Pre-Opening Party at IN-N-OUT in Orem

First, I never thought IN-N-OUT would ever come to Utah!
Second, here I am with Ali enjoying the Pre-Opening Party at the first IN-N-OUT in Utah (right here in Orem). Amazing!

CLEAN PET SCAN!

Wow! Your faith and prayers plus an experimental drug eliminated any signs of active cancer in my body. The PET scan is clean! The tumor is gone! A miracle and tender mercy of the Lord.

With a clean PET scan, my chances of survival after the next bone marrow transplant (stem cell transplant) are dramatically increased. My sister Vicki is meeting with the transplant team tomorrow to begin the process of stem cell extraction. I will probably enter the hospital within the next 7-14 days for the one month transplant process.

Thank you to all who have fasted, prayed and expressed concern on my behalf. Miracles do happen!

Good News! Stem Cell Transplant Planned and Capsule Chemo Working!

Good News Number One: The capsule-form chemotherapy is working! This week's LDH-level (a blood indicator showing active cancer) compared to last week is amazing! From 3400 down to 940 in one week! (700-750 is normal range). And I don't have ANY pain. According to Dr. Glenn, this is very exciting news and proof that the Revlimid (capsule form chemotherapy) is reducing the size of the tumor.

Good News Number Two: The doctors have decided to go forward with the stem cell transplant! It will be scheduled sometime between November 18 and mid-December. We are excited that Vicki's stem cells can now work to destroy the active cancer.

Our deepest appreciation to all of you for your prayers, fasting and support. Thank you to hundreds of strangers who have emailed me or commented on Natalie and Nicole's blog with support. Thank you to Cherry Blossom (a blog follower of Natalie and Nicole's) for setting up a website entitled Prayers for Daddy Hill. (prayersfordaddyhill.blogspot.com). It is all quite overwhelming!

PET Scan Results Back -New Type of Treatment Begins!

The PET Scan results came back today and they were disappointing. The tumor really hasn't shrunk, and, in one part, it may have grown. Sooooooo, we are changing chemo therapy treatments. Now I will take a PILL! Can you imagine...no more infusions, no more 8 hour days, nor more overnighters! The new treatment option is Lanalidomide (Revlimid) which has had some success preparing people in my situation for a second bone marrow transplant. I will take PILLS over a 21 day period and then obtain another PET scan. The PILL taking starts tomorrow afternoon. Some of you may have heard that I spent Sunday and Monday at Huntsman Cancer Center for a bladder infection, to transfuse two more pints of blood, etc. Thank you for all of your faith, hope, confidence, diligence and service. You are making a huge difference in my life.

In-N-Out Burger Pre-Opening Party

Many of you know that I am a huge In-N-Out Burger fan. I think its burgers are the best in the world! We plan vacations around In-N-Out locations, drive out of way for a double-double, call each other from inside a store location, and this week, I drove to St. George for a double-double with my brother, Sheril.

Well, amazingly, In-N-Out corporate offices called me on Saturday and invited me to the Pre-Opening Party of the Orem store (University Parkway) sometime in October-November. I think one of my friends must have anonymously nominated me for this honor! (Thank you whoever you are.) We have always dreamed of In-N-Out coming to Utah...and now we get to join the celebration party!

My Favorite C.S. Lewis Quote

"God loves us, so He makes us the gift of suffering. Through suffering, we release our hold on the toys of this world, and know our true good lies in another world. We're like blocks of stone, out of which the sculptor carves the forms of men. The blows of his chisel, which hurt us so much, are what make us perfect. The suffering in this world is not the failure of God's love for us; it is that love in action. For believe me, this world that seems to us so substantial is no more than the shadlowlands. Real life has not begun yet." ("Shadowlands," p. 1)

Second Round of Chemo Begins

On Tuesday, we gratefully received the go-ahead (meaning my blood counts were OK and the swine flu is gone) to have the second round of chemo preparatory to the analagous stem cell replacement (bone marrow transplant). Kathy is delivering additional rounds of chemo for five days at home. She has become a qualified infusion nurse. November will probably be the month for the transplant.

We are having alot of fun with our litter of Portuguese Water Dog Puppies, watching Natalie's progress with "Bye,Bye, Birdie" on Broadway, watching Nicole's amazing blog and nationwide "Nicoles Classes" and "Art Weekends," including SFO and NYC, watching Nina's progress (spiritual and leadership) on her mission in Pusan, Korea, watching Kara's great dancing with the BYU Ballroom Dance program and declared major of Elementary Education, watching Ali as a junior and as an Orem High School cheerleader.

We are so grateful for your prayers, fasting, temple prayer lists, and support of our family. It really makes and difference and we feel the power of your prayers in our life daily.