Seven Years Out - and I am doing OK...

https://youtu.be/Z0GFRcFm-aY

Doctor yesterday said that I am OK... just need another bone survey to make sure that all is well.

So - what did I do today?

Guess...

Now I need a nap...

jc

Day Zero +1825

Yep - one day at a time.

One scary summer down, we shall see about the future.

Now I gotta clean house...

jc

PS: Interesting note on probiotics - I emailed him and I think I will try it.

Quick update

BMT doctor said that I am still OK, and I had an appointment with Dr. Lee and he said that all the tests are still OK.

Cramps - Still happening, and they kept me awake a few times recently.

Thyroid - They changed meds on me.  Not the amount (still 100 mg), but the manufacturer.  Have I seen a difference  Yes and no.  They want me to retest in a few weeks to make sure.  However, I am getting some weird hot flashes and stuff.  Joy.

The Back - Had a bad day Sunday... So bad that I cut our trip to Disneyland short (after riding Radiator Springs Racers).  It started in the middle of the night.  Must have slept funny.  Two days of "on my back" it seems like all has reset... for now.

Still looking for the magic bullet when it comes to the cramping issue though.

Gotta go run kids...

jc

Very important day

Day Zero + 1460 (4 years) and counting.

Day zero + 1095

Well, three years ago I had a date with the drip line.

I survived.

I seem to be thriving after it too.

Off to celebrate - alone - at Disneyland today.  Say a little prayer for Bern, then some fun.

jc

Just realized that I missed day 1000.  That could have been a fun day!  Oh, guess what - I WAS AT DISNEYWORLD!

Health update

I have been busy with appointments this week -- three and it is only Wednesday!

First was with Dr. Lee. My white blood count is still low -- OK considering that I don't have fully functioning bone marrow and am taking Thalomid. Still, the new (lower) strength Thalomid should help. We discussed the Aredia infusions, and decided that we should get a bone density scan done. Other than that it was "eat less carbs, more veggies, loose weight, bla bla bla". Yea, I am still quite overweight, but the meds will either make me gain weight or go anorexic. Got the fat side of that coin toss.

The bone density scan was scheduled for later that day at the new facility on La Palma, next to Fry's. Pretty simple procedure. Just that holding still on a slab of ice cold steel threw my back into spazams of muscular revolt. Give me five minutes to settle down, and I can do it, but it takes a lot of effort to relax the back and get "Zen". When he wanted to scan the hips, I had to point my toes inward and hold it for two minutes. That was NOT going to happen, as my toes never have pointed anywhere other that 11 and 2 o'clock. So we scanned one thigh at a time.

When the tech looked at my back, he could only find 4 vertebra. I have had one whole spinal vertebra disappear! Man, that realy messed with his brain. I have 1, 2, mushyblob, 5.

Yea, I can feel it, too.

Today I went up to the City of Hope for my follow up study on chemo brain. Man, that place is humming with construction! After being beat between the ears (yes, it is rough on the grey matter), I went and had a Tommy's Burger (sorry Dr. Lee). I had forgotten how good the chili was, and how meh the hamburger is.

Oh, and I get a bone marrow biopsy next week. Joy.

Well, it is now tomorrow, I better get into bed...

jc

Day Zero + two years

Two years on, I am grateful that I had the bone marrow transplant. I am alive, healthy, and leading an almost productive life.

Would I do it again?

Yes.

Can I do it again?

Probably.

Will I do it again?

The odds are that I will have to do it again at some point. After that, I am out of options.

Day Zero

Well, I have my stem cells back. Actually, only half of the 9.1 million, the rest in reserve.

They gave me some pre-meds for nausea, antibacterial and anti fungal treatments. Gotta keep those buggers down now.

The actual treatment was pretty low key. They just hooked me up to another drip on my pump tree, pushed it in me, and it was done in 25 minutes.

It feels good that this is such a routine procedure, that there was no hitches, complications, or panicky calls for a doctor.

Cold! The cells were frozen, so they defrosted them (no microwaves here!) just enough to get them flowing. The cold slush travels through the plastic tubing, into my catheter, up my jugular, and through the heart -- and hopefully on to recharging the destroyed bone marrow.

Afterward, I just took a hour and a half nap.

Pretty quiet day, though ultimately the most vital day of my adult life.

jc