I'm Back!

I’m back.  After the week long hospital stay and a few more days of recuperating, I feel like I’m finally rejoining the human race.  It was a little rough at times but I just kept reminding myself that the down times are temporary and the good times will be forever.  As I’ve regained my health, I start to notice things around me that had no meaning whatsoever while I was feeling sick.  First, I noticed my computer and realized I’ve been very negligent at keeping up with these blogs.  Then I could finally see the banjo in the corner, waiting to be picked up.  The do-it-yourself generator project is in another corner.  But I’ll know I’m in complete good health when the tuba calls out to be played.  It’s very difficult to play the tuba or at least play it well with any physical ailment.  I’m almost there.

My status for now is I’m on day 20 of my first transplant.  Twenty days ago, they put my own stem cells back into me after killing off all of my bone marrow.  The stem cells have rebuilt the bone marrow and the marrow has been manufacturing blood, including the all-important white blood cells.  I now have more white blood cells than the average person but they are new to the world.  They have no memory of previous illness and they are considered to be too new to be completely effective.  Only time can make those white blood cells stronger and more able to do their job.

So now it’s time to start looking at transplant number two.  This one will be using stem cells from a complete stranger.  The good news is that a letter showed up in my mailbox yesterday afternoon that was very reassuring.  I have “multiple 10/10 donor matches”.  That means there are multiple donors available who are a 100% perfect match to my genetic makeup.  Transplants are frequently done with less than perfect matches so I feel lucky that my genetic code is more common.  The next question is whether or not one of those individuals can come to Seattle for the next transplant.  

The doctors have told me that the donor stem cells need to be fresh.  They take them out of the donor and put them directly into the patient.  There is a high chance of some level of rejection which is why this transplant has a very long recuperation period.  At this point, I’m just waiting to find the perfect match and waiting to find out if they can come to Seattle and when.

Today will be a special day, hopefully in a good way.  I have a first cousin who is coming back to Seattle for treatment for a nasty version of leukemia.  I believe he’ll be staying in my apartment building which is specifically for transplant cancer patients.  As much as it hurts to see a close relative suffer with such a dreadful disease, it will still be great to see him.  He’s a retired teacher and a musician.  He even plays the banjo.  Who knows, there may be some rooftop banjo duets coming from the “Pete Gross House” apartment building in the near future.  I’ll keep you posted.