Loren and I looked at each other this week as we sat in the hospital room I had just been admitted to and commented that this is one crazy ride! I got a phone call on Monday asking me to come down to the hospital and be admitted for at least one night. The headaches which I had been having for the past 5+ weeks had changed and that made my doctors nervous enough to schedule a CT scan followed by an MRI. Now they needed a neurologist to see me but the only way a neurologist can see a new patient quickly is to have the patient admitted to the hospital. (Insert your own comments on the healthcare and insurance companies here). I was pretty sure that the headaches were due to the 5 spinal taps I had but my doctors wanted it taken care of quickly. So, we sat in the hospital room, staring at each other and wondering what the neurologist was going to say. After waiting for several hours the neurologist came and after a lengthy discussion of my symptoms she came to the conclusion that at least one of the 5 holes that had been put in my back was leaking spinal fluid and causing my severe headaches. The best way to fix that is with a blood patch. Since I am in remission and my blood is clean right now we decided to move ahead with the procedure the next day. So, I spent a lovely night in the most expensive hotel in town and had the blood patch performed the next day. I must have had a different reaction than most people...the procedure was fine but the rest of the week was horrible. By Friday my headaches were gone but the pain in my back where the blood was injected was incredibly painful and is still not 100%. After a rough week, I finally remembered what I had promised myself on Day 1...I was going to choose to be grateful. I had forgotten that and the week was more miserable because of my attitude. So today I am grateful that I don't have those horribe headaches any more!
The Plan
Now that I am in remission, we have a plan for transplant. I will be admitted to the hospital on the morning of Monday, the 17th. On Tuesday I will begin 4 days of chemo, followed by 2 days of rest and then 2 more days of chemo. Yes, this chemo will be just as aggressive as the last round I had. Then on the 26th, the day before Thanksgiving and continued on Thanksgiving day the infusion of my brother's stem cells will happen!!! I am excited to be at this point in my treatment. After the infusion, it is more of the same ride we have been on but with a twist. I will need to wait for my numbers to come back up, which in this case means that my brother's stem cells are making blood for me! The twist is that we will need to guard against but almost plan on some form of graft vs host disease. This new twist will be part of our lives for at least the next 2 years. Depending on the type and severity, I can have an extended stay in the hospital and/or be readmitted after coming home. So, the rollercoaster ride will continue. I am glad my family is with me as we go up and down...they are my peace and my sanity.
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