Alive and Kicking!

Greetings again!

I am alive and kicking. I am trying to stay up with the constant prods, pricks, and tests and survive the onslaught of rubberized institutionalized rubber chicken, scrambled yellow something and dry toast. (You can tell I'm feeling much better focusing on the important things, like surviving hospital living!) For the moment I am still stuck in critical care with lots of attention, great nurses, capable doctors, and they are making progress hacking through the pneumonia and septic blood. We expect to break through and out of critical care today and onto the heights (7th floor) of oncology. They tell me there I will have to go through further cleansing to the degree of loss of all bodily hair and other functions to enable me to see the battle won against the infiltrating lymophocytes.

We continue to have significant success with the natives telling our stories, comparing family legacies, teaching about heritage and heritage making. We will undoubtedly leave more Heritage Makers among the natives to carry on the work of heritage making among those whose stories bring them here.

I'm able to continue working on the strategic aspects of the business and am looking forward to exciting developments and training at leadership and on to the ride of your life at Anaheim this Fall. Though my own my own ride between here and there is strategically less clear, I'm bound and determined to bring what's left of me to enjoy the adventure and comradery of the heritage-making family. I will keep you appraised of the progress and saga on the climb to oncology in the coming days.

Please forgive my inability to respond to you individually but the priority has to be to the constant alarms, nurses prods, pills, tests and bedpans. (What a contrast to Aspen Lodge!) Thankfully, I have the loving support of Judy, family and the home office staff to remind me that there is life beyond Utah Valley Medical Center. I also have the faith and love and support of the HM family, leaders, and consultants to spur me on to climb through this part of my story.

Onward and Upward!

Have a great heritage-making day!
Doug

Tuesday Morning

Greetings!

Good morning family and friends (and any of those who don't yet consider themselves such). Initial testing has returned and confirmed that the more common CLL leukemia has made its first winning battle. But now that we know what we're up against, the battle strategy is becoming quite clear. I remain in the hospital in intermediate care to stabilize blood pressure, eliminate pneumonia, and get rid of the septic blood (strep). They are also working to get the immune system normalized as much as possible to be able to cope with the effects of Chemo therapy.

The first round of Chemo is likely to start before the end of the week. T he only thing they have told me for sure in terms of results and side effects is that I will be joining the group who are no longer contributing to the barber organization. I may invite Krysti to develop a new business model that caters to baldness and head care for that group since I will be joining that rank periodically over the months and years ahead.

There is no known cure for this type of leukemia (blood cancer), however the prognosis is a semi-normal life with rebalancing of the blood system. Chemo will likely change the work pattern a bit. It is my hope to be through the first round and into sufficient energy and lucidity to conduct Leader's Conference, and certainly I will expect to be in full swing and vigor (without other excuses) to conduct our fabulous Reunion in Anaheim.

While my work at the office will mostly be by phone and email for the next couple of months, I will remain focused on communication and future planing for the ongoing development of Heritage Makers. It has become ever so clear that we are at a point that the foundations are fully laid and all further add-ons will enrich the story, mission and vision. In essence, the bulk of the creative side of the business will be firmly in place with occasional enhancements along the way. The scanner system will allow for increased early income to new consultants and accelerates the client's ability to get their projects started and completed faster.

The system seems now to be largely bullet-proof. This now is the time and a phase in our company where early leaders are called to step up and take full advantage of our incredible business and service and to grow their organizations as the mechanism to bring family-saving memories home in print and mothers home to families. I trust that our great early pioneers and leaders will continue to prove the business model as the very best possible for long-term sustainable economic success and personal freedom.

I'll keep you appraised daily on personal progress and business thoughts. I plan to spend my recovery time in writing a book about bringing heritage home, which I believe may be a keystone to our business story.

Onward and Upward!

Doug

Monday Morning

Doug slept pretty well through the night. This morning he looks good and his fever seems to have broken through the night. His kidneys have not been working on their own so they are today's and tomorrow's primary concern. No news on the pneumonia yet, he will have some more x-rays of his lungs later today. We expect that the antibiotics will do their part. Generally he has energy and is comfortable...which means he wants to work, but we are insisting he rests.

As I look at Doug it reminds me that mountain men belong on the mountain, not the hospital! He looks as foreign in his sterile surroundings as an elk in a department store. I am sure that his cabin is missing him as much as he is missing it.

Pills, pokes, and high spirits.

Bryndi and I spent the afternoon today with dad. Although he said this morning was quite a rough ride, this afternoon the nurses have been able to stabilize his blood pressure and give him enough medication to help him feel a little more comfortable. Right now he is getting some well deserved and needed sleep. We are grateful for the blessing of having a great medical team waiting on him.

Just a few minutes ago, the doctor said that the negative trends (low blood pressure and kidney failure) seem to be leveling out. He is receiving antibiotics to help him fight off the pneumonia. Once that is done, he will likely start chemo to treat the leukemia. We are optimistic that the pneumonia and "bad blood" will be fought and won over the next few days.

Although his body is right now a pin cushion, his spirits are quite high. Family spirits are also good, considering. We all feel that he and we are in the Lord's care and we feel all of your prayers.

To all Heritage Makers

Dear Heritage Makers Family,

On Thursday, April 24th, what started out as what we thought was a severe stomach flu, progressed to a most difficult situation. After, three days with difficulty breathing and sleeping, I became aware that there was something more to my illness. When I tried to present about ScanParty and Compensation at the Provo Regional, I was not able to stand, and I requested that Brytt complete my presentations.

Marshyl returned me back to the condo and Judy called my physician, who thought that I may have pneumonia and told me to check into the hospital. We checked in at 4 pm Saturday. By 2:00 am the following morning, the blood work and CAT scans indicated that I have a high probability of CLL (Chronic Lymphoma Leukemia). The scans also revealed vastly swollen spleen ("5x its normal size, the size of Texas"), liver and lymph nodes. The pneumonia in the right lung had also migrated to a septic blood condition because there were not enough good white blood cells to kill the infection.

I just wanted to give you the facts as they are. The good news is that they are trying to kill the pneumonia and bad blood. Once that is in check, they should be able to start Chemo.

I appreciate all of your faith and prayers and I feel the strength of your love and your care. Please do not send flowers as I can't have them in my current hospital room. However, storycards would be nice...lots of storycards. As would an extraordinary month in sponsoring and sales : ) .

Next time I get the pleasure of visiting each of you, I will probably be without my beard and perhaps a shiny head for a short time. But who knows, that might be an improvement.

Again, thanks for all you do in sharing and keeping my vision of Heritage Makers alive. I have been reminded how precious the moments are and how important it is to preserve and share them.

Love to you all,
Doug


PS. I and the rest of you who will be joining me for Dream Team will look forward to Judy’s great cooking. Hospital food sucks.