That's how this works
This day last year, Ramón walked out of our house for the last time. In the days leading up to his transplant admission, he spent more...
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- Aug 18, 2020
- 4 min
Befores and afters
A few weeks ago, two of my long-time cohorts stopped by to enjoy drinks and conversation – and bring dinner (Yum!). My friend Amanda...
- Jul 21, 2020
- 2 min
Day ???
Many of you have followed our story and its constant ups and downs, particularly since Ramón’s chemo/radiation/transplant...
- Jul 19, 2020
- 4 min
Day +100: Now we're here
Holy Day +100 since Ramón’s transplant! Exactly 100 days ago, on April 10, Ramón received his stem cell transplant. From 11:25 a.m. to...
- Jul 12, 2020
- 2 min
Day +93 (today): Hospital Day 100 (yesterday)
Today is day +93 since transplant, and yesterday was Ramón’s 100th consecutive day in the hospital. Though each individual day has felt...
- Jul 2, 2020
- 2 min
Day +83: Let non-freedom ring
“I’m not going to wear my ring, okay?” I remember Ramón asking that as we did one last sweep of the house before departing for the...
- Jun 28, 2020
- 2 min
Day +79: inTENSE
I awoke this morning with a joyous heart, knowing that Ramón is waking up in a regular hospital room; he escaped the ICU! He required...
- Jun 25, 2020
- 3 min
Day +76: Mashed potatoes
This morning, day +76, while walking the dogs, my mom turned to me and asked, “Did I tell you about the dream where I was feeding Ramón...
- Jun 16, 2020
- 2 min
Day +67: Smoother waters
It’s day +67 since Ramón’s transplant. Given that the first 100 days are critical, it’s relieving to know we’re two-thirds of the way...
- Jun 5, 2020
- 2 min
Thank you, Atlanta Braves!
Day +54: Keep swinging June 3, 2020 You know when you’re just staring at the computer screen, deciding what to say to Hank Aaron? Do you...
- May 26, 2020
- 3 min
Day +46: Life is hard.
The past several weeks have been, without a doubt, the most difficult time of my life. Each day, I have been hopeful that Ramón’s status...
- May 6, 2020
- 1 min
Raise a ______ for Ramón
Happy almost birthday to this guy! It's the night before Ramón's birthday, which means it's also the eve of the one-year mark since his...
- Apr 28, 2020
- 3 min
Days +12, 15, and 18
Day +12: A turtle's pace April 22, 2020 Though time has been moving at the speed of molasses, it’s moving, and that’s the most important...
- Apr 19, 2020
- 2 min
Day +9: Cloud not-so-nine
Today has been, by far, the scariest day of my life. This morning, at about 5:25, Ramón lost his airway, most likely due to swelling...
- Apr 18, 2020
- 5 min
Days +5 to +8
Day +5: Window of opportunity April 15, 2020 It’s been a while since I’ve said this, but we had a good day! Though we’ve had glimpses...
- Apr 14, 2020
- 4 min
Days +0 to +4
Day +0: A cup of hope April 10, 2020 Thank you for all the ways you've been #RootingforRamon! The transplant went off without a hitch,...
- Apr 5, 2020
- 1 min
One sunset at a time
It’s our third night in the hospital, and we just witnessed the best sunset so far – a Fight Like Mike sunset. Throughout Ramón’s cancer...
- Mar 26, 2020
- 1 min
Palm of her hand
We’ve had a productive week in isolation. Ramón’s sister, YuSun, arrived in Atlanta on Monday night before heading to Emory on Tuesday...
- Mar 21, 2020
- 1 min
Four words to cherish
Four words to cherish in the world of cancer: We got good news! Ramón’s bone marrow biopsy shows that we’re ready to head to stem cell...
- Mar 17, 2020
- 1 min
Our lucky day?
This photo was taken two years ago today, and it has me feeling somewhat nostalgic. I’m longing for a time when I was the only sick half...
My name is Drew Dotson, and my life has been anything but perfect, yet it's still perfectly beautiful. After growing up with a genetic disease, cystic fibrosis, I was blessed to meet an amazing man who loved me without bounds. Then he died.