A Love letter ❤️

My dearest Otto,

I know that’s not your real name, but I’ve become so accustomed to calling you Otto, I think it’s stuck.

My tests results are back and they are perfect!

• My blood is 100% yours
• My immune system is 100% yours
• There is no evidence of disease (NED) anywhere in my bone marrow or labs.

I hesitate to say that we may just have beaten this damn cancer.  It’s been 2.8 years since my bone marrow transplant. The transplant team says if the cancer is going to come back, it usually comes back in the first 5 years. We haven’t had any big setbacks yet. I’m trying to be careful and nurture and appreciate your precious gift of golden cells. 

That’s what they look like when they are infused - a little bag of gold. 

I want to thank you for your precious gift that saved my life. 

• My husband, the Caregiver, we’ve been married 16 years now. That’s thanks to you. 
• Our 7 children were terrified, 6 of whom already lost a parent to cancer, this horrible, awful disease. (We we’re each married before.)  The thought I wouldn’t survive scared them so much. But I am alive, and thriving, thanks to you.
• My friends have been such an amazing support during my cancer fight. Stepping up to be Mom and Caregiver when needed. And it was needed a lot! And it’s seeming like I’ve won. That’s thanks to you.
• 3 of my daughters have graduated from college and are in the real world, making life work on their own. I thought I wouldn’t get to see that, but I did! That’s thanks to you. 
• Our youngest daughter has special needs, learning difficulties. She needs extra care. I get to help her. That’s thanks to you.

Sweet Otto, I could go on and on. But I know you will need to translate this to German. I just need you to know how special you are in my heart, in my husbands’ heart, in my kids’ heart. We consider you a member of our family - your blood pumps through my veins. 

Ich danke dir sear

Ich liebe dich

Patti