Yeah, right!

Blaine has decided that I am his 'Mother Hen.' Shall I tell you why? I said, 'You have a fever, and you're coughing up stuff.' He said, 'It's just too many blankets and a cold, I'm fine.' I called Huntsman, and they had him come in. He was NOT happy with me, but he went in, and guess what? He has pneumonia! Relax, it's not the scary, in the hospital kind. It's the 'he caught a bug that filled his sinuses, and got a secondary infection in his lungs that is responding to antibiotics nicely' kind. The fever has subsided, and the coughing has lessened. He's totally wiped out, but that's normal with pneumonia.

With chemo patients, there comes a point where returns are diminishing, in that blood counts don't recover as quickly, the body's reserves begin to be depleted, and infections come more easily. I think Blaine is there. His counts have been much slower to recover, and still haven't completely come back from the last round of VD-PACE, which is by the way, very heavy chemo. Therefore, the third round of consolidation VD-PACE which was scheduled for this past Friday was canceled. Restaging was also canceled. They are going to monitor his counts and start again after they have recovered. I think we will now be moving away from consolidation chemo to maintenance chemo, as that is what his body is indicating he can handle. We will speak to Dr. Tricot after his counts recover and they restage. So you understand, the docs pushed him very hard because he could take it, and knew that this was probable. It is not an unexpected or fearful scenario to them. They pushed him harder than most knowing that they could pull back if needed.

Kyle underwent a colonoscopy and endoscopy recently, and is now on medication that finally seems to be helping him with the almost constant pain he has had to live with lately. He has some serious inflammation in his bowel and sores in his stomach that seem to be responding quite nicely to medication. We have also altered his diet. He seems to be improving quite a bit. Phew!

Everyone else is fine. Dani is still working very hard, and having some fun as well, Josh is playing baseball and getting excited to go to Texas to work for the summer then off to Laie, Hawaii for school in the fall. He will be 18 in just a few weeks. Where has our time gone? Alexis is taking a sports season off, and is relaxed and seems happy. No major projects going on right now, and it looks good on her. She loved Disneyland with the Band/Choir/Theatre group.

I am breathing a little easier, though still working and on my guard. It has been over a year since Blaine started chemo, and many, many changes have occurred since he started having symptoms. I am getting used to the west again, as it is a big adjustment. It is good, just different. We look forward to warmer weather, gardens, fishing, etc. Hoping to see our dog soon, we miss her!

We will update again when his counts recover and he is restaged. For now, please keep him and Kyle in your prayers. We are as always, so very grateful for those. Take care
Marleigh

Hey everyone!

So I took some pictures from my dad's first round of backpack-chemo. We have lovingly dubbed the bag "Chuck" because it makes my dad look like some sort of secret agent when he wears it. Although these pictures are a little bit outdated, I thought you might be interested.

Enjoy.


At Josh's basketball game last Saturday (Dad was still neutropenic.)



PS: sorry the pictures are a little grainy, my camera is kind of dying on me. It's lived a good little life, served me well..(hint hint my birthday is in JULY...jk).

Oh yeah, and I can't help but show this one off:
(it's Josh cutting down his part of the net from the Championship game)



Hope all is well with you and yours.

Brags and Updates

(Photo from last year, but I like it!)

Joshua's basketball team just won the State Championship! They have all worked very hard, and been unstoppable. Their record was 22-1, the loss coming from a team in a higher division. The only other games that were even close came in the playoffs, and two of those were great games on both sides. The final game wasn't much of a contest. Wasatch kept the other team to 8 points in the first half. Not bad! The team stayed up very late celebrating. Josh has very little voice left from all the yelling they did. Now he has a long break between seasons. That is if you consider one day between the final basketball game and the first day of baseball tryouts long... that's why they do this when they are young.

Joshua also has some other exciting news - he will be attending BYU-Hawaii this fall. Yep, he gets to go to school where the head librarian is also the surfing instructor. According to US News and World Report, BYU-H is the most diverse campus in the nation. They draw heavily from Polynesia and the Pacific Rim, as well as other areas of the world. Part of the stated mission of BYU-H reads:

"Preparing men and women with the intercultural and leadership skills necessary to promote world peace and international brotherhood, to address world problems, and to be a righteous influence in families, professions, civic responsibilities, social affiliations, and the Church."

It has the international business program Josh is looking for with the above as part of the school's stated mission plan. That it's in Hawaii isn't bad either! It has been a wonder to watch the class and composure Josh has shown this past year as he gave up his senior year and all that goes with it in New Hampshire to come here and try to be involved in programs that were WELL established, with athletes that were not only talented but very connected to each other as boys who have played together for years tend to be. He had been a starter and one of the leading scorers his Junior year on Varsity, to come here as a guy on the outside trying to break in with little chance as a senior to make teams. He made the basketball team, but spent most of his time on the bench. He never complained, ever. He stuck it out, and found joy in practice and in the team's success, and worked his heart out. He celebrated as much as any starter. What a great group of young men. I am so grateful for the amount of class Josh has shown in this. He is trying out for baseball, and has thrown some bull pen sessions. I understand that they need pitchers, so baseball may provide more playing time. We'll see. He has also worked very hard academically, which is evidenced by his acceptance to BYU-H. All in all, he is ready to fly, and has shown himself capable, able, willing, and hard working. His parents are very proud.

Other news:
Blaine is in Massachusetts this week for work, though he will not be able to get up to New Hampshire this time around. He would very much like to be able to do that, and will try again on the next trip. He has had his second round of consolidation chemo, and seems to be recovering a little faster this time than the last. They removed one drug from the mix that he just didn't tolerate well. He has two more rounds to go between now and about the first of June, then a year of maintenance chemo, which we hope won't be so intensive. We wait to find out.

Marleigh is teaching music at Heber Valley Elementary, part time, and teaching voice students, also part time.

Alexis is getting ready for a band/choir/theatre trip to Disney Land on Thursday. Her basketball team finished and she is deciding whether or not to do track, as the state of Utah does not have triple jump, her best event, at the high school level. She is sooooo not happy about that. She has fit in nicely here, as she makes friends easily wherever she goes. Did I forget to brag about her recent test scores? In English, she scored - get this - in the 100th percentile! She did well in everything else also, but her English scores were phenomenal. Thank you, Linda Ferland! (English teacher at Vilas Middle School)

Dani is working very hard. She has a part time job in the evenings and a full class load. She is working very hard to keep up those good grades. She feels that her French has improved even since returning from Europe because she is reading and writing the language a great deal. She is even finding time for some social life again. Hurray!

Kyle had his first all A's and B's report card. Great job! He just finished his basketball season, and is going to play spring basketball as well. His team is also very good, with an 8-3 record. He has had his own health challenges, and docs are running tests to try and get to the bottom of it. Will update, but nothing too scary, just problematic.

We are adjusting to our new home, and looking forward to spring. Hope the flowers blossom soon wherever you may be.

Moving Forward

Well Blaine is back at work, and in San Jose, California this week running training classes. Wow! He has recovered, I think, from the last round of chemo. I keep hoping Dr. Tricot will say, "He's done so well, his body has rebounded so much that we have decided he won't need all four rounds of VD-PACE. Two will be enough." It is SO good when he recovers and begins to gain energy, and does not have to be SICK anymore. I just hate it when he has to go through it again. But chemo is better than cancer, and we want him to stay around. He is looking very good right now, and gaining strength. I love that. He has eyelashes again, and is even getting some fuzz on his head. He's no shrinking violet and is willing to put forth the effort even when it's very difficult to work so that he can care for his family. He truly is a provider in that sense, and I can't tell you how much we respect and appreciate him for that. Working also helps him.

Since we are now in proximity to BYU, it is my intention to finish that degree that has always been just beyond my fingertips. I had four general ed classes to fill, and music history to go for a Bachelors of Music. There are a few classes that I must repeat since it has been so long, and Music History, which was covered in two consecutive classes, is now four consecutive classes. I would need to go part-time this spring, summer, next fall and winter to finish, because of the order in which the Music History classes are offered. So, if I add a few more courses, not too many, and a semester of student teaching, I will be certified to teach. Unbelievable! I will have accumulated more undergraduate credits than any other person I know before I am done! Crazy. It would be easier to just knock off the Bachelors of Music, but I would still need to certify to teach another way, so the Bachelors of Music Education makes more sense. It is the most credit intensive major at BYU. I have to re-audition for the Music-Ed program, as it is intensely competitive here, and since I have been gone for a long, long time. I am re-taking one class right now, and hope to be able to afford to continue. Wish me luck.

We are also in the process of moving. We are renting a duplex in town, and leaving this little haven that has been provided for us. We are so very grateful for the long-term use of this guest house that we have been so generously given. But alas, we must move forward. We have thoroughly enjoyed being here, and will miss it, and those who live near. May they be blessed for their loving kindness, and generosity.

In that vein, we have a golden retriever who my sister, Lael, has been taking excellent care of. They feed her more carefully, and she has lost weight. We will have to be sure and follow her lead, so Jarah can stay healthy. We miss our dog. It's a long shot, but I must ask any way. Any of our friends headed west want to bring the nicest, mellowest, sweetest dog in the world to us...? Anyone...? She can fly with someone or (!) ride in a vehicle. If you dare. I know it's a long shot, but we gotta try!

We hope you are all well. Take care, and stay warm!
(Who can resist a face like that?)

Life is Good.

(Huntsman Cancer Institute - ground was broken for new wing on bottom left of photo)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSpz1rFgPNs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmpDsSBESus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0KyzSEmzPE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oaEDKv3Jf4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEnXhhJ5DCc&NR=1

Above is a link to an interview/special about a man whom we have never met, but who has figured prominently in our lives. His name is John Huntsman Sr., founder of the Huntsman Cancer Institute. He is a very wealthy man who has given, as of the figure I heard this morning, half a BILLION of his own dollars towards this. We are the recipients of his generosity, and are in the process of watching a whole new section of the hospital being built into the side of the mountain HCH rests against. Please, if you have a problem with Glenn Beck, set it aside for us, and watch this for the story of the man who has funded the saving of many lives, including Blaines. It is broken up into five parts, thus the five links, but it is well worth the time.

Having said that, we must now report on our news. Blaine underwent restaging last week (bloodwork, PET scan, beloved bone marrow biopsy), and today we received the results. Are you ready? Completely clean. Completely. Can you believe it? The PET scan also showed evidence that his bone lesions were now healing. That is the GREAT news. However, since his cancer was so VERY aggressive, and there could still be cancerous cells hiding in his body that will mature over the next several months, he will undergo a rigorous Consolidation Chemo regimen until May to knock those out and prevent this thing from ever heating up again. He will receive the same protocol he received at Dartmouth before we brought him here, every six weeks until May. That will be four cycles of what's called VTD-PACE. One chemo light, one steroid, and five (yes 5) chemo heavy drugs. These will be delivered 24 hours a day over the space of four days. He will not be inpatient, however. He will be hooked up to a back-pack which will deliver the medicines through two IV lines. That starts tomorrow. Sleep will be interesting! But they've done this many, many times, and we are confident that they know EXACTLY what they are doing. There are side effects, but we've seen them before, and they are aware of how Blaine responds to the different drugs. And, he has recovered. We expect that he will do so again, with faith and prayer. We are so very blessed to have him here with us, and so very thankful to ALL of those who have made that possible. I think that calls for a very, very...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

From all us Savages to all of you.

PS - Congrats, Nicki and Craig! When's the big day?

Merry Christmas!

'Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the house,
Only Mom was stirring, Quiet as a mouse.
The stockings laid out, presents wrapped with care,
Kyle hardly sleeping, excitement in the air.

When all of the sudden, he woke with a start,
headed downstairs, to check it all out.
Go back to bed, you need your rest,
We need to sleep, we'll give Santa your best.

The Savages are all under one roof snug and warm,
We have been blessed by your friendship, love and concern
Dropping off presents, sweets and much kindness,
We find ourselves grateful for this seasons happiness.

May all of you on both sides of the country, or wherever you may be, have a safe, blessed, and Merry, Merry Christmas.
God Bless each and every one of you.

Love,
The Blaine and Marleigh Savage Family

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