Update 15, Wednesday, July 12, 2006  LAST NEXT

 

I'm OK. I'll skip the day by day account (about a weeks gap) and try to get to some detail of DAY 0, transplant day, AKA my ReBirthday. On hand to observe my stem cell infusion in Unit57, Room 580 were: Lisa, Sam & Jesse; Sheena; Terry & Laurel ; Garth and Roger & Sam from CareFactor, At about 12:25pm, July 7, the stem cells, which had just been thawed in my room, were starting to flow into my CVC line. Instantly when they entered the blood stream there presented an odor something like cream corn. It was the preservative put in the cells before freezing called DMSO. Then things got VERY INTENSE! Everyone was shooed out of the room, except Lisa and of course, the team. I did not react to the DMSO very well. My blood pressure dropped to 78/39, I had chest pains, I was on oxygen and Ventolin, an EKG and a chest x-ray were performed and throughout I was feeling absolutely horrendous. There were other gross details I'll just leave to your imagination. It took about 25 minutes for the 4 bags of cells to be transplanted. A very long 25 minutes but I was in the hands of fabulous people and today I am none too worse for wear, all things considered.

 

Today is DAY +5. The Kepivance seems to be doing it's job of keeping mouth sores and bleeding away but the thick coat of mucous membrane that it has produced is quite uncomfortable. My weight shot up an additional 15 pounds of fluid in two days and that has been a challenge to remove but we're getting there.  Along with the cardiac problems during transplant, I've had a couple bouts of atrial fibrillation, Saturday evening and this morning. Again, the doctors and nurses are on top of it. I have no appetite but I'm picking at different things here and there like my maple syrup/lemon juice lemonade drink, Coke, dessert Tofu, 'Nutri-Total Plus' and a few other things. It's been hard to keep much down. With the Lasix to remove fluid (by IV) balancing the potassium levels has been an  ongoing challenge as well. Meds are constantly being tweaked. The daytime staff is fantastic, some of the overnight staff is not. At all. The DMSO odor is almost gone (it comes off of me!). I had expected my blood counts to be lower by this time - they should bottom out by DAY +9, I'm told. That's when I'll be most susceptible to infection.

 

Lisa has been in to visit every day with Jesse as well at times. Garth & Betty, Paul Alyre, Faye, Stephen & Jamie, Terry, Ken and Monique have been welcome visitors. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by! I do have a phone and yes I DO HAVE MY INTERNET CONNECTION with EMAIL on my COMPUTER in my room so contact is welcome. If you do want to phone, email me first then I'll send you the number.

 

Now that this one is out of the way (I'll get into more detail at some later date, maybe) it should be a little easier to keep you posted about what's going on hereon in .

 

Thanks so very much, as always, for your support and prayers. Who knows how this this journey would be without you. I will not let you down.

 

Love always,

Bobby