Week Twelve; Transplant Date is Announced...

This begins the week twelve...

I am posting this information early because it is such GREAT news!

The donor has signed his release and will be doing his work up on July 7. The results of his test will be forwarded to our BMT team here in Denver along with blood samples for cross-match. A decision will be made to move forward the following day.

Barring any complications the donors bone marrow will be harvested on July 27. Depending on how many cells are harvested in the first procedure; they may need to make a second harvest on the morning of July 28. The stems cells will be flown to Denver arriving late that evening (depends on the flight the courier catches; they buy several tickets for backup). The Denver BMT team will process the Stem Cells and Jody should receive them on the 29th.

Meanwhile the push is on! Doctors, Doctors and more Doctors...

Good News! It just keeps happening... Tuesday, Jody had a Pulmonary stress test to see how she has recovered from her bout with pneumonia. She passed with flying colors. Her lungs have healed to 97% of expected function and her CAT scan showed most of the pneumonia was gone from her lungs. The pulmonary doctor was dictating to the BMT team a letter that she was clear to proceed with the transplant. Jody has been stressing over this test all of the last two weeks and now it is behind us.

We are off for a second hair cut today. She wants to go a little at a time. Jody has just about decided she won't shave it all off. In our support group meetings some of the other cancer patients had little or no hair loss with their chemo. The nurses and all the doctors say she will loose her hair, BUT the ever positive person Jody is; "What if they are wrong?" "Maybe I won't loose my hair." Well, I guess we will see... I will keep you updated. This is now the big topic. We have now moved past the pulmonary doctor to hair loss.

OK here we are... She had another 1/2" taken off along with me. Jody is planning one more cut before she goes to the hospital. Oh yeah, a pedicure, foot massage and manicure... of course! I am just going to BUZZ the last bit off.

She wanted me to include a picture of the two of us together

We met with Dr. Faragher's staff on Friday and her CBC blood test was great. Her platelets remained low, so we are continuing to hold off on the Hydroxurea medicine. This is great news! She continues to show improvement and her strength and stamina has returned.
This weekend Jody and I are preparing for the arrival of her friend Trudy (along with her family; husband Derick and their three children) from New Jersey. They are coming to Denver for a ten day vacation and possible house hunting (just thinking about moving west). They will be staying with us a couple of days as they explore the surrounding area. We hope to be able to spend some time with them and their children. They arrive late Tuesday afternoon.
On Monday we are scheduled for a whole battery of tests including a bone marrow biopsy to measure the progression of her disease. It will be a long and exhausting day. It should be the last of the doctor exams. All that will remain is our training and preparation class.
This completes my post for week twelve...