Full Steam Ahead

You guys must be some mighty prayer warriors!  A week ago, we were wondering if M-47 was going to even be part of this journey.  As of Thursday afternoon, we found out that we are full steam ahead.

On our way to the country, trying to capture as many moments together as possible, my transplant coordinator called with the news.  M-47 had attended the information session and had gotten his physical!  Not wasting a moment, she had already checked the appropriate calendars and booked the dates for my transplant back through the pre-testing (everything they did last fall will be rerun in order to have accurate baseline counts), insertion of my CVC (central venous catheter), outpatient Rituxan, and hospital admission. 

So here we go!  Monday, as in tomorrow, I am scheduled to go to the dentist (to have everything checked and forms filled out to confirm that there are no oral issues.)  Tuesday, I am going with my mom to shop for pj’s and slippers and then go get my hair cut.  Pre-tests start on Wednesday and go for several days.  Tuesday, April 17^th, I will receive my CVC while under full sedation.  I will sign consent papers on the 18^th.  Then on the 19^th, I will get Rituxan (the R of FBR) as an outpatient while Paul attends a MD Anderson consultation for a quit smoking trial.  We then have a few days to wrap up any loose ends before I am admitted on Wednesday, April 25.  Unfortunately, I will miss my youngest grandson’s first birthday party.  ;(  But the hope and prayer is that I will be here to enjoy many, many more!

During the next days, I will be undergoing the FBR conditioning regimen to eradicate the rest of my cells in order to prepare my body to receive and accept the new stem cells.  At the same time, my donor will receive several days of shots to push his stem cells from his bone marrow into his blood stream to prepare for harvesting, which will be done on May 1^st.  On Wednesday May 2^nd, four days before my 51^st birthday, I will receive my stem cell transplant (SCT).  This will be known as my “re-birth” day.  As a Christian, I have already had one, so I guess this will be my second.  :)

The following 30 days will be spent waiting for my body to accept the new cells and begin to engraft.  There are numerous side effects possible during this time, but we’ll just wait and see and pray for the best.  Each person’s transplant journey is unique.

Once my counts reach a certain level, I will start my 100-day ambulatory outpatient care.  It will begin daily, then every other day, etc. until I reach the level where I can go all the way home.  Many have been re-hospitalized during this stretch of time due to infections and various GVHD side effects.   We’ll see how that goes.

So this weekend, the time we celebrate new life in Christ and new life in our earth, we celebrate the opportunity of new life without leukemia. 

We enjoyed the peace and beauty of our little slice of heaven, drank in memorable moments with my children and grandchildren, and held even more tightly to one another as we prepare to run the race that is set before us.

It was hard saying so many goodbyes this weekend...to our place in the country and especially to my grandchildren.  I know in my heart that this is temporary.  But I will be counting the days until I can again hold them close and share the simple blessings of time.

In all things, in all ways, to God be the glory forever and ever.  Amen.