Dean P. Demos

First I want to mention Fred Miller, a close and lifelong friend, who is nearing the end of his journey here.  He and his wonderful wife, Sharon, were ultra faithful to Hope Temple’s choir which I directed for 8 or 9 years.  My love and respect to the Miller clan for their friendship and their sainthood.  My heart is with you.

Today I had pre-op appointments to have cataract surgery next Wednesday, and then a stem cell transplant at Northside Hospital in February.  Northside, by the way, has the best survival rate for transplants in the nation.  It’s a good thing to have Dr. Jesus on the team, too.

Pray for Patty.  She is overwhelmed by the perceived demands upon her as my primary caregiver.  Already, she is thinking about a schedule of trusted friends and drivers who might be willing to take a shift driving me to Northside for my 21 days of followup care.  Whomever can help, I am hereby offering to buy your lunch!!!

Jesus, Your detailed, complete plan for my care is overwhelmingly comforting.  You TRULY care for me, and EVERYONE who calls upon Your all-powerful name.  There is NO ONE ELSE like You.  You are my Savior, my Healer, my Friend, my Comfort.  I bless You.  Comfort my beloved wife and lift her burden.

Thank you for keeping up with my life. I am honored to have your friendship.

Here’s the latest.

I took a 4 week vacation from the Multiple Myeloma medications while I had my hip replacement surgery and recovery. I’m doing well. Yesterday was my best day yet, going all day with meetings from 7:30 a.m. until nearly noon. No crutches. No pain. Praise the Lord. A difficult day, job-wise, but a healthy day.

As I visited Dr. G, he said my indicator levels have noticeable roller-coaster changes. When I’m off the meds, the levels begin rising. He then recommended that I have the stem cell transplant within the next several months. So, I am hereby working with the Northside Hospital transplant organization to begin planning this procedure. Please pray that this phase of my treatment will fall into place, according to the Lord’s plan for my life.

The transplant process essentially takes you to the door of death to kill all bad cells, then gives you a new lease thru the injection of healthy stem cells (which I had collected last summer) into your bloodstream. It is a 6-8 week process. We are hoping to have it coincide with the TCS winter and spring breaks, thereby giving me 2 weeks of school down time for the recovery.

To me, the stem cell transplant will be a rebirth, a renewal. I am sensing a new level of grace from the Lord to accept this difficult procedure.

I am currently reading the book of Job. Suffering, although not popular, can be fruitful. Remember, we are encouraged to consider Job’s end rather than his beginning and interim period of suffering. (Just listen to me … all bold and everything!)

HELP ME, JESUS!!!

Last Thursday, Dr. Bradbury performed his second total hip replacement on me.  It was successful.  Patty brought me home the following afternoon, and I have been recovering quickly. 

Today I got out for the first time since my hip replacement … we went to the funeral of a parent from the school.  She’s with the Lord, but a 3rd grader and 6th grader now have no mommy.  I don’t like that.  The Lord will help, and the Christian school will be a strength.  (One of the benefits of Christian education)

Knee replacements are more difficult than hip.  Both are worth it.  Pain from damaged, arthritic joints is tough to endure.  I’m grateful for medical technology and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

So many friends have been praying for me.  I’m so grateful.  I wouldn’t-couldn’t bear life so well without the Lord. 

A benefit of studying the Word all your life is that when you’re older and really need His help, you know what’s in the contract.  Peace is ours through the knowledge of His Word.

Bless you as you prepare for the holiday season.

True.  It seems that in the past 45 days, my right hip has become intolerable. Starting as a painful “catch” when I tried to get out of my pickup truck, it quickly progressed to causing a limp and keeping me awake at night.  So, I’m back on Dr. Bradbury’s schedule for a total hip replacement on Dec. 5.

That’s not all that’s falling apart.  I need cataract surgery in January.  I might as well have good eyes.

Honestly, this last barrage of physical problems has knocked me down somewhat.  I thank God for a healthy pulse, and many other things.

One lesson I’ve learned is that “I can’t do it all.”  I’m quicker to ask for help than ever before.  That’s ok.  I’ve always felt somewhat guilty asking someone else to do what I could do for myself.  Now, I really need the help often.

My sustaining verse has been, “His grace is sufficient.  His strength is made perfect in my weakness.”  Paul gloried in his infirmities “that the power of Christ may rest upon (him).” 

May I?

Wow.  We have had a month.

Patty was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis after a bout with digestive tract challenges. She is now somewhat stabilized and back to work. Although she has had some difficult medicine coping adjustments, she is learning what works and what doesn’t. Thanks to ALL for your difference-making prayers. Now we have two people in the same house on steroids … interesting! (She’ll wean herself off soon)

I go back to Dr. G. today for another round of my medicines.

The side-effects have been the challenge. Numbness in my feet and strange things happening to my ears are the biggies. If YOU are healthy, be grateful and take good care of yourself.

In being ashamed of my petty self-pity parties, I have concluded that I don’t want my physical condition to DEFINE me. Although aches and pains demand ongoing focus, I am choosing rather to put other opportunities in the driver’s seat. Grace helps!

HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT! Paul said he had learned contentment with whatever level of financial provision was made to him. May I apply the same principle to whatever level of physical discomfort I experience? Whether aches and pains abound or not, I seek to find contentment. I also continue to seek a miraculous healing to be lifted above the fray of life.

The world conditions are changing. Our nation is changing. My physical health is changing. So … I say …

Maranatha! Come quickly, Lord Jesus

Patty, my wonderful wife of 43 years, has recently and privately struggled with some digestive disorders.  She recently completed an endoscopy and colonoscopy which yielded a diagnosis of colitis.  She was admitted to the hospital this past Tuesday for an infection we have discovered was related to her colon condition.  All is under control now.  She is receiving the appropriate antibiotics and treatment.  She should be released as soon as she has the strength.

I have observed that many of us have a life challenge of some sort.  Life happens.  I often think of Paul’s words in 1 Cor. 15 that say “First the natural, then the spiritual.”  Through our natural, earthly struggles, we learn so much about the spiritual struggle going on.  Ultimately, the eternal comes into play.  That’s why, in my opinion, the opportunities we have to learn spiritual and eternal lessons via our normal-life challenges is an important process.  Surely most of us know that we have a Great LIfe Coach who will walk us through these struggles.  He will even carry us if need be.  I weep with gratitude as I think of the love our Savior, Jesus Christ, has for us.  He loves me.  He loves Patty.  He loves you.  O wondrous thought!

Your prayer and friendship mean so much to us.   Thank you.

Last Monday, Dr. G. did blood testing to check the myeloma indicators.  The results came in Thursday.  My numbers are going back down.  This removes the pressure to have a stem-cell transplant soon.  It means the maintenance regimen of medication is working.

It’s a relief to us.  I am grateful for medical science and the many dedicated researchers etc. who really care about people and are trying to find cures.  I know its big business, but I have met some great people who really care.

Dr. Jesus is my Main Attending Physician.  He offers it all … abundant life-guidance, emotional and physical health, innumerable support staff, and the entire bill has ALREADY BEEN PAID.  Nothing better!

Sorry I’ve been delinquent.  I’ve been working hard and very focused on getting the new school year off the ground.

Since the stem cell collection process, I’ve been on a lower RVD dose regimen … Revlimid on normal routine, Velcade once a week rather than twice a week, and Dexamethasone (steroid), once a week … gitturdun!!!   (Do you “Up north” people understand that word?)

My myeloma indicators were tested Monday, and my results will be available tomorrow.  Dr. G. and I are both eager to see which way they are moving … up again, or back down where we want them.

I had a good talk with Dr. G. about my future, my trust in the Lord etc.  He is Jewish, and nodded that he understood my position.  We talked about the reasons to keep living.  Although he is 65, he has 8 and 10 year children he must keep living and working for.  Insightful.

Everybody, please say a prayer for Dr. G.

Thanks

It’s over. On Wednesday, I served a 4 hour term in the donor seat beside an apheresis machine that separated another 5+ million stem cells from my blood. I now have 10,500,000 stem cells frozen and ready should I need a transplant. I’m glad I did it, and I’m glad it’s over.

I appreciate quality members of the medical community who do their job with skill and pleasantness. They are to be commended.

I talked to Bob, my myeloma friend from NJ, who happened to be in the hospital for a blood clot from Revlimid. We both shared our current status, and had good questions for each other. I said a prayer for Bob at the end of our conversation.

Speaking of prayer, I am going to lift my hands to the Lord every morning in prayer, and thank Him in advance for healing me. That’s the faith position that is expressed in the Hebrew word, Towdah. Thank you, Lord. It’s impossible to lead a life that pleases the Lord without faith. (Heb. 11:6) So, let’s see those hands up in the air, please!!!

I have a port.  No ships … just blood goes in and out.  That starts tomorrow morning.

The hospital people call it a catheter.  It was inserted in a semi-surgical procedure.  No joke.  Anesthesia and all.  Anyway, I now am ready for tomorrow morning when they will hook me up to an apheresis machine that will take blood out one side of the port, separate the healthy stem cells, and then pump the left overs back into my intake port.

When they have enough of them, I’m done.  They will remove the catheter and freeze my stem cells.  An amazing process.

The neupogen I’ve been taking all weekend has quite a reputation.  One of my nurses today said, “You really look neupogenic.”  Believe me, I felt neupogenic ALL WEEKEND.  I found out it’s common … flu-like achy-ness … “My Achy, Breaky Bones.”  (I feel a song comin’ on)

I’ll be glad when this is over.

Life has its struggles.  The other day I was reading the Book of Ruth.  Naomi told her friends to call her “Mara” for the Lord had been very rough on her.  She didn’t realize that her sorrow would be rewarded when her daughter-in-law’s descendants would be King David and Jesus.

Hold on.  I will if you will.