Hi, guys. Sorry this isn't the usual health update, but I'll get to that in another post shortly. A few days, but no more, I promise. This is about something else completely. In fact, it was inspired by a comment someone posted on the blog. I liked the idea and took it to my agent and my publisher. They like it, too.
We are going to run a contest to find the 15 best pieces of fan artwork out there. I know there is some really professional quality work because I have seen
[From Wilson]
He reads your posts. I read them. All of them. You are all great for your caring and support. Thanks from the recesses of my soul. All of you WOT'ers are like extended family. But as family, I've got to ask that you allow RJ the time to heal. He's been extremely forthcoming with his status, and will continue to be regardless the news. But unless you've seen someone in a similar fight, you really have no idea how much of a struggle he's in. Thank God he's a stubborn ole cuss.
Hi everyone,
Jason here. I received an email over the weekend from Wilson. He actually posted a little news in reply to another blog post. He asked that I bump it up to an actual posting. Here's what he said, in reference to RJ and Harriet:
They're at the Mayo for the 1st 90 day check as I type this. The number is now 2.7. You'll have to get the rest from the big guy.
Wilson
Brother/Cousin
4th of 3
Dear Jason, something to post, to celebrate the season -- and Jim's WONDERFUL news. Love to you all, Harriet
A Genuine Wham-O
Lists for cards, lists for cookies,
lists for books and scarves and games
and candles. Maybe
a bell would fit in there.
Maybe I'll give it up and be a witch.
My ersatz Frisbees –
cards and scarves –
are packed with love,
but never seem to hit the mark,
the tender lips, the gleaming fangs
of those I throw them to.
I'll borrow a young terrier bitch
This is a very short post, I'm afraid. I know it's been awhile since I posted last, but various things kept getting in the way. Still, here goes, with the best Christmas present I've ever received. Something I had to share without any delay.
As you all no doubt know by now, the marker for amyloids is something called Lambda Light Chains, which are found in the blood. The normal range is between 1 and 3. Five months ago, I was at 75. Four months ago, that had gone up to 96. The higher
I'm back a little sooner than usual this time, because I realized that I left off something very important when I was advising some guys dealing with illness. Maybe the most important thing of all. Laugh. Make her laugh. Make him laugh. Make yourself laugh. Keeping your spirits up has a really great effect, believe me. There are lots of situations where it's hard to find something to laugh at, but in most situations where you can grumble, you can find a laugh in there if you look at it a
Well, I've been offline for a while, but I thought you had the news pretty well from Wilson, plus I needed to rest up, frankly, having had a stretch of in the hospital, then out of the hospital, in and then out, in again, and this time out on a Saturday so I could get on a plane on Sunday, have my tests done at the Mayo on Monday, talk with the doctors on Tuesday, then drive to Minneapolis to speak at Mike Ford's Memorial service. Frankly, I got home in some ways stronger than when I left, but
Dear all: Most sincere thanks from Robert Jordan (via Harriet) go out to
Michael J. Fredericks, Jean Verney-Carron, Evan Harmon, Lisa Kirwood,Ryan Salsamendi, Emma de Laat (hello, Emma!),David Freeman, Helena Taylor and Janet Taylor
for gifts to the Mao Hematologic Malignancies Program -- amyloidosis research. Thank you one and all.
Jim is taking it easy today, since we go up to the Mayo tomorrow for a routine workup -- but as a consolation prize, here is a poem of mine:
Bard:
Hi, guys. I was going to put up a regular post here today, but that is going to have to wait a few days. You see, Mike Ford died last night. To you, he was John M. Ford, two-time winner of the World Fantasy Award, including for Winter Solstice Camelot Station, the only poem ever to win the short fiction award. Or maybe you're a Star Trek Fan and remember his Star Trek novels, such as How Much for the Just Planet? (the only flat-out comedy among all the Trek novels, I think) or The Final Refl
Well, I'm back from my monthly (at present) visit to the Mayo, and I have some new results that I thought I'd share with you. That is the reason for this short entry. Just to get the news out. I'll do the usual a's to your q's in a post in a few days.
First off, a little explanation. The markers for amyloids are things called Lambda Light Chains. The normal range for Lambda Light Chains (you have them, too) is between 0.50 and 2.63. If the number gets above that, it is bad, and the hig
I spent the weekend with a man walking a tight rope holding a small parasol in one hand for balance while tipping his hat to the crowd far below with the other. I'm stealing the metaphor from Harriet for that was her description of the circus act RJ is performing trying to keep the medications in balance, do some work and keep you (fans) and we (family) informed.
Over the past two weeks the balance has been difficult to attain. Reining it in slowly, but surely however.
RJ, Harriet,
Hi, guys. I apologize for it being so long since my last post, but I had a few little rough patches to deal with, and they kept getting in the way. You know how it is. Somehow, and you never quite do know how, you find yourself juggling three eggs when the doorbell rings. You want to put the eggs back in the basket so you can answer the door, but sure as anything, that's just when somebody with shoot another egg in on you, or even two, and you're juggling faster than ever. Well, we have all
RJ has dropped a ton of water weight, over 30 pounds. He's feeling much better as a result. Earlier this week he and Harriet made one of their many trips to his doctors and were pleased that he was able to negotiate all of the walking without rest or assistance. You'll recall his description of his first attempt to mosey around the block with me a while back. We made it more than half way, and may have gone further save the sun getting to us both. Harriet reports that his appetite is also i
All:
The dynamic duo has returned from the Mayo with mostly good, but certainly mixed results. Amyloidal deposits are measured as monoclonal free light chain fragments. There are "good and bad" light chains. The good news is that the ratio of good to bad has definitely improved. The mixed news is that both numbers were up. We are ecstatic that the news is positive, but would have liked the offending Lambda light chains to have stayed level or decreased in number. Overall though guys, t
Wilson here:
I know. Not who you wanted to hear from. The Big Guy asked me to update you in his absence.
I just got off the phone with Harriet and RJ, as they were passing through the Atlanta airport en route to the Mayo Clinic. They fly into Minneapolis and will drive the 90 miles to the Mayo this afternoon. Harriet is taking on the driving duties. Love her like a sister, but don't get in her way. She drives by the dictum: lead, follow or get the hell out of the way. Upon arriv
Well, guys, it turns out that the possible good news was only a chimera after all. The chemo did not work. I am still producing amyloids. Oh, well. I knew going in that I had only a 60% chance of a good result. I guess sometimes even my luck doesn't stretch far enough. The silver lining in that is that the disease is stable. There has been no further damage to my heart from three months ago. There is that.
On the good news front, I snagged the last of 38 slots in a study to see wheth
As usual, let me start by thanking those who recently have donated to the Mayo Clinic Hematologic Malignancies Program -- Amyloidosis Research in my name. The latest are Ms Brandie Minchew and Mr. Liam Hemmings. Thanks a million, guys.
This will be short, just to keep the worriers a little less worried about any untoward events.
A note to those sending me fan mail. A return address really helps if you'd like any sort of answer, though I've been reduced to postcards of late because of
I thought I'd send a few words just to keep any rumors at bay, and any worries over the length of time since my last post.
First off my thanks to Mrs. Sandy Allen and to Dr. Mark H. McKinney of The Citadel Electrical & Engineering Department for their contributions in my name to the Mayo Clinic Hematologic Malignancies Program -- Amyloidosis Research. Your gifts are very much appreciated.
Thanks also, once again, to all of you who have posted your well wishes for me. It means a lot.
First off, guys, I want to thank Lewis Nemes for making a donation to the Mayo Clinic Hematologic Malignancies Program -- Amyloidosis Research. Thanks much!
Now. I got some news last week, and I am holding at about a 97% confidence level that it is about as good as it can get for me. A recent blood test looking for lambda light chains (an indication of amyloid production) showed a normal ratio, and if that is right, it means a complete hematologic response, a total stoppage of amyloid pro
Harriet and RJ have asked me to publish these quick thank you's:
Dear Chris Lim, thank you very much for your gift in my honor to the Hematologic Malignancies Program -- amyloidosis research. It is a great compliment to me and I am very grateful to you. Sincerely, Robert Jordan
Another dear person has sent a gift to Mayo. Please post Jim's thank-you to Mr. John Smedley.
Dear John Knam, Greg Pearson, Michael Kemp, William Walker, Carlos Franco, and Jenna Medaris: Thank you very mu
Hi everyone,
Robert Jordan asked me to pass along some more photos. Here they are, and here's what he had to say about them:
Here are a few more pictures for you to post. First off, my niece Ariel. She didn't have her head, obviously, but what she did was neater, really. There is a charity called Locks for Love [
link] to which women can donate their hair if they have at least 10 inches that can be cut. This hair is then made into wigs for women and girls undergoing chemo. A righteo
Hi folks,
RJ sent us a close-up photo of his dragon do-rag. It was a bit hard to see in the previous blog entries. Click the pictures below for a larger image. If you're not sure what this is all about, see his previous blog entries.
I don't think I've ever broken a promise to you guys before, but I must this time. I won't be in Seattle or Anchorage as promised. Harriet finally allowed as how she was just too tired to make the trip, and I guess that freed me up to take a long look at myself. I can see where I am right now, and for all the brave talk, the chances of me actually making it to Anchorage were somewhere between small and nill. Especially if I expected to walk away at the end instead of being carried. So we ar
Dear everybody,
First of all, Major thanks from both of us to Dustin Micheletti, Greg Pearson, Michael Kemp, William Walker, Carols Franco, Jenna Medaris, and John Knam, for your very kind gifts to the Hematologic Malignancies Program -- amyloidosis research. Thank you for joining this fight!
Now I must add my own personal and heartfelt thanks to Brad Condray, Proxy Candy Striper for all of wotmania, and all of you dear Wotmaniacs, for your lavish, heartfelt, and delightful Care package
Some of you don't like my striped shirt, and some don't like the braces but you'll have to get used to both, boys and girls; I like stripes, this simple red-and-white isn't even close to one of the full-bore stripes. With French cuffs. As for the braces, I adopted those some 20 years ago. A tailor in London was marking up the waist of a pair of trousers when I commented on the fact that I had trouble with trousers sliding down...and off "Sir has no shelf," he replied, and I realized he was right
