2005 |
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Friday, April 1 |
Move to Rochester - done |
Thursday, April 7 |
Blood drawn for over 15 different test, urine test, bone marrow biopsy, 24 hr. urine test, stool sample, electrocardiogram, pulmonary function tests, social worker meeting, chest and sinus xrays, echocardiogram - done |
Friday, April 8 |
Meeting with nurse in transplant unit, spinal tap - done |
Saturday, April 9 |
Blood test to determine hemoglobin level (determined I needed a transfusion - done |
Sunday, April 10 |
Blood transfusion of two units - done |
Monday, April 11 |
Meeting with oral surgeon to see if any mouth infections or decay, meeting with psychologist to see if Deb and I are up to the mental challenge - done |
Tuesday, April 12 |
Meeting with nurse practitioner in transplant center to explain entire process, meeting with surgeon that will install Hickman venous catheter in my chest, meeting with nurse practitioner and transplant doctor to summarize test results and review next steps, blood drawn for total blood counts again to prepare for chemo - done |
Wednesday, April 13 |
Begin wearing mask any time outside the apartment, begin taking Actigall, which helps prevent liver injury from the chemotherapy done |
Friday, April 15 |
Total blood test, meet with doctor that is a "fellow", meeting with nurse practitioner and transplant doctor - done |
Sunday, April 17 |
Begin Dilantin treatment to prevent seizures from chemo, hemoglobin and platelet transfusion in the afternoon into evening done |
Monday, April 18 |
Continued Dilantin treatment, surgery to implant Hickman IV port in my chest, pre-chemo haircut, check into transplant unit in hospital at 8:00pm - confirm internet access - done |
Tuesday, April 19 |
Begin chemo with Busulfan and many other precautionary drugs done |
Wednesday, April 20 |
Continue chemo with Busulfan - done |
Thursday, April 21 |
Continue chemo with Busulfan - done |
Friday, April 22 |
Continue chemo with Busulfan, last day of Dilantin - done |
Saturday, April 23 |
Continue chemo with Cytoxan, install urinary catheter to continuously flush bladder - done |
Sunday, April 24 |
Continue chemo with Cytoxan (last day of chemo) and bladder flush - done |
Monday, April 25 |
Rest Day!! Urinary catheter removed, anti-rejection drug. Cyclosporin begins, also need a red blood cell transfusion - done |
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Cyclosporin begins, also need a red blood cell transfusion - done |
Tuesday, April 26 |
My international donor cells will not arrive until Wednesday morning. So, I will have an easy day of rest and a pass to leave the hospital for a while - done |
Wednesday, April 27 |
STEM CELL TRANSPLANT DAY - The stem cells should arrive at theRochester airport about 10:30am. Then, they will be inspected by the Mayo Lab before bringing to me and transfusing into me under close supervision for possible reactions - done |
Thursday, April 28 - Day 1 |
Begin Methotrexate and other anti-rejection medicines to reduce problems with new cells. Got released from the hospital at 2:30pm - done |
Friday, April 29 - Day 2 |
Move to outpatient management. All drugs at this point are to reduce risk of complications and help manage nausea and diarrhea. |
Saturday, April 30 Day 3 |
Report to hospital at 12:30pm. - Daily outpatient checks at the hospital for complications, possibly move back into hospital if lengthy treatment needed. But can most likely stay in apartment. Got second of small dose chemo to help Graft VS Host disease - done |
Sunday, May 1 (Day 4) thru May 3 (Day 6) |
Daily management of condition. Process is to report change, discuss alternatives, switch to new strategy and then note progress. During this time, suffered from nausea, dehydration, swollen tongue, skin rash, loss of some body hair, and fevers. Changed many drugs to others that may work better or have reduced side effects. Readmitted to hospital - done |
About Day 15 |
Should be producing my own blood by now - starting with white blood cells, then red and finally platelets - begun |
Day 18 |
Released from hospital to outpatient status - done |
About Day 27-100 |
May begin to see symptoms of graft versus host disease - two bouts with skin rash so far |
About Day 50 |
Most likely earliest date to move home to Orono, but report to Mayo twice a week - been home every night since June 9th (Day 43) |
About Day 100 |
Earliest day to discontinue weekly checkups at Mayo - this finally happened at about January 12th, 2006 or Day 260. |
Day 274 |
My doctor scheduled my next appointment for one month away my longest break! |
April 2006 - About 1 Year |
(May Should begin to feel normal again, although energy level may never return to 100% |