What a year...

Every holiday season we receive cards from family and friends, often reviewing the events of the past year. As I sit here looking out over the new snow fall, I keep thinking about what a year this has been for the Savages and the significant life changing events of 2009.

- My Mom passed away: after battling diabetes and knee issues for years, my Mom was diagnoses with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. It was very aggressive and by the time it was found, it was too late. She stayed optimistic and never gave up. It has now been 8 months since she passed away and we are still trying to adjust. I know things are well with her, that she is engaged in the work on the other side... but we still miss her.

- Last January, I started to have some back pain- that I thought was just a strained muscle. This turned out to be not a strained muscle, but a tumor that had lodged itself onto and had compressed my spine- leaving me unable to walk or with very little feeling from about the bottom of my ribcage down. Surgery quickly followed and the tumor was removed. It has now been 10 months, and I still feel the effects of the paralysis but things have improved significantly and I'm optimistic that someday soon I'll be able to hike, ski, and play basketball (somewhat) again.

- The tumor on my spine was analyzed/diagnosis; Multiple Myeloma. This is a blood cancer with a high mortality rate. It has no cure yet, though it can be put into remission. To date, I’ve undergone several rounds of chemotherapy, two bone marrow/stem cell transplants and am currently in remission. Looking forward, I will undergo maintenance chemotherapy. Again, I'm very optimistic that everything is going to work out. The goal is to keep my cancer in check (hopefully for many years) until a cure can be found. As we talk with many of the patients at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital (HCH), it is encouraging to hear their stories. Many have been in the program for years. I would also like to add how grateful we are for the medical team at HCH. Dr. Tricot, I feel saved my life. All the prayers, blessings, fastings led us to him and his staff. The aggressive nature of my cancer needed an Oncologist who is very aggressive. Many cancer centers around the country don't recommend having tandem transplants because it is too difficult on the patient, but it is exactly what needed to happen for me. Dr. Tricot is a pioneer in the field of Multiple Myeloma and I thank God that we have been led to him.

- In order to be near the Huntsman Cancer Hospital we relocated the family from New England to Utah. It has been difficult taking the kids out of the only home environment they've ever really known and transplanting them into a brand new one. New schools, new friends, new Church Ward (congregation), new home... I'm proud of how well they've adjusted. They jumped in with both feet, with rarely a complaint. They miss New England, they miss their friends but they are involved here and are making friends. Josh worked hard and made the High School basketball team (who is ranked #1 in the state for their division) and he is doing well in school. Alexis also worked hard and made her freshman basketball team. She also works hard socially; she has made some good friends here and enjoys hanging out with them. She is involved with choir and also with staying busy at church. Kyle is doing well... he is liking his new class and I think is slowly adjusting to his new environment. He really enjoys his cousin Seth who takes him horse riding. He likes to shoot guns and is looking forward to hunting this next year. But he still misses his buddies in NH, he talks to them as often as we allow. Dani has spent the semester in France. She returns today and we are so excited to see her. She has had a great time and we have lived vicariously through her. She has been to Italy, Belgium, England, Normandy to name a few. She'll miss it, but we are so glad to have her back.


As I said earlier, it has been an eventful year. We've had our challenges but we've grown from them. A wise man once said: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable... (Orson F. Whitney).

Thank you again for all that you have done for our family. We have felt your love, strength and support. I hope you have a terrific holiday season.

Blaine