lymphoma, and myeloma. Leukemia
is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. It kills more children
between ages 2 and 15 then any other disease. Over 100,000 Americans
will contract leukemia - and more than 57,000 die from leukemia or
it's related diseases this year, making it the fourth major cause of
death in this country.

Leukemia touched my life personally a few months ago when my friend,
Victoria, was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). I saw
how her life was flipped in a manner of days as suddenly a hospital
room became her home. She completed her first round of chemo in May
and is currently awaiting the perfect donor for a bone marrow
transplant. She has been corageous in this struggle and her spirit
grows bigger and stronger and she becomes more and more beautiful each
time I see her. As her hair left her head, her beauty became ever
more present and her heart just keeps expanding and teaching all those
around her about being in the service of love. I am dedicating my run
to her.

It is through money raised by organizations like Team in Training that
the treatments for Leukemia and Lymphoma have come as far as they have
today.

Please help me reach my goal for the society. I can't succeed without
your support. In return I promise to keep you updated on my progress
and the progress of Victoria. If you have any questions or are aware
of a company or firm interested in corporate sponsorship, please
contact me at [email protected] . Also, please forward this
email on to friends or family that would like to contribute. I'm sure
I've missed someone.

For those of you who made it to the Tamale Fundraiser Party last
night, thank you! It was such a success, such delicious tamales and a
wonderful time. I certainly hope that it happens again sometime.

I just want to thank you for anything you can do to help this truly
worthy cause. Training for and running in a marathon will be a
challenge, but it is nothing compared to the challenge that Victoria
and others who battle this disease are forced to confront on a daily
basis.

Thank you so much,

Shannon Bousquet

Learn more and donate: http://www.active.com/donate/tntgsf/sbousquet

So with full faithful hearts...

Hello again

Thank you for all of your prayers yesterday and today and for all the days passed and all the days coming!!!

Noah, my mom, Carole, my dad, Harvey and I met with Bridget today. She gave us a brief low down on the next several steps and gave us this HUGE binder with everything you would want to know about a bone marrow transplant and all my care afterwards. And again WOW!!!…It’s a load.

They are currently finding the donor as we speak. So with full faithful hearts we will find the right donor soon.

I will be going into UCSF on Tuesday July 11th for Re-induction treatment....in other words another blast of chemo. I will be there for about 3 1/2 weeks or so. I was given the choice to go back to CPMC with Dr. Baron but I realized that if I am going to be a team player in this treatment it is time for me to open my heart to Dr. Martin and his team and get to know those kind folks at UCSF who are going to be caring for me for the next 6 months to 3 years (in patient and out patient).

I am ready to build a new temple up there on that hill and infuse it with all the love that has been sent to me and build another healing altar to give me peace and strength. I feel healthy and charged and receptive

Most likely next week at this time I will be receiving Chemo. Bigger and better this time...in other words much stronger.

I am going to send another post about donating blood apparently you can donate platelets to me if you want, but you have to go to UCSF. You know better yet if you are interested in doing that, send me a separate email to
[email protected] and we will send you guys an email letting you know how it works.

LOVE LOVE and LOVE
and Big Prayers to all of you.

Make me a match...

Hey all

I thought I would send out another update. I talked with my nurse and my brother is not a match. They are currently search for a donor in the data base.

I feel with all the faith in my heart that the right and most perfect match will come to me in the best time frame.

So the story is I will go back into the hospital most likely the 11th or 12th of July. I will have a round of chemo that is call Re-Induction. I will have another month or so off THEN, I will go back in for the transplant.

HO HUM......Wow things change from moment to moment. I am trying to ride with it the best I can.

One thing I am excited about is my Nurse, Bridget, is going to send me a few numbers of some women who have been thru what I have been going thru and am about to go thru. I think I will find a different kind of perspective from talking to people like that rather then just talking with Nurses and doctors.

I continue to feel good and in my heart full of faith and full of joy, even though right along side of the is fear of the unknown.

Thank you for your continued prayers. Lets all focus our hearts together for a purrrfect match and one that my body will fully accept.

Tomorrow evening (Tuesday) Noah and I and my mom and Dad, along with my spirit family will be praying as we always do every Tuesday. Lets all for 5 minutes focus our prayers and/or good vibes, healing energy, say around 9PM PST towards those things I mentioned above...a purrfect match and that my body accepts that match fully.

Even if you are watching fireworks, imagine that those amazing bursts of light release those prayers to the universe and to Creator!!

I know I will feel you all tomorrow.

Happy July 4th, may you all having an amazing time whatever you choose to do.

Namaste
Victoria

2 possible routes...

Hello everyone

I hope that you all had a nice weekend. I know I haven’t written in a little while. Mostly I am waiting for tests results and word from the doctors before I send out another post. But I have realized that it’s important that I keep everyone up to date.

Last time we all met out here in Cyber space, it was looking like I was going into the hospital on July 5th. The docs had thought that because for the most part my Bone Marrow Biopsy was clear I would get an auto transplant and would go into the hospital on July 5th. However the final part of the bone marrow test, the cytogenetics test showed some leukemia.

Currently there are 2 routes that this could go.

1. My brother is a match and can be my donor then, I will go into the hospital on July 12 and they will start the treatment needed to begin the bone marrow transplant. This includes a round of chemotherapy strong enough to knock out my own immune system so that I can accept David’s marrow. For this treatment I could in the hospital for 4 to 6 weeks. The recovery time is long and involved so I will explain that at another time.

If he is not a match....

2. I will go in the hospital as early as July 7th to start a very very strong dose of Chemo to hold me over while they look for a donor, in this round I could be in the hospital for 3 to 4 weeks. My doctor feels he could find a donor within a month or so. I would rest after this round and then go back in for another round to prepare me for my transplant.

We finally got to meet Dr. Martin; we had a meeting with him this past Thursday. He gave us the full rundown on procedures and recovery. We left full of information. I left feeling totally overwhelmed, such that I started to feel really sad and depressed.

I realized what a challenge it is for me to meet with Doctors and that these visits usually have me feeling full of more questions. Generally in these family meetings that the doctors have with the patients there is a Nurse Coordinator is present. I think she must be there to interpret for the doctor. For this meeting my Nurse coordinator must have taken the day off. UGH. I know now to request this so that I can feel at ease.

Dr. Martin is the best and I can tell he knows what he is doing and is good at it. But at times when dealing with the doctors, I feel like I am being treated like a medical protocol instead of a person who is going thru all of this. It is very challenging. And I am trying to see my way thru these feelings.

I realize how much my healing is my own choice and that there is a relationship of teamwork that develops between me and my doctors and nurses. I feel a bit like a child who is beginning a new year in school and isn’t sure they like their new teacher and misses their former teacher, in my case I am missing my former doctor, Dr. Baron.

But in all of this, I have been realizing that the closer I get to my next round of treatment, the more scared I get. The more I realize that there is a lot ahead of me. The more I begin to worry about my own ability to be strong.

So if I can make a request, please continue to pray and send good vibes my way. Please send prayers and good vibes to all the doctors and caregivers who I will be interacting with. May all of us be in our hearts and practice at our highest levels.

Please send prayers and good vibes to my husband who has also been very overwhelmed by all of this.
Send prayers and good vibes to whoever the donor will be, whether it will be my brother or someone else. Send good prayers and vibes for a match that will be FULLY accepted by my body.

Thank you so much for your willingness to pray and carry good thoughts for all of this.
This is a very long process, just like a ceremony, that has many phases. Thank you for sticking with us through all of these phases. Your participation in this has been what has held us and carried us this far.

We will have the results of my brother’s test by Thursday this week. I will keep you all posted as soon as I know more news.

Big Big love and prayers for all of you, may what you put out in love and prayers and good vibes come back to you and your family and your communities X 10…

purrrs and peace

Namaste
Victoria