more players, dates and locations. Joe Flacco is doing a night with us. So is Matt Stover. Justin Tucker called earlier this week and insisted on helping out. Marlon Brown is also doing an event with us.
Everyone has asked for a status report on Jenn and we’ve done our best to update our Facebook pages and make them a hub for feedback, wisdom, information and some comedy.
The biggest question is: “When is she finally getting out of the hospital?”
She’s awaiting the return of her neutrophils in order to be given clearance to go home to Kitty but it’s a temporary stay as she awaits a remission status (meaning no cancer in her body) and a bone marrow transplant donor and procedure.
For all of you who have kindly written and offered us Orioles tickets later in the summer or want to see her at a Ravens game this fall, you won’t be seeing her. Our reality is that she’ll be sequestered over the next six months while she rests, heals and improves with a new life with no immune system. She literally will have the immune system of an infant and any infection could be lethal.
We’ve retrofitted our home for complete fresh air. Special thanks to Hamilton Vacuum, Pat Miller and Ken Kosko, Don Mellinger, Pat Dement and Lou and Angelo Kokkinos for being “angels” in making my home safer and more comfortable for Jenn.
When she goes in for her bone marrow transplant – hopefully before the end of May – I’ll be building a complete studio in our condo with full HD video so that The Happy Hours can become a TV show from my home, where I will be the primary caregiver for my wife. The studio will also be in the same room as Kitty’s litter box, which is the one area in our home that she’s forbidden from being near because of the bacteria.
We’ve had so many “angels” reach to us over the past five weeks but no one has been as supportive as Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, who has been an inspiration “coach” for Jenn behind the scenes. He’s an amazing man.
As these events unfold over the coming weeks, we’re still looking for corporate sponsors who want to help us at WNST.net and via There Goes My Hero.
Special thanks to Carl Delmont and Freedmont Mortgage, Frank Kelly and the good folks at KELLY and First Mariner Bank for their sponsorship and support of these upcoming events. We’re extremely fortunate at WNST.net & AM 1570 to be partners with businesses who genuinely care about the community and they, too, are “all in” as we do our part in finding matches for every single person affected by this horrific disease.
Here are some resources to better understand the registry via There Goes My Hero: http://theregoesmyhero.org/bone-marrow-registry/
For you folks from out of town or who cannot make it to any of our events and want to get this done right away, here’s how to register online NOW with one click: https://www.deletebloodcancer.org/register/register-now.html
And here are some FAQ’s so you know what we’re asking of you: http://www.deletebloodcancer.org/faq/general-questions.html
Our partner in the donation process is Delete Blood Cancer. They are the US form of the German registry DKMS. DKMS is the organization that found Erik Sauer’s donor. They literally saved his life. DKMS provides There Goes My Hero with all of the supplies we’ll be using to swab you when you come to our events.
As for our situation, I’m letting the doctors do their thing, spending plenty of time with Jenn in the mornings and evenings while I create some magic on the other side for these initiatives and more ways to pay it forward. I’m also doing a pretty good radio show from 3-6 p.m. each weekday. (You should check it out 😉 )
These are my updates for you. Plenty going on. All of it is #BmorePositive spirit. Lots of angels running around the Charm City these days!
You can always know what’s happening with Jenn by using the hashtag: #JennStrong or you can follow me on Facebook, Twitter (@NestorAparicio) and LinkedIn. We’re also using our WNST.net platform (after all, Jenn owns WNST, too!) to deliver information, inspiration and trying to grow in our 16th year.
But all we really want is one #BmorePositive miracle for my wife and soul mate.
Please help if you can…
This is bringing out the best in me because I see the best in so many others. Jenn is also extremely upbeat and has walked two miles before 8 a.m. every morning this week. She’s getting stronger for the journey ahead.
Technology and social media have been an amazing part of her journey – a real gift to both of us to feel all of the #JennStrong love. All of her friends and family can reach and see her and make her laugh. It’s been awesome therapy for everyone.
It won’t be easy. It never is.
But we’re resolute in finding a happy ending for us. And we’re hoping you’ll become a bone marrow donor this month to honor Jenn and to help us save more lives in the years to come via There Goes My Hero.
And if you’re a local business that wants to participate, please email me: nasty@wnst.net. Thanks!
Love,
Nes and Jenn
