Good news first- The fungal infection is pretty much cleared up.

The new news is that I officially have Graft Versus Host disease (GVHD).  Like everything else with this mess the symptoms vary greatly from person to person – some people get a little rash, some people die. I’m somewhere in the middle. My body has broken out in a rash – everywhere – I’m turning purple with red spots, front and back, top to toe.  I feel like Grimace. It started Saturday and spread like wildfire.

In addition, my mouth is full of sores and lesions – especially on my tongue.  For four days I’ve been eating smashed bananas (sorry Amie) and soup because they are the only things I can get down. Good diet but a miserable way to live.

I went to the hospital today and was there most of the day getting looked at, tested, measured and biopsied. I left with two new appointments and two new creams to rub on me.  If you’ve lost count, that is now five creams and five medicines.

This wasn’t completely unexpected. I’ve kind of been on edge waiting for it for a while.  It’s nothing out of the ordinary for someone in my position.  It just sucks.  But it isn’t without its silver lining. Getting GVHD can act as a vaccine against Leukemia.  Along with my skin and tongue the body recognizes the Leukemia cells as an enemy and attacks them – just like we want it to.

While I sat there in the ER for hours on end and watched people come and go, I saw that there were a lot of people who had it worse than me. Crying families, screaming babies, injuries and more filed through.  My purple complexion and flaming tongue will pass and I haven’t had to shed a tear yet – but I have noticed that my smile and cheerful disposition are starting to crack. I know that everything is moving in the right direction – I would just like a break from the side effects, infections and secondary sicknesses.  I’m getting weary.

Keep me in your prayers. I appreciate it.