TRANSPLANT TWILIGHT ZONE!

Imagine, if you can, a foreign invasion of your body by 6,000,000 immature stem cells that take control of your body and create a whole new immune system which can either destroy your body organs and functions, or miraculously bring total healing to your body. If you can, you've entered THE TRANSPLANT TWILIGHT ZONE! 

Seattle, WA 2/5/11, cloudy 42 degrees.

We are fully into the science fiction side of modern medical treatments. Results of  the upper and lower GI biopsies reveal the full blown presence of Graft VS Host Disease in my "Gut". A typical condition following a half-matched transplant. In addition, a Viral condition that I brought with me into the process is also activated and between the two of them I have been losing the battle with a healthy digestive system. They have added two new medications to combat the negative side effects, IV infusion of Ganciclovir twice a day and 100 mg of Prednisone every day. This should have an immediate impact on my physical condition and I am looking forward to being able to eat an exercise normally. One of the research Doctors gave me an interesting perspective on this latest development.

The Medical Team expect and value the presence of some form of Graft VS Host Disease. It shows them that my donor's stem cells are asserting themselves in creating an entirely new immune system. They are behaving like a 4 year old who has discovered that he/she is capable of doing just about every normal daily task and is exerting an irritating level of independence. Mini-Hanna thinks it is alot of fun to mess with soft tissue masses in the digestive system. It's like playdough and it feels good in your fingers. The Medical Team's job is to play the role of the wise parent in disciplining Mini-Hanna by slapping her hands with medical treatments when she damages healthy tissues or organs. On the other hand, this aggressiveness and independent behavior by Mini-Hanna also tells them that she is exerting her initiative in seeking out any juicy looking cancer cells or small tumors which may have survived all of the previous treatments. Like squishing potato bugs on a rock in your summer garden, Mini-Hanna must find a special pleasure in mobilizing the T-Cell strike forces and unleashing them on weakened cancer cells. This is where one finds that elusive entrance into the Transplant Twilight Zone. I find myself having adult conversations with an immature immune system, much like talking with our Granddaughter, Rhona. She exhibits alot of the same behavior as Mini-Hanna, but I didn't have permission to name my immune system after her. Knowing what excellent parents Rhona has, I am confident that we can train Mini-Hanna to only use her power and strength to help Grandpa Peterson and leave the good organs alone.

IN CONVERTENDO!  TRANSFORMATION!

Psalm 126 holds out the promise of restoration and regeneration: "When the Lord restored the good fortune of Zion, then we were like those who dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy. then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses of the Negev. Those who sowed with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, will gather together with joy, bringing in the sheaves." I have an unshakable confidence in the restoring grace of God. We will all go through seasons of tears and loss, but God is in the business of restoring our well being and we will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

European Vacation, May-July, 1972

We had arranged to rent a VW campervan for about six weeks. The first couple of weeks we were to travel with student friends we had met and then we were to rendezvous with Kriss' parents in Amsterdam, The Netherlands for a month of travel. We picked up the van in Paris and all our travel companions met us there. Our first destination was L'Abri, a Christian community in the Swiss Alps outside of Geneva. Francis Schaeffer held court there and people came from all over the world to live on the grounds, work mornings for room and board and gather for meals and evening discussions about Christian theology and modern culture. Francis Schaeffer was a Christian guru who was probably overrated as a theologian, but he was a genius at communication and self-promotion. His books sold by the millions in various languages and people flocked to the Swiss Alps to find some kind of authentic spirituality and lifestyle. Believers, agnostics, seekers, hippies, Jesus-Freaks and everything in between could be found there weekly. We had both believers and sceptics in our group, but everyone was willing to fit into the routine of manual labor, communal meals and large group "rap sessions" in the evening. It was perfect weather. When we had free time in the afternoons, we might run up and down the Alps singing "The Hills are Alive, With the Sound of Music." By the time we got back to our camper in the evenings, we would stay up late having deep and meaningful conversations about faith and life. I know God used that time to touch all of our hearts and we left L'Abri and headed across Switzerland to Austria and then on to Stuttgart, Germany. We had a friend serving in the military stationed there, and we wanted to see him. We had a minor problem using some military issue diesel fuel, which wouldn't run in our van and almost got arrested for the manner in which we disposed of it. I bought an Olympic Comemerative coin celebrating the Munich Olympics which were only a couple of weeks away. Everytime I look at that coin, I have mixed feelings, remembering the terrorist attacks and subsequent deaths that would change everyone's sense of security in the world.

We got out of Germany and headed for Amsterdam. We were look''ing forward to Kriss' parents coming, particularly, since we were running out of cash. Of course their flight got delayed in Vancouver, BC and they had no way of letting us know about the changes. It was a stressful couple of days going to the Airport every day to see if their charter flight was coming. The most difficult thing was sneaking in and out of the airport WC's with no money and not getting accousted by the concierge. Fortunately, they showed up and the great Dutch Reunion would begin.