A journey in life - musings of a doctor, husband, dad, grandad, brother, and friend

Sorry for the delay in getting back with you all but I have been busy with some challenges on this arduous journey.  Please read more below and check out the video. Squamous Cell Carcinoma On July 29th, I had surgery for a squamous cell carcinoma. This skin lesion was a result of the whole body irradiation I received in preparation for stem cell transplantation.  Just another challenge along the path.  If you are interested, click on the link below: Image sequence (Warning: Graphic images) There have other challenges including the pneumonia with sepsis (blood infection).  Please go to the video for more information Link to the GO FUND ME page AGAIN THANKS SO MUCH and may God bless you! Tripp

"Honey, the truck has arrived!" - this would be about right over the last several weeks. My platelets have been so low that I bruise everywhere and frequently find my clothes or the bed linens soaked with blood.  Even going 3 x a week for infusions of platelets has only had a mild affect. Jan has been a real trooper when these bleeds occur, She and I have been using the hydrogen peroxide (in what seems to be by the gallon, to oxidize and thereby remove the blood from clothes and linens).  Being the great nurse she is, she has continued to assist in getting me back to speed.  You'll note the friend below I'm pictured with and starting to resemble.  However, I still wash my hands in a sink and haven't developed an affinity for going through my neighbor's garbage cans! One of the reasons my entry is a little late was a mishap I had.  It was a beautiful day in early April and I needed to walk so I took my loyal canine, Kipper, for a walk. Exercising bad

Hi everyone.  It's been one and a half weeks since discharge from my 3+ month stay at Johns Hopkiins.  I have already posted the information on the GoFundMe site.  My vision (although improving) is not such that I can do a lot of computer work.  So.... here is the link to the GoFundMe page. http://www.gofundme.com/trippbradd Blessings to all, Tripp

This past Monday I had a difficult bone marrow biopsy lasting 1 1/2 hours.  Jan and I have been waiting for the results and we got the results late yesterday afternoon My bone marrow revealed that... I AM IN REMISSION! This means that the biopsy found no evidence of cancer in the biopsy and the chimer test shows that there is only donor cells (and none of mine)! Praise and honor to GOD   (and the staff at Johns Hopkins).. If all goes well,  I should be discharged early next week and return home to finish recovery at home and then return to the office on a limited basis (at least at first).  Still a long way to go.... So... YOUR PRAYERS and support have worked.  Jan and my family is greatly relieved and also grateful. Bless you all!

It's been a long time since my entry --  there are a number of reasons. I have been hospitalized at JOHNS HOPKINS since Thanksgiving last year.  Today is the first day my vision has been good enough to use my laptop. Before you go, PLEASE go to the GOFUNDME website for other updates. One of the reasons for the admission was the development of hematomas (collection of blood) on the bottom of both feet. These plum sized collections of blood were excrutiating even after they ruptured.  Happily, I have grown new soles of both feet which took a few weeks. I had been receiving FOSCARNET, an anti-viral (for the CMV - cytomegalovirus), IV which also led to severe suppression of my bone marrow with other side effects (mostly metabolic upheaval on my electrolytes and liver).  However, PTL, I was able to get LETERMOVIR which was the first anti-viral approved for the CMV virus by FDA in 15 years (approved in late 2018).  While I am still recovering  from the FOSCARNET side effects, the

Sorry for the delay - much has happened AND I haven't felt well. I have been in the hospital at Johs Hopkins two times. I left the hospital (the most recent hospitalization) on Sunday, October 21. The first hospitalization was due to culture negative gram negative septicemia.  At the local ER, I had systolic blood pressures in the 60's!  Up to Johns Hopkins for broad spectrum antibiotic coverage!  Developed atrial fibrillation again then one morning I developed asystole (heart stopped beating) for 5 seconds.  It's funny but I was moving myself up in the bed when it happened.  Things got a little fuzzy around the edges but I never lost consciousness.  Scared the staff who came running in. I went back into normal sinus rhythm after the 5 seconds. After few more days, I went home. Back in the office now last 2 days after this was tough as I had pleural effusions behind both lungs (fluid collections between the chest wall and the lungs).  I had to take that 'demon'

Jan and I sat down on September 13th with Dr. Amy Dezern, head of the MDS (Myelodysplasia Syndrome) branch of Oncology at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. What Jan and I had suspected from the preliminary results of the flow cytometry and the bone marrow biopsy was confirmed by Dr. Dezern.  There is a small recurrence of my MDS cells in the bone marrow.  However, the news had some positive results as well.  Let me explain. The chimerism test (a test to show what amount of the the donor and host) showed that Erika's cells were 94% of the sample and my bone marrow contribution (the host) was 6%.  This means that the chimerism test from early June, which was 100% Erika cells had reduced down to 94%.  The cytogenetic studies revealed that 19 had a karyotype of female (Erika) and 3 had a male karyotype (me).  This means that Erika's cells continue to predominate. The other good news is that my white blood cell count has increased to 6100 with an absolute neutrophil count of 4700

“ Faith  has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand.”  Thomas Aquinus The above statement on faith and hope are so true.  Faith and hope walk hand in hand with each other for those who have given their lives to Jesus Christ   If you add the love, you have from God and Jesus Christ, the promise that you will never be alone, you will always be loved and you will always have hope through your faith..   "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love. "  1 Corinthians: 13:13 (NIV) So HOPE is what Jan and I are going with right now.  We will sit down tomorrow with the Head of the MDS branch at Johns Hopkins, Amy Dezern, MD to review the bone marrow biopsy results from a couple of weeks ago.  There are some questionable results that need clarification and hopefully, no return of the MDS cells.  We'll also see Viki our "primary" outpatient oncologic NP to get further info and be examined

I have a friend whom I have known for nearly 50 years.  He lost his battle with cancer yesterday.  I so desperately wanted to visit him today but he went on a day ahead. I waited too long to share my brotherly love for him and the love of Jesus Christ... Act on the that 'little' voice inside.  Think globally and act locally!  Let me tell you something.  Do you know what the most powerful word in our language is?  It is the person's first name used in a positive way.  " John, thanks for helping me today, I hope you have a great week!" " Kristy, I want to say, I noticed you were very nice to that person (when they weren't).  Keep up the caring work." How hard is that to do?  If you saw the Shoulder Taps video from the prior blog, you get that. If you are in a retail store and you see their name tag... it's there for a reason.  I tried hard to remember and use the names of the techs and nurses who cared for me at Hopkins. If you mean it w

I realized that I was much more in tune with God when I was suffering mightily, worried for my wife who was at my side and worried about my family and the practice. Many times, I countinually prayed while I was able to. As I recovered and was more ambulatory and came home, the 'static' of this world started coming back. With the worldly distractions we all experience, I felt like I got out of TOUCH with that 'quiet voice' of the Holy Spirit and God who miraculously brought me to this point today.  Before I go further, I want you to watch this video by Bill Hart and his experience with (what he calls) "Shoulder Taps". Click on the image above to watch the short video. I want to thank all of you, who have listened to that quiet voice (shoulder tap) from God.  In doing so, I have been blessed by your words of encouragement, your cards, your meals, your events and financial support.  We were made to be with others and connected to them.  An obvious demo