Stem Cell Transplant – Couldausedanotherday

One Year

I’ve heard it said and know it’s true that time flies when you’re having fun. It could also be said that time flies when you’re having cancer.

Once you get out of that early recovery period where time does not fly, it soon hits a pace I would like to slow. I would like to throw a net over it as it races past and drag it down so I could explain that there is no hurry now.

Well, maybe there’s a bit of a hurry to get things done before the cancer makes its move.

Today marks one year since my stem cell transplant. Last July first was my, “day zero,” the day I receive the infusion, the fourth day of my two week hospital stay. I woke up this morning feeling pretty good about putting the year behind me.

I’ve recovered from the transplant with few lasting side effects, and am enjoying partial remission. I get to be here with my wife, Diane, I get to go to work every day, I’ve completed some projects around home, and I got to meet my grandson. Life is good.

Before I checked into the cancer treatment center in Portland, Diane and I met with a nurse. Her name was Sarah, and she was going to be our official guide through this process. She laid out the game plan, answered questions, gathered signatures, and issued documents including my personal calendar and schedule.

I didn’t see her after I checked into the hospital, but we spoke several times on the phone when I returned home. Except in an emergency she was to be my contact person. I would call and ask her if Diane and I could go to a movie or to Kaydia’s birthday party and she would remind me that it was too soon for that kind of exposure.

I kept her business card, and after a few months, I called to tell her my recovery was progressing well. I called her again today to tell her about the one year anniversary, and that I remember her kindness. After a moment, the lady who answered her extension said, “I’m sorry. Sarah was diagnosed with cancer in January and died in May.”

Walking Again

I’ve been to the Oncologist for my “three month after the stem cell transplant” visit. The blood tests came back showing my M-Protein is now 0.2. That number has been as high as 1.8 in January, and down to 0.5 after Chemo treatments, before the transplant.

My Oncologist said she wants me to begin taking a daily low dose of Revlimid. She said cancer patients taking this maintenance dosage have longer periods of time between transplants. I asked how many transplants I might look forward to. “Just one more,” she said.

“Bone marrow won’t support more than two. But,” she continued encouragingly, “If you get two or three years from this transplant, and two or three more from the next, there may be new treatments available by that time.”

I found that due to the peripheral neuropathy in my feet, I sleep best with my feet hanging off the bed, toes pointing to the floor. There’s no perceived pressure from the blankets that way, and little discomfort.

I’ve started walking to work again. It hasn’t increased foot pain, so maybe overall it’s good. I’ve added three daily doses of L-Glutamine to my Multi B Complex for the neuropathy.

I’ve been taking it for a week or so, it might be helping a little. I will have a moment here or there when I realize that I have not been aware of pain in my feet for a full minute or more. That’s a (painless) step in the right direction!

*You can’t buy a duel altitude, multi-range color hair style like this!*

Inching My Way….

I’ve been out of the hospital about 4 weeks. I saw my oncologist yesterday and she agreed to let me start back to work part time, so I was officially on the clock this morning for the first time in over 40 days.

Half days are nice, they go fast. It was good to be back on the job and to have a few moments of actually feeling useful and productive.

My checklist of things to do while home bound remains unfinished. Some things will just have to wait until inching my way becomes bigger strides.

*I’m dedicated to the Wispy hair look for now*

Waiting for Normal

Wednesday I turned 61. I celebrated my birthday in style….. Well, in the style of some folks in their sixties. First was an appointment with my oncologist. They took blood and said the numbers were good.

When I asked about returning to work, she said the transplant was a real big deal and I need more time to recover, she would not release me to work until after she sees me again in two more weeks.

She said the bad taste, sores in my mouth, food not tasting good, stomach feeling weird, being easily out of breath, and my worsening vision were because of the strong chemo I received, and will eventually get better.

I haven’t shaved in over a week, but no whiskers are growing. She said that is also from the chemo. She recommended multi-B complex vitamins to help repair the (painful) nerve damage in my feet.

The achy pain in my legs may be due to the stuff going on in my bone marrow, and hopefully will subside soon.

She prescribed something to help me sleep through the night (I’ve been waking around 3am every morning since returning from the hospital).

Diane asked her if I would be able to go out dancing soon. The doc was still considering it when Diane sighed, “Oh, well, he couldn’t dance before the transplant, so I doubt that has changed.”

After the doctor visit, we went to see a movie, “Turbo” (in 3D). That’s one fast snail! We grabbed a bite to eat at KFC and came home. Our younger son and daughter-in-law called from Kenya that morning and we video chatted with our older son and daughter-in-law in Michigan in the evening.

The support and encouragement from family and friends has been awesome. Even reviewing my list of complaints here, I can only thank God for a life overflowing with blessings.