Monday and Tuesday next week are not going to be fun! I have a bone marrow biopsy on Monday and Tuesday I will be at Santa Clara Heart Transplant to do a heart biopsy, labs, chest x rays and clinic. Then I have an appointment with Dr. Schrier and Dr. Areia at Stanford. It is going to be a very long day. These tests are necessary and I will do everything to be sure that my stem cell transplant is a success.
I have echo scheduled for April 28th and then on Wednesday, April 29th I sign all the consent forms to go forward with the stem cell. The next week, May 6th I will start the injections and I'm on my way to my "new normal life". Mom and I toured the corporate apartment I will be renting during my stay as an inpatient at Stanford. It is beautiful! Two bedroom, two bath upgraded apartment with all the goodies. We are going to be so comfortable there. I wanted a two bedroom, so Mom and I have some privacy and especially because I'm up so early and Mom sleeps in later. This is going to be so perfect for us. Our first night will be May 6th till the 10th and then I will be in the hospital from the 11th to maybe the 15th. We will then go back to the apartment sometime between June 12th and June 15th when I am released from the hospital after the stem cell transplant. I really loved the complex and grounds. There are several other Stanford hospital patients living there right now. I was able to meet one lady who has leukemia and will begin her stem cell transplant on Friday. We will meet again when I check in.
Tomorrow I have labs and chemo on Friday. My lambha number went down from 234 to 197 last week. Going in the right direction but number still too high. We will see where I'm at next week. That will be my last chemo before stem cell transplant. No Decadron and No Velcade!
As you can see, it's a DECADRON night and I'm wired. I'm talking to Tippi on the computer. I just love her so much. She is so strong and such a support to me. I miss her and wish we lived closer. I told her when I'm done with the stem cell we have to go on a "girls weekend" again. I had so many beautiful moments with her that weekend she stayed with me.
I really miss seeing my donor's Mom, Evelyn and the girls. They have been sick for so long and have not been able to see me. We write and talk on the phone. I am so blessed to have met them. I think about them, Jazmin and Jamae everyday. I always send my love to them and only hope that as time goes on things will get better. I know you will never forget a child or children who have passed on but I know in my shared heart that Jazmin is with me and Evelyn everyday. She gives me strength to keep going and I know she is with her Mom too!
Tonight Erin and her friend Amanda came for dinner. Amanda had a stem cell transplant three years ago and is in remission from lympnoma cancer. She brought photo albums showing her during chemo and when her hair fell out. She answered so many questions and made me feel so at ease. I'm getting more and more anxious to get it over with. I called Terri Nappi tonight and she is coming on the 28th of May to shave my head after chemo. I do not want it falling out. I want to shave it off first. I am going to a wig shop Amanada told me about on Friday and try on some wigs. I want to either order the one I found on the Internet or buy one on Friday. I will let you know.
Till then, go out and make moments that take your breath away!
REMEMBER YESTERDAY,
DREAM ABOUT TOMORROW,
BUT LIVE TODAY!!!!!
Words to live by!
love,
Debbie
P.S. Maxwell is driving home from Canada tomorrow. Please say a little prayer for a safe journey home! I miss him so much!
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