Sami Lahoud

I am on day 24 out of 100.  So far, so blessed. Yes I am experiencing some side effects, however, nothing worthy to complain about. The Lord is good !! My bone marrow is functioning well, my appetite is strong and I am feeling great.  PTL! Tomorrow is my first Bone Marrow Aspiration (BMA) post my transplant. We are confident that the results will be good.  I did ask for Victoria to conduct my BMA, however, she was not available 😦 , still my trust is in the Lord, thus all will be well.  🙂

As a side note, I was cleaning up my hard disk and ran into this video from 2005, when Jacqueline had to prep a large amount of squash for stuffing and I ended up using one of my manly power tools to assist her with this task ! – – Enjoy 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws8Z3aMb3VQ

Thank you for your support and prayers!

In His Grip

Sami

We were finally able to take over Khalo’s blog today. He didn’t want us to post this to the entire world, but of course when it comes to us three, he will be ok with it. Enjoy.  WE LOVE YOU, KHALO! Happy Birthday!!  – Nayla, Ted & Sammy Raad  (btw – Khalo means uncle in Arabic, specifically, brother of the mother).

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen  Ephesians 3:20-21

My doctor walked in this morning with a verdict ….  based on the fact that my white blood count jumped miraculously, more than doubling, having no signs of any GvH disease and all my vitals are perfect, he would like to release me to go home first thing tomorrow.  There is no advantage for me to stay at MDA at this stage. <what can I say, but PTL!!!>

The Lord has kept me speechless.  He immeasurably responded to all of our prayers, more than all we asked or imagined He would do.
Being released to go home on Day 12 after a BMT is unheard of.  I am left in awe …

Thank you for faithful prayers and support.

In His Grip

Sami

It has been 11 days since my second BMT.  So far, so blessed. This morning my white blood count started increasing, slowly but surely, meaning that the engraftment process has started, which is very good news. My platelets are low and not responding to multiple donors, thus I need single donor platelets.  I contacted a dear brother of mine on Sunday and he immediately showed up for donation (PTL).  Accordingly, I will be getting his platelets today.  Will see if this process improves my platelets recovery. All in all I have no complaints.  I have had ups and downs, but nothing too serious.  It has all been a blessing so far. I had the opportunity to meet other patients and connect with them.  The Lord is good.

~secret sharing ~ We are hoping that the engraftment will be complete by the end of this week and I will be released to go home and celebrate my birthday with the family  ~wish~  🙂

… As mentioned earlier, all in all, it has been a blessing so far. No complaints. PTL!

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.

In His Grip

Sami

I am ultra drugged up at this stage, so forgive me if I don’t make much sense.  I will try to provide a short update before I doze off and depart to lala land  again 🙂

When the Stem Cells arrived, we were all very touched by the generosity of our donor.  We could feel his presence through his stem cells … i.e, a piece of him arrived to save the day … wow … He was willing to do it all over again … endure the pain … even though he does not know me from Adam …. what a generous and loving person … he left us speechless.

The Stem Cells transfusion took ~6 hours without any “major” issues. PTL – I am now under a protective watch for the next 30 days, waiting until the cells graft within my bone marrow.  I am getting all sort of nausea, graft vs host and pain numbing medication.  So far so … “high”, meaning that this med is making me drowsy and sleepy …  (hu hu) … thus slowing down my speech, i.e.  making me talk in slo000w motion … which everyone around me seems to really enjoy !! (lol)

We are taking it one day at a time, fully trusting the Lord that this “is it”.
As usual, I cannot thank you enough for your faithful prayers and support !!!

In His Grip

Sami

Update:
The Stem Cells arrived late last night (around 11PM), thus the BMT date has been set for today at 10AM Houston time.
Will keep you posted.  🙂

In His Grip
Sami

I am done with my 5 days of Super-Unleaded-Pre-BMT Chemo.  Tomorrow is my rest day (yeah!) and Wednesday is my official deuxième BMT – day Zero.  So far, so blessed! PTL. I feel great and ready. An interesting fact is that the Leukemia floor … how can I say it … feels like a déjà vu – not sure why (lol) – I feel like an alumni who finished his Bachelors degree in BMT and has returned for his Masters.  So many familiar faces.  Most of the nurses and physical therapists remember me.  I feel among … friends 🙂

Additionally, through so many assurances from across the world, I am amazed how the Lord has given peace to so many believers through heavenly signs, verses from the Bible and His peace that surpasses all understanding that this time “is it”.  I was  also touched through the many who fasted faithfully on a regular weekly basis, some even while on vacation !  I am very thankful to have such a blessed support system. PTL.

This time around, the Lord also surrounded me with Leukemia patients who had unanswered questions …that I had answers to, acquired through my first BMT Bachelors program.  🙂  Wait untill I am done with my Masters … then the serious ministry will kick in! It was a very blessed feeling to be able to encourage and provide answers the Lord had already provided me through my first BMT journey. PTL!

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.

We are God’s handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10) so let us be confident in this, that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6)

In His Grip!

Sami

I had my Bone Marrow Aspiration (BMA) yesterday.  I thought it would be interesting to share with you what is involved in this procedure. According to Wikipedia, an aspirate needle is inserted through the back using manual pressure and force until it abuts the bone. Then, with a twisting motion of the nurse’s hand and wrist, the needle is advanced through the bony cortex (the hard outer layer of the bone) and into the marrow cavity. Once the needle is in the marrow cavity, a syringe is attached and used to aspirate (“suck out”) liquid bone marrow. A twisting motion is performed during the aspiration to avoid excess content of blood in the sample, which might be the case if an excessively large sample from one single point is taken. Subsequently, the biopsy is performed.

Well, usually even with local anesthetic, it still hurts, however,this time I did not feel a thing. It went very smoothly.  PTL.  Once done I returned to the waiting area to meet Jacqueline and shared with my fellow patients that “Victoria“, the nurse who handled my aspiration, was the best of the best.  You should have been there … they all started asking for Victoria.  I even heard one older couple whisper that “it’s worth waiting for Victoria“.  lol

The BMA results were in today and the biopsy is normal. PTL!. I also conducted a battery of tests and I am officially good to go for a second BMT 😉 PTL.  I will be admitted on the 23rd for Chemo then Transplant on the 30th.

Thank you for your prayers and support !

Romans 8:31
In His Grip
Sami

I met with my Transplant physician today and the verdict is in.

I just finished my second Chemo cycle (since my first BMT) and a BMA (i.e, aspiration) is scheduled for Wednesday the 16.  If they do not find any blast, then I will be admitted to MDA on the 23rd and the second BMT will be done on the 30th.  The initial plan was to use a new donor who was ready and willing to donate stem cells. However, we had prayed that the Lord’s will be done and if the preference is to go back to the original donor, that they would find issues with this new donor.  Well, the physician informed us that the new donor had medical issues and that they had to revert back to the original donor (very interesting !!!!) –  Additionally, we were told that donors like to give once and tend to avoid a second try, however, in our case, the original donor was more than happy to donate again and ready to do it asap.  PTL !!!

So here we are back in the BMT boat and rejoicing since He is with us – PTL !!! –  Thank you for your encouraging comments and most importantly, faithful prayers.

Philippians 1:3

In His Grip

Sami

I had to get a lot of blood products yesterday.  My blood counts were depleted and I was running on empty. While sitting in the transfusion unit waiting area, an older gentlemen (mid to late sixties) asked if someone was sitting at the available seat next to me. I smiled and said “yes, you are”.  He smiled and sat down. He then looked at me and asked “son how long have you been coming here?” I placed my hand on his back and said “since July of 2011”.  He then smiled and shared with me that he has been visiting MDA for almost seven years. He had his Chemo cycles for a few years, then a BMT that was good for only 4 years.  He is now back to square one. I asked him if he was planning on getting a second BMT? which he replied that it was too risky for his age.  We then both encouraged each other and agreed that the Lord was in full control, thus why worry?

It is amazing how many people we met so far, from all over the world, are struggling with Leukemia. No age, race or gender limit. Earlier that morning Jacqueline met a mother visiting from Saudi Arabia who was there with her young daughter.  Although she is a 60% match donor with her daughter, still they are planning to go with a BMT since they have no other choice. Jacqueline encouraged her and provided her with her cell phone in case she needed anything while in Houston.

Later that day, a young man was sitting in a corner, by himself, watching Jacqueline knit a wool scarf.  He had no hair and looked to be cold and lonely. She offered him a red scarf which she just finished.  He jumped at the offer and wrapped the scarf around his neck and head, leaving a huge smile on his face.

The large leukemia clinic waiting areas are full of patients, old and young, with a seldom smile in view.  People are usually lined up on the walls since the many available seats are always taken. Most patients are out of towners and miss the warmth of their loved ones.  Most are wondering why them, like the young lady we met a week ago that was in her mid twenties who, with tears in her eyes, shared with us that she had dreams of getting married and having kids, yet she was now devastated by her sickness, feeling hopeless.

Is this it? is this what we are all living for? this great and wonderful life? we’re born, live, pay taxes, get sick and eventually die? no hope or meaning in sight? just a bunch of grown up germs heading to annihilation?

No way! Our universe is so perfectly designed that any thinking individual cannot but conclude that nothing but a creator could have accomplished such a perfect design … and if so, He has a perfect plan for each one of us.

My devotion for this week is from Habakkuk 3:17-19
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.

In His Grip
Sami