Visual Calendar Tracking Progress
My First DayYesterday was my first day beginning the stem cell transplant. I never quite understood how Dr. Kevin tracked the days during his stem cell transplant, until nurse Frances came in this morning and posted this calendar. It is a visual aid marking the days, blood count and platelet count. So today is -2 days to stem cell transplant date on Friday. Stem cell transplant day is consider day 0 (zero) and then we go up from there.
I received the first dose of chemo last night. I have not felt any side effects YET. The nurses assured me their coming. So by this weekend I should start to feel things happening. The chemo destroys my bone marrow and the infusion of those healthy stem cells taken out 2 weeks ago restores the bone marrow. I have to let my body do its job and so far through these moments it has done quite well. I also can't forget my beautiful shared heart, which has the most important job of keeping all my organs working. God bless you, Jazmin.
Today is the second day of chemo and that's it. It's so funny, if you want to look at it that way. The bag of chemo is so small but so lethal and powerful. Amazing! So for today I plan to do some walking outside my room because soon I will not be able to leave my room once my white blood cell count goes to zero. I will watch some movies (old favorites like Under the Tuscan Sun). I watched Sex in the City again last night for the 10th time. What a funny movie.
Tomorrow Teri Nappi and Linda Ford will come to buzz my hair off. I don't want to wait until it falls out because everyone says its really traumatic. So Teri will cut it as short as possible and I'll wait for the rest to fall out. I didn't bring my wig to the hospital because I figured I wouldn't be in any beauty pageants here but I brought 2 caps to wear. Mom is going to pick up some scarfs to wear also. I have to admit, and those friends and family who know me, know this is going to be tuff. Why do we put so much weigh on whether we have hair or not. There is no difference between being bald or wearing a mask, think about the person and what they are going through at this moment.
I really need your prayers now to come through this procedure with the least amount of side effects and complications. Please say a little prayer for me.
Enjoy the moment, I am. I'm grateful for this moment, because 8 months ago I might not have had this moment to share with you.
Love,
Debbie
7 comments:
Ok sister. there was this wonderful lady that I knew, of coarse her situation was so much different than yours, but I remember sitting in her house looking in a mirror with a little bald headed chia pet. She told me she was going to go get a wig, we both looked at each other and said NAAAA a beautiful pair of Diamond ear rings would look very nice and off we went.
Brenda was so affraid of what this person would think, and that person would think, then she figured what the F*%# let them go through what I am going through and see how they feel.
Like her you are beautiful inside and out and this is a part of this journey you have to take. People don't look at you anymore like your some kind of freak Brenda said, they look at you now with love and compassion.
So you now my big Sister are my Chia Pet, I just can't wait to see what it looks like when it starts coming back. Brenda was a full Redhead she grew back the first time Blonde (dirty).
I love you and I'm so proud of you and remember like you always said this is a journey now go tell Mark or Mom to go get those Beautiful Diamond Ear Rings.
Love you Sis
your baby sis
DEAR DEBBIE
HOW DO I BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE I LOOKED AT YOUR PICTURE AND CRIED JUST THINKING HOW ALL THIS STUFF HAS KINDA PUT YOUR LIFE ON HOLD BUT I DO BELIEVE WITH ALL THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT ARE PRAYING FOR YOU THAT THIS HOPEFULLY WILL GO BY FAST AND THAT WILL BE ABLE TO GET ON WITH YOU
DOREEN SAID HI SHE IS HAVING A HARD TIME WITH WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH BUT LIKE SHE SAID YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY AND WITH EVERYONE PRAYING FOR YOU SHE KNOWS YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS JUST LIKE YOU DID WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL NEW HEART.
WELL I HAVE TO GET READY TO TAKE DEE SHE HATES TO BE CALLED DOREEN TO GET BLOOD TEST OUT AT CALIFORNIA PACIFIC.
SO JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU AND THAT WE LOVE YOU.
LOVE AUNTIE DIANE
COUSIN DEE
Good Luck Debbie! Our thoughts and prayers are with you, fingers crossed, and whatever else we can do to help you get through this! See you when you return with a big old block party! We'll keep an eye on Mark for you:)
Debbie & Steve
Hey Debbie! It's Heather, remember me? Well, me and my mom wanted to wish you the best luck with this stem cell process. You look so great in your picture and I hope all goes well and I know it will :] Well keep in touch. Our prayers our with you. We miss you!
Love,
Heather and Marie
Hi Debbie -
You are doing just great. Keep up the great fight, enjoy the moments of family and friends, and all your other fans out there.
Love,
Sarah S.
Hi Debbie,
I ran into my "calendar" the other day while trying to find some info for something I was doing, 4 years later. You will remember dates from here on out, entry date, infusion date, stem cell date, first "hic up", Neil and I call them "chemo cups", Oh, I didn't tell you about them. Just a little bump in the road while you go through this wonderful "journey". Post as much as you can by your bedside to keep the faith girl, that is what helped me get through this. Remember we are special people. We are blessed. I ran into someone yesterday that said they were really scared for me at the time I went through it and had compassion in his voice yesterday to see how I was "at the moment". You have a whole world of people surrounding you. Some you have never met. We are a "rare" community but a strong community. Can't wait to meet you one day! God Bless you and keep you and your family. It is very hard for the caretakers...believe it or not...we have to keep them strong...periods of tears will come...but periods of "happy tears" are on the other side. Judy Lessard, SCT survivor.
HI DEBBIE:
SISTER jUDY AND i ARE SITTING HERE IT;S ABOUT 11:30 THURSDAY NIGHT AND WE WERE THINKING OF YOU SO WE DECIDED TO READ YOUR BLOG. WE LIKE YOUR MOHAWK YOUR MY FUNNY GIRL. YOU STILL LOOK BEAUTIFUL.WE LOVE YOU AND WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WE ARE THINKING OF YOU. WE WENT TO SEE KAREN PETERSON TODAY WE WERE THERE FOR ALMOST THREE HOURS IT HELPED JUDY ALOT' KAREN WANTS JUDY TO BE BE IN ONE OF HER ART CLASSES SHE HAS STARTED AND FOR JUDY TO BE FILMED. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT ALL INVOLVES BUT JUDY IS GOING TO DO IT. WELL WE WISH YOU WELL AND HOPE YOU GET OVER ALL THE NASTY SIDE EFFECTS QUICKLY. WE WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU.
ALL OUR LOVE ALWAYS.
AUNT JUDY AND AUNTIE MARY JOAN
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