I have got to Skype with Cole and if anyone else would like to Skype when I am feeling up to it just let me know...
Good night to all and thank your for the prayers and positive energy sent my way.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Chemo is DONE..
Hooray to be done with Chemo!!!! Now on to the next step of radiation...the next few days are going to be the hardest twice a day for four days...I wish I could go into it not feeling sick but this round of chemo has left me very nauseous. One day at a time I guess.
I have got to Skype with Cole and if anyone else would like to Skype when I am feeling up to it just let me know...
Good night to all and thank your for the prayers and positive energy sent my way.
Danielle
I have got to Skype with Cole and if anyone else would like to Skype when I am feeling up to it just let me know...
Good night to all and thank your for the prayers and positive energy sent my way.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Cord Blood Transplant
I don't even know where to begin to explain how serious this next step is.....The doctor said to me if I don't do this transplant I will die! Some where in the back of my mind I did have that thought but to hear him say that to me really put things at a new prospective. I will be going in on May 12th (Jared's Birthday) to start the conditioning process of the transplant. I will have two ports put into my chest the surgery takes about 2 hours and they are place in my chest above each breast and connected to a main artery near my heart. I will then have two lines coming off of each port so 4 total lines.. each line will be used for something different...One for pain medication, one for chemo, one for nutrition and one for blood draws and the cord blood infusion. When I am ready to come home one line will be removed and one will stay since I have to go back to Dana Faber 2 a week for a few months for follow ups...
Once the lines are placed I will begin another round of chemotherapy for three days. On Monday the 16th I will begin full body radiation. I am not thrilled about this radiation process I will be very ill during this whole week. I will be having 4 days of the radiation twice a day, the radiation is needed to wipe out all my blood counts and any left over lymphoma tumors.. The radiation is the hardest part of this whole process there are a lot of side effects such as fevers, rashes, nausea, vomiting and mouth sores. They say if I can get through the preconditioning its all up hill from there as long as I follow everything I am supposed to do.
On Thursday May 20th I will have my cord blood transplant and can you all believe that it's my Papa's Birthday that day....I cried when the doctor gave me the date it makes me feel so safe and I feel like he is really watching over me. The transfusion of the cord blood stem cells takes about 20 minutes. They will be using two different cord bloods the reason I need two is because the cords don't have a lot of stem cells like adult donors do. So once the transplant is done its a waiting game it could take anywhere from 10 to 30 days for the new stem cells to take over my existing immune system. During this time I will be in the hospital they are thinking about 5-6 weeks in the hospital and while I am in there I have a lot for things I must do like get up and walk, I have to force myself to eat even though I am not going to want to, I have to remain positive and focus on getting healthy.
So I will remain in the hospital until all my blood counts are back at a normal range then as long as I am off the feeding tube and eating and drinking on my own they will let me go home..Then that is where I learn to live my new life style..I will not be allowed to have visitors in my home for 3 months if it is nice out I am allowed to sit out side with visitors. I will not be able to go into public places for 12 months like mall, food shopping and restaurants. I am allowed to go in the ocean but I must keep covered from the sun..The doctor says that the transplant it self is not what could kill me its the chance of me getting sick within the first 6-8 months.. So please if you plan on visiting or being around anyone that I live with make sure you are not sick or have been around anyone sick..
To talk numbers they say that if I don't do transplant 100% chance I will die.. Then there is a 30% chance I could die from transplant. No doubt about it i am doing it...doctor says that if I can get through the next 2 years and the lymphoma doesn't show up then I should be in the clear.. He believes that since my lymphoma is so aggressive if it is going to reoccur it will be in the first 1-2 years.
I know that was a lot to read but I wanted you all to know what was going on and although when it is talked about it really doesn't seem like its going to be that bad but this is very serious and my doctor could not stress it enough to me so I am stressing it to all of you.. I am trying to keep a positive mind like I have for the last six months but I'm not going to lie I'm scared, nervous and worried about the whole thing.. I have learned a lot about myself over the last few months and I have learned a lot about my body and it has endured more then one person should ever have to endure I just hope it reacts well to the next step because my body is once thing I have no control over no matter how positive I am.
I know you have all been praying for me and I cant thank you enough..I have learned that there are so many good people in the world I cant wait to some day give back.. Please over the next few weeks pray harder, send more positive energy and thoughts my way.. I will be very ill and not on the computer much but when I can I will try to have Jared update if I can't.. I love you all and god bless
xoxo
Danielle
Once the lines are placed I will begin another round of chemotherapy for three days. On Monday the 16th I will begin full body radiation. I am not thrilled about this radiation process I will be very ill during this whole week. I will be having 4 days of the radiation twice a day, the radiation is needed to wipe out all my blood counts and any left over lymphoma tumors.. The radiation is the hardest part of this whole process there are a lot of side effects such as fevers, rashes, nausea, vomiting and mouth sores. They say if I can get through the preconditioning its all up hill from there as long as I follow everything I am supposed to do.
On Thursday May 20th I will have my cord blood transplant and can you all believe that it's my Papa's Birthday that day....I cried when the doctor gave me the date it makes me feel so safe and I feel like he is really watching over me. The transfusion of the cord blood stem cells takes about 20 minutes. They will be using two different cord bloods the reason I need two is because the cords don't have a lot of stem cells like adult donors do. So once the transplant is done its a waiting game it could take anywhere from 10 to 30 days for the new stem cells to take over my existing immune system. During this time I will be in the hospital they are thinking about 5-6 weeks in the hospital and while I am in there I have a lot for things I must do like get up and walk, I have to force myself to eat even though I am not going to want to, I have to remain positive and focus on getting healthy.
So I will remain in the hospital until all my blood counts are back at a normal range then as long as I am off the feeding tube and eating and drinking on my own they will let me go home..Then that is where I learn to live my new life style..I will not be allowed to have visitors in my home for 3 months if it is nice out I am allowed to sit out side with visitors. I will not be able to go into public places for 12 months like mall, food shopping and restaurants. I am allowed to go in the ocean but I must keep covered from the sun..The doctor says that the transplant it self is not what could kill me its the chance of me getting sick within the first 6-8 months.. So please if you plan on visiting or being around anyone that I live with make sure you are not sick or have been around anyone sick..
To talk numbers they say that if I don't do transplant 100% chance I will die.. Then there is a 30% chance I could die from transplant. No doubt about it i am doing it...doctor says that if I can get through the next 2 years and the lymphoma doesn't show up then I should be in the clear.. He believes that since my lymphoma is so aggressive if it is going to reoccur it will be in the first 1-2 years.
I know that was a lot to read but I wanted you all to know what was going on and although when it is talked about it really doesn't seem like its going to be that bad but this is very serious and my doctor could not stress it enough to me so I am stressing it to all of you.. I am trying to keep a positive mind like I have for the last six months but I'm not going to lie I'm scared, nervous and worried about the whole thing.. I have learned a lot about myself over the last few months and I have learned a lot about my body and it has endured more then one person should ever have to endure I just hope it reacts well to the next step because my body is once thing I have no control over no matter how positive I am.
I know you have all been praying for me and I cant thank you enough..I have learned that there are so many good people in the world I cant wait to some day give back.. Please over the next few weeks pray harder, send more positive energy and thoughts my way.. I will be very ill and not on the computer much but when I can I will try to have Jared update if I can't.. I love you all and god bless
xoxo
Danielle
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