Good Sam Hospital Work Begins

Whew. This has been a whirlwind week! I was released from Baywood hosp. on Mon. after the chemo and did better than the other two rounds, which I had hoped. My mother told me she had prayed for a good room for me and she is a woman of much faith. The nurses referred to my room as the corner suite of the 6th floor. It was big and roomy, but the best part was the full length window looking east and south. I actually saw a sunrise one morning. I was also located near the helicopter pad, so heard a few of those takeoff and land. I had a friend once tell me that whenever she heard sirens she would pray for the victims, so I prayed each time one would land.

Tuesday morning my sister, Kathy, and I had a meeting at Good Sam to begin our journey there, running all kinds of bloodwork and tests. The transplant center is the 12th floor and they are their own little entity. No check in needed at any registration desk, up the service elevators (to avoid public as much as possible), and right to a nurse. They gave me a new duck bill mask that I will be wearing which is much tighter, but because it protrudes, my lips don’t touch the material. I quacked at a few others wearing them as we passed. Kathy was briefly instructed on how to give me my daily shot to increase my WBC, then in my belly it went. No orange practice there and she did great.

Wed. Mark took me over for the surgical implant of my new neostar catheter. He was a trooper and said all the right things. Sometimes he worries that because he’s a guy he doesn’t know how to make it better. But he does great! I had a pic line before, tiny, served it’s purpose. Well, the nurses referred to these tubings as garden hoses. Now, that’s exaggerating somewhat, considering the three are flopping out of my chest. That was a bad day getting rid of the anesthesia effects, via throw up bags and nausea, but family was with me through the day and Kathy spent the night while I got my strength back.

Thursday, Kathy and I were back again for her instruction of flushing and daily dressing of my port. Again, quick demo, follow the written instructions, and Kathy was doing me first, and then more practice on a mannequin. If you don’t know Kathy, let me share with you how amazing she is. She felt prompted to begin nursing classes last year because she had seen many nice nurses with my previous care and she wanted to be one of those. She took a class each semester and did terrific! Then she was prompted to hold off this fall. Well, we now see it is because she is enrolled in nursing residency 101 with me! She will come early each morning to take care of me and eventually my other family members will join in 24/7 care at home after the procedure. My other 2 sisters are just as amazing. One will step in with her love and talent, then the other one takes over, and now my parents are back in town to help also. I couldn’t do this without family and friends. It is a commitment for all!

The shots will continue until the Dr. feels I have reached a level for the stem cell harvest, which could be as early as next week. After harvest I wait until the end of the month for their stronger chemo. Not sure how a person feels without their stem cells. Guess I will ask when I return tomorrow for more tests.

My love and gratitude go out to each of you in helping me fight this battle. We’re moving ahead! The Lord is truly blessing me.