Thursday, June 14, 2012; Stem Cell Transplant Day; Day 0 of the countdown. A three member transplant team oversaw the reintroduction of 1/2 the number of my stem cells which were collected on Tuesday of this week. About two and 1/2 small bags of my preserved stem cells were injected into my Picc Line utilizing a large syringe. The cell/preservative mix looked like a red slushy or V8 juice. While one syringe full was being injected, a lab tech extracted another syringe full from a small IV bag which minutes earlier had been frozen. The three stem cell bags were placed in a warming machine which was brought to my room. The third member of the team, a RN, monitored my vitals during the procedure. The whole process took less than 1/2 an hour. So...a half of my harvested stem cells are now back in my body and the remaining collected stem cells will remain frozen in the unlikely event I have to undergo another transplant sometime in the future.
In the meantime...the chemo in my system continues to track down and annihilate unwelcome cancer cells. The newly injected stem cells float through my body via my blood stream and find their way into my bone marrow where they will mature for the next several days. During this maturation process, my white blood cell count as well as my red blood cell and platelet counts will drop. After about 5 to 7 days of falling counts, the process reverses as the matured stem cells leave the bone marrow to become new, healthy white, red and platelet cells. This rebuilding process lasts about another 5 to 7 days. The chemo has, meanwhile, completed its killing spree leaving dead cancer cells to be flushed out by my body.
Typically, days 6, 7, and 8 is the time I will feel the least well as my counts reach their lowest. On day 6, Neupogen shots begin again for about the next 6 days to encourage the production of white blood cells. As my counts of red and white blood cells and platelet cells rise, I will feel better and better. A chart has been affixed to a white board in my room to record the down and up progress of my cell counts. Over the next several days, I will blog daily the progress of my cell counts and the resulting bodily responses. Thus far, I have experienced minimum side effects. This morning, before eating anything, I drank a glass of ice water. Unfortunately, the water returned right away via the same route it took to enter my body. But, this has been the only negative bodily response thus far.
God has indeed been good during this journey. Thinking about what is now happening in my body and how these stem cells will know what cells to become as they mature reveals to me the fantastic plan God had as He designed this wonderful universe of which we and our Earth are a part.
"...And we, out of all creation, became His prized possession." James 1:18
Next: Day +1
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| Louise in her "single" double-sized room. |
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| Aaron prepares stem cells for injection. |
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| Drawing warmed stem cells into syringe. |
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| Melissa injects stem cells into Louise. |
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| Laurie-Anne monitors vitals. |
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