Mark Schmaedeke

Corrine, Mark, Allison, Isaac and Luke, Father's Day, June 2005

Journal

Friday, June 24, 2005 4:41 PM CDT

Hello All. Day 134!

It’s time to officially close our beloved CaringBridge website. I’d like to encourage all of you to send financial support to CaringBridge if you can. This website is on our Top Ten resources that kept us going during this difficult time. Please help CaringBridge continue to provide this awesome tool to other families in crisis. Thanks!

I’m so happy to report that Mark is feeling great! In the last several weeks, his energy level has dramatically increased! He still sleeps 9 hours a night and naps 2-3 hours a day, but he now has energy in between his rests. He’s not back to mowing the lawn yet (thanks RFD for doing this for us!), but he’s done some gardening and a few repair projects. His appetite still isn’t great, but he’s gained 10 pounds in the last few weeks (thanks to his midnight ice cream treat). He’s getting involved with the Roseville Fire Department again, attending drills and starting to think about doing some driving for fire calls. He is still often short of breath, although that is improving every week too.

So, we’re back into life and loving it. Mark is having a blast playing with the kids and watching Isaac play baseball and Corrine, Allison and Luke play soccer. The heat and cold still affect him dramatically, but he’s learning how to prepare and cope with temperature swings.

The kids are doing well. They went through a period of serious rebellion and boundary-crossing, but as Mark emerges as a strong, healthy parent, the kids are retreating. It took weeks for them to start to touch Mark again, but now I see it everyday – hugs, kisses, snuggles and nudges! We’re enjoying lots of family time these days.

We’re planning a family vacation in the Black Hills in July. We’ll be staying in cabins and Mark’s brother Paul is coming with us, so we’re hoping for lots of leisure! Am I crazy to dream of such a thing?

Mark is hoping to return to work in July, although Dr. Johnston thought the end of August was more realistic. He challenged Mark to beat his expectation though and Mark plans on it!

As we step out of the darkness that accompanied the transplant and recovery, we are overjoyed by the brightness of life. We still have moments each day when we look over our shoulders, remembering those haunting, relentless, brutal weeks. But we quickly turn around and bask in the hope for the future, still surrounded and supported by the AMAZING group of people who have carried us emotionally, physically and financially. We trust that you all know how much you did to bring our family through this crisis!

I’m going to close with a poem that my Aunt Ginny wrote for us on Day 101, titled “One Hundred Days:”

Whatever can happen in one hundred days,
To reverse a disease of two years?
Chemo and pills and a stem cell transplant
At the small price of blood, sweat and tears.

Blood cells contaminated, filled with disease
Were killed to make more room for new
And then from a bank of some good ones
Your life was put back into you.

The procedure was carefully chosen,
The risks, there were many, for sure
For in order to get this treatment to work
They took you right up to death’s door.

During this time, there were setbacks
Low blood counts, infections galore
Staph, bacillus, and shingles
You were sure you could not take much more.

Transfusions, medication and oxygen
Were needed to keep you alive
Yet it seemed that all of these remedies
Were taking a toll on your drive.

All of the while there were family and friends
Taking turns babysitting your nest.
A brother and sister spent weekends
And Jen took care of the rest.

At the home front, there was a support group
Who scheduled themselves into shifts
Transporting the kids, making meals and some chores
All were bestowing their gifts.

The firefighters down at the station
Were more than happy to give
Of their time, their assets and one big stair climb
Hoping and praying you’d live.

Demands were made on your children
Four little ones wanting to know
When all would be back to normal again
When their parents would not have to go.

Then, there were those of us at a distance
Who could do not much more than to pray
To daily check into the website
For news that would brighten their day.

And sometimes we’d add to the guestbook
To offer our words of support
Knowing full well that whatever we said
Would somehow, always fall short.

We started our separate prayer circles
To not only take care of you
But to also make sure that we had some support
Whenever we’d start to feel blue.

Then one day we opened the website
And with joy read the words of good cheer.
The cancer was gone, your blood was restored
What a beautiful story to hear!

Whatever can happen in one hundred days?
Well, a life can be brought back to share
With knowledge, expertise and a miracle
Combined with a whole lot of care.

People uniting in one common front
Some of whom you don’t even know.
But one thing we all have in common
Is Faith that will continue to grow.

So, you see, Mark, your incredible story
Has meaning far reaching today.
You’ve weathered the storm like a champion
Inspiring us all on our way.

We will never know why this happened.
And we pray it is all said and done.
But there is beauty in all of this madness
When multitudes are inspired by one.

Whatever can happen in one hundred days?
Time will always be precious and dear
Because you have shown us the wisdom
And to me it is abundantly clear.

Wake up each morning with gladness
Whether the weather is sunny or gray.
Make the most of each moment
So we can say at the end of the day

Lord, thank you for being there with me
Through happiness, struggle and strife,
For picking me up when I’ve fallen
Then, again when I’m embracing life.

Whatever can happen in one hundred days?
To some it’s just getting along
For me, thanks to you and your story
I’m singing a whole brand new song.

-Ginny Hope, May 22, 2005

Thanks Be To God!

Hospital Information:

We're HOME!
1915 Shryer Ave. W.
Roseville, MN 55113
(651) 636-6950

Links:

E-mail Author: jschmaedke@aol.com

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