Day 21 - Free at last!

I was discharged from the hospital yesterday. It was very exciting to finally not be connected to an IV pole or to record my 'intake' and 'output' anymore. Also, a nice shower was very comforting as well. The pressure at the hospital was very bleak. A comfortable bed was much needed as well. I woke up this morning very refreshed. I will be going to appointments at the clinic everyday for the necessary infusions, but the feeling of freedom is wonderful. I feel like a major step of this process is over.

On the way out!

My white blood cells are starting to recover! This means my new bone marrow is beginning to engraft. The doctor says that I may be discharged from the hospital on Tuesday or Wednesday. I have been doing really well, but I have a little fatigue setting in. This is probably from the neupogen I have been receiving daily. This is used to help the engrafting process. The only thing left is to switch from IV meds to pills. Then after I am discharged, I will be in Houston for another 70 to 80 days, going to appointments in the clinic.

Sept 17 - My 28th Birthday

Today was a good day. My parents arrived yesterday in order to spend time with me on my birthday. It felt really good having them around. I woke up with a sore throat, but that didn't stop me from eating cake though. I received a lot of cards that really cheered me up. I normally go out to eat whatever I want as a tradition for my birthday, but unfortunately my throat was bothering me too much. Ironically, I decided on some soft tacos from Taco Bell. Overall though, I had a great day.

Going through the motions

Everyday is starting to seem like a process. I find myself setting a schedule for each day. I start off with my mouth treatment in the morning, I walk three times a day, and I manage to eat at least three meals a day. Lately I have been watching a lot of TV, but I plan to start reading instead. I know my schedule does not seem like much, but it seems to make the day fly by. My white blood cell count has dropped to 0.1 and I have been receiving blood products as needed. Everything is still smooth sailing though. The nurse said that my counts are expected to recover by the end of next week. I hope to leave the hospital ahead of schedule but I will not be sure until the new bone marrow begins to engraft. I think that as long as I stick to my daily 'schedule', everything will just seem like 'going through the motions.'

Lazy days, not much to say

Sorry for the delay. I have been sleeping most of the time since the transplant. Everything is going very well though. I have maintained a normal appetite and my walking is the same. I will be in the hospital for thirty days now. My blood cell counts will drop in the next couple of days and I will continue to receive the anti-rejection medicine. Then, in about four or five days, my bone marrow will be monitored to see if I need medicine to help it recover. This is when I find out whether or not I am going to accept the new bone marrow or not. If everything goes well, I should be able to leave the hospital on day thirty. I will be monitored for another seventy days in Houston. If there are still no problems, I will be discharged from Houston and able to go home. I forecast that everything will be fine, so "I'll be home for Christmas....."

Transplant Day - Rebirth

The day had finally come. I waited and waited all day for my bone marrow to reach the floor. The anticipation made me upset. Finally, around four o'clock, the doctor's came in and started the transplant. It was a very simple procedure. There were six bags of bone marrow used and they were infused directly through my catheter. It was practically like a blood transfusion. I became drowsy from the premedications and took a nap shorty after. Later that evening I woke up to some delicious Tex-Mex delivered by my parents. The day was over before I knew it and I was feeling as good as when the day began.

Countdown To Transplant - Day 1

Today was a good day. I felt some fatigue in my legs in the middle of the night, but with a little medicine they felt better in the morning. I think it might have been from all the walking. The final dose of the Thymoglobulin went in this morning. The premedications for the Thymoglobulin had me knocked out throughout the day, but I woke up in the afternoon feeling fine. I am in tip top shape and ready for the transplant tomorrow.

Countdown To Transplant - Day 2

I woke up this morning with great confidence. I walked 1.3 miles before breakfast and another mile right after. I am still taking the Thymoglobulin, and his afternoon I received Tacrolimus for the first time. I will receive this medicine through my IV catheter from now until the time I leave the hospital. My temperature was up to 100.8 this afternoon and my throat began to feel scratchy. The nurse said that the fever was probably from the Thymoglobulin, and that it would drop slowly throughout the evening. I think with a little sleep and the mouth treatments they have provided me, my throat will clear up also. The transplant is near and I want to be top notch. I would like to thank my parents once again for all of their support. They have been aquiring my meals and spending time with me in my room. The isolation doesn't help the situation either. All of my visitors have to wear gowns, gloves, and a mask.

Countdown to Transplant - Day 3

Today didn't go so well. In between the last chemotherapy treatment and the new antirejection medicine, I became nauseous. The medicine is called Thymoglobulin and it will help my body take in the new bone marrow. After becoming nauseous I was treated with Phenargan and Benedryl. This caused me to sleep all day and become very sluggish. But by the end of the day, I was able to eat again and started off with a good slice of pizza. Later that evening I was able to eat some enchiladas and walk about a half mile. I think that by tommorrow I should be back to normal.

Countdown To Transplant - Day 4

Another wonderful day has passed. I walked 2 miles today and the IV blood draws ended today. Tommorow will be the last day of chemotherapy. The next step along my journey will be my treatments designated to make the new bone marrow accept the old bone marrow more willingly. This will help the transplant run a lot smoother. The only upsetting thought was someone mentioning labor day weekend and barbeque. But then I realized, hey, I'm in Texas! I'll let ya know after a hearty barbeque sandwich how everything is going tommorow, ya'll come back now, ya hear!!!

Countdown To Transplant - Day 5

I'm still doing good. My parents arrived this afternoon to show their support. Once again I was able to walk 2.4 miles and my appetite was normal.