This just got real

So your Pappy Hite has been battling Lymphoma for the past year now (after an 8 year remission).  He is the strongest man I know and has battled it while having VERY few restrictions.  He still came to football games, volleyball games, raised his cows, worked on rebuilding his cars, built a few buildings around the farmette, fixed up Grandma and Pappy Koontz's house for Aunt Jesse and family to move in among many other things.  But some things didn't go as planned.  Last year (2015) you were scheduled to go out west with Grandma and Pappy in June but due to treatments that needed to be postponed.  You two were awesome - you were disappointed but so encouraging to Pap and making sure he knew that you were not upset with him and that he needed to focus on getting better first!

In December of 2015 we thought things were better and the trip was being planned for this spring/summer.  He completed his treatment in November and was told he was in remission.  That didn't last long, by Christmas he had tumors growing on his neck.  We started looking at treatment options which led us to a visit to John Hopkins in Baltimore where we felt had the best doctors and research to make Pap better.  We met with Dr Jones (Director of Bone Marrow Transplant) who said that Pap was a candidate and that he only needed to find a partial match for a donor.  Aunt Jodi and I were there so we gave blood right away to begin the match process and Aunt Jesse was tested soon after.  We were happy to hear that we were all matches and good candidates.  After a little debate and some tough decisions (because we each wanted to be the donor) I was selected to be the donor.  It would be harder for Aunt Jodi and Aunt Jesse given the physical jobs that they have verses mine which can be done on a laptop from a bed if needed and ALSO they would be needed on the farm to help Pap with cows, house, mowing, garden, etc while I don't live as close to be as helpful.

When Pap was told about this he was NOT happy about the fact that he would need to spend TWO months in the city (not Pap's favorite place).  I told him that for most people when they need to dig deep and work hard it's get out and do physical labor.  For him, that's what he loves - his dig deep is to sit still and let his body work to kill the cancer and build himself back up.  It's not easy but it's worth it.  After we finished meeting with all the doctors and nurses Pap was real quiet.  I asked him what was bothering him the most about this - the pain, the city stay, the way his body was going to be VERY tired, what?  He said (with tears in his eyes) -'I'm going to let Cade and Addy down again because our trip is once again postponed'.  You two being the troopers that you are may have been disappointed but you didn't let that show to Pap, you simply encouraged him to work hard and get better.

So now we have dates - it's about to get real.  May 24th is transplant day.  We have lots of appointments leading up to that.  It's exciting, a little nerve racking and encouraging to know we are headed into what has a 95% cure rate for Pap.

Thanks for being awesome!  Thanks for supporting me and Pap!  He is our cheerleader always (even if he doesn't use pompoms) - let's be the biggest support team he can imagine so that he is back in the stands this fall with his cowbell watching his first grandson play freshman football and able head back to PSU to watch one of his favorite sports with his favorite volleyball player!!

Ok guys - let's do this - let's KICK CANCER!!

Pap with no hair - last time I saw him with no beard I was 3. 

Still out playing (they say working)