Transplant push back

Hello all, sorry for not posting in a few days my good friend from college Michael was visiting the past 2 days and Mindy and I were at our apt. before that. We are actually getting ready to head back up there today and stay until Sunday.

I got a PSP last week and regret to say I haven't been reading as many books, in fact I don't read at all, all of my time is consumed by a small hand held gaming system. Not cool, yet very cool. This will really come in handy as I go to all my doctors visits and when I'm in NYC to have something to entertain me while Mindy and I are on quarantine for 30 days or so.

Ok so now down to the transplant news. Friday of last week I found out that the 9 out of 10 matched donor is in fact a 8 out of 10 match due to some additional tests more specific ones that were performed, don't ask me how all this works or happened because I'm still not quite sure myself. This means that Sloan is looking for new donors and they have some potentials they requested to come in for additional tests but all of this is a complicated and timely process and will push back my transplant some. The decision as to which donor to use is made by my Doctor is NYC and if we go with the current 8 out of 10 donor we could start the transplant regime as early at June 9th. I have tests in NYC next Tuesday and Wednesday and I will see my Doctor then and we will discuss what our options are then and see where we are at with any of the new donors.

Yesterday Chris and Lori Harmes brought over dinner. Now this was no ordinary meal, Chris asked me a while ago about what I would like as a meal in an e-mail. I sent back an email with a few videos and pictures of the biggest pieces of meat on the internet. I even sent him a video of the movie "The Great Outdoors" with John Candy and Dan Aykroyd where they go into a restaurant and John orders the Ol' 96er. So back to last night, Chris and Lori hand me a large Tupperware container and inside is the largest piece of meat I have ever seen, a 4 inch thick 72 ounce piece of steak. This did pose a small challenge to my dad on the grill but the steak was no match. This baby fed Mindy, Michael, my dad, and me and there was still a good amount left over. We went through a whole bottle of A1.

For those of you who have me in your prayers thank you and please pray that I stay in remission (Leukemia free) until my transplant, whenever that may be, this is the most important thing that I remain in remission.

Psalm 20

The Lord answers you when you are in distress

Golf Tournament & 5K Info

Friends of Derrick, Mindy, and the Dull's have organized a pair of fundraisers to help defray the costs of Derrick's medical treatment. A golf tournament will be held on June 28th and a 5K Run/Walk will be held on July 12.

Golf Tournament

- Saturday June 28, 2008 -

Manor Golf Club

Sinking Spring, PA

Registration & Lunch: 11:30 – 1:00

Shot Gun Start: 1:00 p.m.

Dinner, Music & Silent Auction: 6:00 – 11:00

The golf committee is accepting sponsorships, golf participants, silent auction items and volunteers for the day’s events. If you are interested in becoming part of this benefit for Derrick & Mindy contact one of the following:

Sponsorships: Ken Summers 717-371-0758

Golfing & Dinner: Chris Harmes 717-738-0861

Silent Auction: Jodi Highfield 717-738-4631

Volunteers & Information: Mike Gerhart 717-733-3811

Golfer Registration $ 80.00/ person

Dinner Only $ 30.00/ person

Register soon, this event will fill up. We will be limited to the first 144 golfers.

Sponsorship Levels:

Tournament Sponsor---------- $5,000.00

Gold Sponsor------------------- $2,000.00

Silver Sponsor------------------ $1,000.00

Bronze Sponsor----------------- $ 500.00

Hole Sponsor-------------------- $ 250.00

The 5K Run/Walk will be held July 12 @ 9am in Roland Park, Akron. Sponsor forms can be attained at the Ephrata Rec Center, the Ephrata High School, or by contacting
Kelly Holst: keh42@pitt.edu, 215-589-2034 or Marcy Dull: md249906@ohio.edu, 717-951-8106.

We truly appreciate any financial contribution you can give to this worthwhile cause as Derrick courageously continues to "Fight On".

Thanks, Fundraising Committee Members

Good Morning

Whats up everybody, yesterday evening paster Tim from the Church of the Bretheren came by and anointed Mindy and I with oil, based on James chapter 5. It was a really cool experience and Mike and Nancy Sensenig were here as well. I am feeling really good this morning, my counts are still very low and I can't really be around people but they are coming up and hopefully by this weekend they are high enough to get out and see some peeps. Mindy and I are off to pick up my dad's mower at the shop, then to CVS to get some pic's developed and then to the bank. Today is Marcy's birthday and she is 20, wow, little sister turning 20 not cool. Happy Birthday Marcy!!!!! Love Ya!!!!

Everything I'm not made me everything I am


" Your heavenly father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern."

-Matthew 6:32-33

Good To Be Home

I got home from the hospital after a 10 day stay on Saturday afternoon........... only to find I need to be back up on Sunday to get platelets and then again today for a check up. I had an ultrasound of my testes today and they couldn't find any sign of either of the masses they saw before. The radiologist said he could not explain this and asked if I had been praying a lot. Praise to Jesus for this miracle he has clearly intervened and created. I am still battling pneumonia that I got while I was in the hospital but it is getting better each day. My counts are still low but they are bouncing back slowing each day.

Mindy had a bone marrow drive on Saturday in our home town of Lewisburg and had a great turn out, 259 people joined the national registry.

Today is the 2 week count down until I go to NYC for the start of my transplant regiment.

I came across Matthew 7:7 again today:

Ask, and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Derrick

Anticipating Discharge.........

Derrick continues to improve with each passing day and we are hoping that he will be discharged from Hershey either today or tomorrow.  He has been fever free for about 48 hours and the headaches have also gone away.  Yesterday, they did a biopsy of one of the infected bumps on his stomach to determine what type of infection he has.  This was done more for future reference than for any other reason.  They do not plan to change his antibiotic, but the information will be helpful when Derrick goes to NYC for his transplant to help the doctors know the exact type of bacteria.  He and Mindy also took a walk yesterday and Derrick even went outside for a short time!  The doctors have told Derrick that they want him to consume as many calories as he can to gain back some of the weight he has lost before heading to Memorial Hospital on June 2.  I am going to do my best to cook his favorite meals, but if anyone has a special meal or dessert that's plenty fattening, please feel free to bring it over.......I promise to save some for Derrick :)

Thanks again to everyone who has been so kind to us.  We thank God every day for your love and support!

-Donna

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble - Psalm  59:16

  

Reporting Live from Hershey Medical Center...

Derrick is still recovering from the aftereffects of chemotherapy. Sorry we have been a little slow with updates, but it is hard to do posts while at the hospital. Thankfully, Jim is a tech wizard so we hooked up the internet in the room. Derrick continues to feel better each day. His fevers have been minimal today. He has some stiffness in his leg muscles, but he has been stretching and doing things to work that out. His main doctor should be back in tomorrow, so we should have more information then. Thank you all for your continued support, cards, and prayers. As we were typing this we stopped at 4:00 for our afternoon prayer. - Mindy

" And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them"

Romans 8: 28


- I also wanted to let everyone know that I will be having a Bone Marrow Drive on Saturday May 17th from 11-3 at the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street In Lewisburg. The drive is free, but I will have a canister for anyone interested in donating money to help offset the costs. Also, anyone who wants to join the registry and can't attend my drive or have missed the others, right now you can sign up online for free during the Mother's Day campaign. This runs until the 19th. Just go to www. marrow.org and follow the link to join the registry.

back at hershey for recovery

Derrick's blood counts bottomed out early Weds morning and he started running a low grade fever. After consulting with the docs at Hershey it was decided the best course of action was for Derrick to be admitted to hershey. This will permit him to be treated with the antibiotics that he needs and also to get infused with platelets and blood as needed. His immune system is pretty much wiped out so he has felt tired & achey & had a fever the past two days. His spirit remains high as he is aware that this is not an unusual side effect of his treatment.

Dad

What an incredible experience ....

Tonight we had the prayer chain here at the Dull residence. It was such an inspiring night, with family and friends gathering to say prayers and share words of inspiration with Derrick and the family. It was a great turnout and we were all glad to have Dave come and lead us all in prayer. Those of you who couldn't make it, we felt your presence and warm thoughts! It was so nice to hear the scriptures that were read and to hear other people's struggles that they have overcame. We were also able to meet some of Dave's friends who shared some inspiring words. I am sure that God was present with us, as we had some of his best servants here with us tonight. After the prayer time, as a group we decided that continual prayer for Derrick would be great, but that we would also try to say a prayer for Derrick each afternoon at 4:00. I invite you all who are interested to join us in this time of prayer for healing for Derrick that his body remains free of leukemia and he can get to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for a successful transplant with a speedy recovery!

Derrick and I often talk about how blessed we really are. We have received so much support, kind thoughts, and prayers. We are truly blessed to have all of you in our lives and we are so thankful for that! Even though we don't always get to thank you individually we appreciate the cards, blog messages,phone calls, and emails. You all have definitely helped make this process a little easier.

I thought I'd end this blog entry with a short story that I shared with those who attended the prayer meeting tonight. About a year ago Derrick and I went to my grandmother's church one Sunday. This particular day at church sticks out in my mind, because immediately after his sermon, the pastor walked over to Derrick and said I don't know you, but God wants me to tell you that you are going to do something great. I can't think of anything better than Derrick beating this and going on to share his faith, love, and blessings with all those around him!!!!

- Mindy

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.
Psalm 105:1

That night God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, " What do you want? Ask, and I will give it you you!"
2 Chronicles 1:7

" I will praise you during this storm" - some inspirational lyrics from a song brought to the prayer night by a very good friend. Derrick felt this explained his situation well.

Monday

Today Mindy and I made a trip up to Hershey in the morning to have my labs drawn to see if I needed platelets or blood, I didn't need either but I will on Wednesday. I am still having headaches a lot during the day, any time I am standing up for an extended period of time I get them. I'm fairly sure this is due to the spinal tap procedure I had done, my doc said often times the hole leaks your spinal fluid and causes you to have headaches. Mindy and I had lunch today at Issac's and they still aren't completely restocked from last weeks fund raiser night.

Tomorrow May 6th, at 6:30 we are having a prayer chain at my house 200 N Maple St. in Ephrata. Hope to see a lot of people there. If you are unable to make it but could hold a moment of silence your presence will be felt.

Looking forward to the Flyers vs Penguins which should start this week sometime.

Issac's & Thursday

Ephrata Issac's night on Wednesday was awesome. It was an inspiration to see so many familiar faces. I heard they had a record night and I just want to say thanks again to everyone who came out.

Yesterday I had a dentist apt in the afternoon to get my teeth cleaned before my transplant. Paster Carter from my church came in the afternoon to meet with us for a little.

There is a golf outing being organized and I will put up more information this weekend.

Go Flyers Tonight...