The news is all good from my Dr. visit Tuesday. I am in remission and cancer free and able to move forward. Following our short visit with the Dr., we spent 2 hours with the consent nurse signing paperwork describing the bad effects from the chemo and transplant. Mark asked the key question as to why we do this if I am in remission? She responded that the Dr. feels there is a likely chance that it will reoccur and this is the only way for a 60-70% cure. I realized today that I could stop all this and start living again, but it would be a life of fear living from petscan to petscan to see if the cancer had returned. I believe that’s why I have felt guided to make this complete journey.
Mark then asked how they know they got good stem cells and not cancerous ones again. They believe the stem cells they took are good ones, because the bad ones are too weak to make it through the process. They are going to totally wipe me out with their chemo so my body cannot make blood until they reinfuse the stem cells on Friday, the 12th. Then they watch me closely for the next 9-11 days when the wbc finally start to increase, followed by the red blood cells, and last the platelets. During this time they will be giving me transfusions of red cells and platelets, and shots to help the wbc, but I will be very prone to infection, so they will be watching that closely.
I will be visually impaired, confused, intoxicated, and experience amnesia much of the time, but hey, maybe that will help me endure the process. Beyond that . . . you don’t want to know. It will truly be a time when I will be living close to the veil and feeling of the Lord’s strength sustaining me.
Final word has been given to start the chemo tomorrow so I will receive 3 different chemicals until Fri., the 12th, when my stems cells will be reinfused. I have 3 bags of stem cells. It’s a big process involving many people, and everything has to be ready to infuse once the bag is thawed, because it only has 10 min. to go in before the cells start dying. Then they wait a little while and continue with the other 2 bags. It will be cold and because of the preservative they are in, I will smell like cream corn.
They anticipate that I will be in the hospital until the first part of Dec., then home with 24/7 care for 2 weeks, barring no bad infections.
During my last ‘free’ days this week, my sisters bought me lunch, both being meals that I had been craving and even envisioned during my petscan because I was so hungry, (fries and a chocolate shake from In and Out with chicken nuggets from Chick filet, and Sbarros spinach-mushroom pizza), walked around the lake at the Riparian Preserve, and sat under the trees at my favorite water spot there. Last night I watched the 1953 movie, The Robe, with my mother, since I had just finished the book, but felt like it was the Reader’s Digest condensed version, leaving out the best parts. I was glad I had read the book first because it was so much better and spiritually uplifting. I will end the day on a fun note by watching Toy Story 3 tonight.
I have mixed feelings today, with anticipation being the strongest. I am ready to start this final lap and calm about everything overall, but pacing, just the same. Once I start, I will turn my body and spirit over to the Lord and know that He will be close. I truly feel strength from the love, prayers, and support from all my family and friends.
4 comments:
Karen, we love you and we will be praying for you! We wish you all the best over the next crucial weeks and pray that it will all go as well as possible!!!
I'm thrilled things are going well! I will continue to pray for you. Let me know if there is anything I can do.
Looks like things are going along as scheduled. Glad you are in good spirits. Put your name on the Denver Temple prayer roll yesterday. Our prayers are with you.
You are in my prayers!
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