go here

Ok, so the soon-to-be-inlaws have formed there own blog, which will be taking over the day-to-day updates regarding Jen. You can go to it by clicking here
I probably won't be keeping up with this blog anymore, because dual blogs just gets silly, not to mention redundant.
Have fun reading the entirely differnt and entirely more up-to-date version at www.ourjen.blogspot.com
For the last time EVER,
-Cloin

it's true

So I guess it's about time that I publicly declare the news - Jen is out of the hospital. Apparently there have been requests for an update, but that's really all there is to update.
Jen will be going to the hospital three times a week to have blood tests done, and then depending on the results of those tests she occassionally requires a transfusion of either platelettes or red blood cells. The days which require transfusions usually end up being days that Jen is very groggy and/or dopey in the afternoon because she gets all hopped up on Benadryl.
So that's basically all that there will be to report unless something drastic comes up. I'm sure you're all even less interested in reading about how we keep ourselves busy on a daily basis than I am about posting about it, so don't hold your breath for further updates. Jen's got access to the world wide web now, so you can send emails directly to her address, or ask me for it by emailing me at colinzimmerman@gmail.com.
So that's about it. I have to go now because Jen is harrassing me to take her to Death By Chocolate... and God help the man who stands between a woman and her chocolate craving...

Already?!?

So I just got off the phone with Jen's dad, and I have some good news. The doctors were just in and spoke with David and Jen, and apparently if things keep progressing how they have been Jen could be discharged from the hospital as early as the end of the week! Three cheers for early releases!
That is all.

In the words of John Mellencamp

Oh yeah, life goes on. Things are pretty stable around here at the moment. Jen is basically kicking back and trying to make the most of hospital life. She has however made the least of hospital food, and has taken full advantage of her mom's offers to cook her whatever she wants. We had spaghetti and meat sauce for a brunch of sorts today... the other patients had bran flakes and a fruit n bran muffin. Jen and I have decided to start a family and that has been keeping us fairly busy.
Roommate and girl-now-currently-back-in-Norwary came to visit Jen, as did Colin's-groomsman and one-time-cooworker over the weekend. Their company was mostly enjoyable (I'm looking at you again roommate). There really aren't enough things-to-hyphenate.
Jen's parents went shopping this morning for things to fill the apartment with... I saw the bill-of-sale and it was about half as long as my winning streak - which will not be contested because Jen's folks lack the technical prowess to post a comment on the blog. Mua-ha-ha-ha
colinzimmerman@gmail.com - label messages "To Jen" and I'll print them off and take them to her. If you'd like to call, you can phone Jen's cell, her parent's cell, or my cell if you know the number.. and soon you can call the apartment too, but I don't know that number yet, and it isn't activated, so just hold-your-horses
I'm still,
-Colin

what to do.....

Jen finished her first cycle of chemotherapy yesterday... she won't have any more chemo until either late January or early February. Hurray! Now we just have to wait for her female pattern baldness to kick in. The rest of this month she'll still be on ATRA, so you can pray that she won't have as bad of headaches as she has had previously (headaches are the most common side-effect of ATRA). The doctors will keep on monitoring her various blood cell levels, and do all that fancy doctor stuff that I've threatened to attempt if Jen doesn't behave (that usually straightens her out).
I think my biggest concern for Jen now is that she will get very bored being trapped in the hospital. If you can think of anything fun to do in the hospital (that won't get anyone killed or in trouble) feel free to post your ideas on this comment. We already have a stack of DVDs, a deck of cards, and a few board games... but maybe we could use some suggestions that are a little bit less conventional.
Oh, and my winning streak lives on... Vive le Roi (me)
I should probably also mention that the inlaws (to be) managed to find a place within walking distance from the hospital that is significantly less ridiculously priced than camping out in the hotel.
Jen enjoys reading notes and messages from all of you, so keep it coming. As I said in the first post, you can send a message to my email address, colinzimmerman@gmail.com with the subject "To Jen" or something similar enough for me to understand and I will make sure Jen gets them in a timely manner.
Oh, and I don't have Jen's cell anymore, her parents will have that now.... I'm using my dad's old cell, so if you know that number go ahead and call it, or email me and ask for it... I just don't want to post it online. The number for her ward is shown in the first post near the bottom, so if you can't get a hold of us via email you can call that instead.
If you would like to make a visit please call before showing up... usually it's not a problem but we've had a few disappointed visitors who happened to show up when Jen was in a drug-enduced hibernation. Also, if you have a cold, runny nose, flu, or anything like that, do not come to visit. Jen has basically no white blood cells right now, which means she effectively has no immune system. If you're sick, your absense means more than a visit, because if Jen catches a bug, she'll get put on all kinds of intense antibiotics which have nasty side effects.... so please spare her the suffering. She's not going anywhere, so please wait until you're better. The rest of the patients in the unit would appreciate it too.
As always, no fresh flowers/fruits/veggies, but feel free to send cards, notes, or really anything else (within reason... I'm looking at you roommate...)
But I have to end this now.... it's time to grab some more of Jen's stuff to take back up to Edmonton.
Until next time,
-Colin

I always win...... seriously

An update you say? Yes indeed!

Not as much to comment on this time, and a lot less techno-medical babble... but an update none the less.
Jen was very happy to hear from all of you, and through the magic of temporary memory she was able to read the last post and all of your comments - which is a good thing because I was too dumb to just save the blog/comments on the computer in a text file.... God bless temporary memory.
Anyways, no one cares about my technical issues/flukes. On to Jen...
As can be expected (so I've been told) Jen has had some ups and downs with the chemotherapy, ATRA, and all that jazz.... one minute she's just dandy - sitting up without any help, losing at Clue, you name it.. - next minute she's on her back with a killer headache and/or nausea. Hard to believe that this stuff will make her feel better. I won't lie, some days have not been easy for anyone involved, Jen, her parents, our families, and myself (but I try not to let on... don't tell Jen)... but on the bright side, some days are fantastic. Just today I came to the hospital to find Jen sitting in the sitting area outside of the unit, chatting away with her roommate (from Camrose). I proceeded to sit with them, chat away also, make sure Jen felt ok, and generally cramp their style. Roommate (whom I won't name, just to annoy her.... I'm still the same old jerk - it's not that I can't remember how to spell your name....) has to go to work, so she leaves... then Chris and John-Mark (who's names I can spell) show up, and join the who-haw.... long story short, Jen's IV runs out of juice (peach flavored by the way) so we head back to the room. Oh, and there was ice-cream... which would have been Marble Slab, but they were closed so we settled for Baskin Robbins.... I know, life is hard sometimes.... So we're in Jen's room, blah blah blah, I won't stop talking, and then my Dad shows up.... I talk more, maybe play gameboy for a little bit, and then Jen suddenly gets all dozey. At this point I decide to wake her up and tell her that I'm going to my Dad's for the night... but don't panic, I'll tell your folks so that you won't wake up all alone in a scary hospital room with things blinking and beeping and dripping oddly colored fluids through a clear plastic tube up into your arm then through your vein and into your heart... someone will be there. She mumbles that it's ok... I hug her goodnight, and I'm on my way... I assume she's fine.... or am I ever going to look like a big jerk in the morning.
Oh, Jen had a lombar puncture (I'm not sure if I spelt that right either...) according to Toni it was the worst thing in the entire world, according to Jen, it was more enjoyable than the bone marrow biopsy, which was more enjoyable than the Mexican ear infection. The doctors did it because they were concerned that the leukemia had moved into her brain. They didn't explain exactly how bad that would be, or what it would mean, and I wasn't even in the room at the time, so needless to say they left Jen's folks pretty shaken up. I couldn't even do my thing and try to relax them and ease the situation.... just bad timing. The results came back from the lombar puncture, and Jen has no white blood cells in her spine (which means no infection/leukemia or something in her brain.... apparently this is very good news). Everyone was happy, and then we had breakfast (and were still happy).
Generally speaking, Jen has felt lousy on the days when they give her the chemo.... just a general sensation of 'blah' (sorry if I'm too technical). She had some trouble sleeping, got a sore back, generally hated her life and all things medical, and had a crappy time while on the treatment. But today she had chemo, and as far as I could see, she had one of her best days since being admitted.... I think maybe it was because she got a break from her regular company (namely her parents and myself) and kind of got to shoot out on her own with roommate. The change of pace seemed to be good for her at any rate.
So that's basically all there is to report.... oh, and I beat Dave, Toni, and Jen at Clue, and beat Dave and Toni 2 on 1 at Cribbage... I love winning. I'll probably never play them again though.... best to leave the party while it's still fun.
Studying for the test version: Jen is good. Some days suck. Some days do not suck. Lombar Puncture = not fun. Winning everything = fun.
Oh, Jen also got a gameboy, and is very happy to play games on it.... that way she can politely ignore people without having to pretend to be asleep and therefore be very bored..... I seem to be rambling, so this is a good place to end