I am supposed to be done with radiation treatments today. However, because the radiation machine was out of commission on Tuesday morning and this afternoon, some of my treatments were rescheduled. I have one more radiation treatment left. So far, I have tolerated the treatments well. I am very grateful that I did not have any serious side effects. My skin is darker now - free tanning! Wish it looks as good as a real tan, though. :-( I feel tired, but far from being fatigued. My appetite is not as good as it used to be, but I started with a big appetite anyway. ha! ha! My neighbors were kind enough to bring me some food a few times, and I totally enjoyed them. Overall, it has been such a blessing. Thank you for your prayers. God is answering our prayers everyday. God is so good!
I will have a radiation treatment tomorrow morning, followed by the first dose of chemo. The second dose will be given on Sunday. I am concerned about the side effects from chemo. Apparently, it may be harsh on the bladder. There may also be some jaw pain, hiccups and a loss of the sense of taste. Then, there's the usual risk of sore mouth and nausea.
On Monday and Tuesday, they will give me medication to suppress whatever is left of my my immune system. The doctor is thinking of giving me food via IV starting Monday, depending on my ability to eat regular food and to keep it down.
The big day is on Wednesday, when they give me the donor's stem cells. Then, it is anybody's guess as to how much rejection I will experience. This is the scariest part of the transplant for me. I try not to think of all the things that may go wrong. I just keep telling myself to take things one day at a time, and to pray for God's mercy throughout the process.
Please continue to pray for me and my family. Please pray that there will be minimal side effects from the remaining radiation and from chemo. Please also pray for extra strength, faith and grace for my family. Lastly, please pray that my body will be ready to receive the new stem cells, and that there will be minimal rejection.
Thank you so much for you prayers. May God continue to bless you and your family.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
7/28/1020 - Radiation, Day 2
The radiation machine was down this morning, so instead of getting three rounds of radiation today, I only got two. I will have a make up session on day 4.
Thankfully, the radiation went smoothly again today. I was a little tired after the first round, but felt better after taking a short nap. So far, so good. I am hopeful that the next two days will be as uneventful as today.
There were some minor side effects from the radiation. Some parts of my skin felt sore and they look like they got sunburned. The nurse gave me a gel to help it heal. I also get rashes everyday because of one of the medications. Thankfully, they don't itch. The doctor says I really need the medication, so they will keep giving it to me unless it makes me feel very uncomfortable. These minor side effects are okay with me. I am very thankful for how things are going.
A funny thing happened during my second radiation treatment today. While listening to Les Mis, I got really emotional when Eponine (Lea Salonga) sang "On My Own". I didn't know that the technicians were observing me from a small window to make sure I was okay. They got worried when they noticed that I was starting to cry. The speaker in the room went on and they quickly asked if everything was okay. I was a little embarrassed to tell them that everything was fine and that I just got emotional with the music. :-\
That is all for today. The best part of my day is about to begin. I can hear my girls' voices outside my room. Family time!
Thank you so very much for your prayers, and may God continue to bless you and your family!
Thankfully, the radiation went smoothly again today. I was a little tired after the first round, but felt better after taking a short nap. So far, so good. I am hopeful that the next two days will be as uneventful as today.
There were some minor side effects from the radiation. Some parts of my skin felt sore and they look like they got sunburned. The nurse gave me a gel to help it heal. I also get rashes everyday because of one of the medications. Thankfully, they don't itch. The doctor says I really need the medication, so they will keep giving it to me unless it makes me feel very uncomfortable. These minor side effects are okay with me. I am very thankful for how things are going.
A funny thing happened during my second radiation treatment today. While listening to Les Mis, I got really emotional when Eponine (Lea Salonga) sang "On My Own". I didn't know that the technicians were observing me from a small window to make sure I was okay. They got worried when they noticed that I was starting to cry. The speaker in the room went on and they quickly asked if everything was okay. I was a little embarrassed to tell them that everything was fine and that I just got emotional with the music. :-\
That is all for today. The best part of my day is about to begin. I can hear my girls' voices outside my room. Family time!
Thank you so very much for your prayers, and may God continue to bless you and your family!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
7/27/2010 - Radiation, Day 1
This is such an encouragement. My doctor just came in to see how I fared after my first day of radiation and saw me smiling. He said it is a good sign, and that the rest of the radiation therapy could be as good as today. May God let it be so.
I've never had radiation therapy until today. It is a full body radiation, so I had to stand in front of a radiation equipment for about 11 minutes at a time. The purpose is to wipe out the cells in my bone marrow. The technicians had to strap me to a harness to prevent me from falling should I lose my balance or fall asleep (snore!). I had three rounds of radiation spaced 4 hours apart. It could have been quite boring, but I brought my Les Miserables CD for entertainment. During radiation, I just closed my eyes and allowed myself to be transported to a theater watching Les Mis. I was blessed to have seen it twice in London. The last time was with Rob during our second honeymoon (aw!).
As much as I enjoyed the musical, I would zoom in and out of the show, because I was also praying for God to let the radiation do its job. I also prayed that He would shield the different parts of my body from the negative effects of radiation - brains, eyes, thyroid, mouth, throat, GI tract, spleen, liver, kidneys, ovaries and lungs.
I am positive that all your prayers were instrumental in making the radiation as uneventful as it was. I felt a bit nauseous, but it quickly went away. I also feel tired, but it was a busy day. I had to be wheeled to another building for radiation each time, and I had a few people from the hospital who stopped in for a visit. I am hopeful that the rest of the radiation and chemo will be uneventful. It will be a testament to the goodness of God and the power of prayer.
Thank you so much for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family!
I've never had radiation therapy until today. It is a full body radiation, so I had to stand in front of a radiation equipment for about 11 minutes at a time. The purpose is to wipe out the cells in my bone marrow. The technicians had to strap me to a harness to prevent me from falling should I lose my balance or fall asleep (snore!). I had three rounds of radiation spaced 4 hours apart. It could have been quite boring, but I brought my Les Miserables CD for entertainment. During radiation, I just closed my eyes and allowed myself to be transported to a theater watching Les Mis. I was blessed to have seen it twice in London. The last time was with Rob during our second honeymoon (aw!).
As much as I enjoyed the musical, I would zoom in and out of the show, because I was also praying for God to let the radiation do its job. I also prayed that He would shield the different parts of my body from the negative effects of radiation - brains, eyes, thyroid, mouth, throat, GI tract, spleen, liver, kidneys, ovaries and lungs.
I am positive that all your prayers were instrumental in making the radiation as uneventful as it was. I felt a bit nauseous, but it quickly went away. I also feel tired, but it was a busy day. I had to be wheeled to another building for radiation each time, and I had a few people from the hospital who stopped in for a visit. I am hopeful that the rest of the radiation and chemo will be uneventful. It will be a testament to the goodness of God and the power of prayer.
Thank you so much for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
7/24/2010 – Transplant Work-up Begins
We received the donor clearance yesterday. This means that the donor has passed all the physical exams. We can now expect to use his stem cells for my transplant. Thank God. May God bless the donor for his selfless act!
The transplant schedule begins with a "work-up" that lasts 11 days. I am being given medication for 3 days to thicken my mouth and GI lining. This will reduce the chances of getting mouth sores and GI tract disorder due to radiation and chemotherapy. The grueling part of the work-up begins on Tuesday, 7/27, with 11 rounds of low-dose radiation spread over 4 days, followed by 2 days of high-dose chemotherapy. I was warned that I may be fatigued that week. This will be followed by more medication to suppress my immune system. There is a laundry list of potential side effects and risks with all the treatments and medication. Gulp! It was scared when I first heard about them.
August 4 is the day when I will be given stem cells from the donor via IV. It only takes a few hours, but it will change my life forever. I was told to expect to stay in the hospital for about 6 weeks from 8/4. The hospital will once again be "home" to me for a while.
Once the transplant is done, it is all about damage control. The medical team will be managing side effects and any Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD) that may occur from the transplant. Anything and everything can go wrong depending on the severity of the GVHD. It can even be fatal. As usual, my blood count will go down to nothing and I will be susceptible to infection. Multiple blood and platelet transfusion can be expected. The coming weeks may be the toughest weeks in my life. I can use all the prayers I can get. Please pray that the treatments and medication will not have side effects, and that there will be minimal rejection (GVHD).
The critical period for the transplant is 100 days. Most problems occur within 100 days of the transplant, so please keep praying for me until at least mid-November. Longer is better, of course. :-)
The official term for what I will be going through is "hematopoetic transplant" (a.k.a stem cell transplant). Hematopoetic transplant refers to the process of kicking the donor's stem cells to his blood through medication, doing a reverse blood transfusion to collect the blood, harvesting the stem cells, and returning the blood to the donor via blood transfusion. It is all very amazing and high-tech. The stem cells are then flown to the US and given to me via IV. It is all very amazing and high-tech. Thank God for technological advances in medicine. But most of all, thank God for people who have signed up to be donors. What a blessing they are!
I am feeling much better since the last couple of days. I try not to think of all the things that could go wrong, and just focus on what's going right each day. I can only take things one day at a time, and hope and pray for the best. I made some progress on the harp. Katie learned to play a few pieces, too. Ellie brings me her projects from summer camp everyday, so now my room looks like her art gallery with a few contributions from Katie! No complaints here. My room looks cheerful with all their artwork. Once again, I am so thankful that we live close to the hospital so I can see my family almost everyday.
I lost my room with the mountain view, because they had to move me to the transplant floor. At first, I felt sad not to have a the full mountain view from my new room. But when I realized that I have a partial mountain view anyway, plus I can see trees in Arcadia and a view of the buildings in downtown LA, I was happy. It feels like I am somewhat connected to my family when I look at the trees in our area, and to Rob when I see the building he works in in downtown LA. Perhaps I can send them my love through the air or via mental telepathy. :-)
That is all for now. You don't know how grateful I am for all your prayers. Just knowing that there are people out there interceding for me and my family is such an encouragement. I believe in the power of prayer and the goodness of God.
Thank you again for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family!
The transplant schedule begins with a "work-up" that lasts 11 days. I am being given medication for 3 days to thicken my mouth and GI lining. This will reduce the chances of getting mouth sores and GI tract disorder due to radiation and chemotherapy. The grueling part of the work-up begins on Tuesday, 7/27, with 11 rounds of low-dose radiation spread over 4 days, followed by 2 days of high-dose chemotherapy. I was warned that I may be fatigued that week. This will be followed by more medication to suppress my immune system. There is a laundry list of potential side effects and risks with all the treatments and medication. Gulp! It was scared when I first heard about them.
August 4 is the day when I will be given stem cells from the donor via IV. It only takes a few hours, but it will change my life forever. I was told to expect to stay in the hospital for about 6 weeks from 8/4. The hospital will once again be "home" to me for a while.
Once the transplant is done, it is all about damage control. The medical team will be managing side effects and any Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD) that may occur from the transplant. Anything and everything can go wrong depending on the severity of the GVHD. It can even be fatal. As usual, my blood count will go down to nothing and I will be susceptible to infection. Multiple blood and platelet transfusion can be expected. The coming weeks may be the toughest weeks in my life. I can use all the prayers I can get. Please pray that the treatments and medication will not have side effects, and that there will be minimal rejection (GVHD).
The critical period for the transplant is 100 days. Most problems occur within 100 days of the transplant, so please keep praying for me until at least mid-November. Longer is better, of course. :-)
The official term for what I will be going through is "hematopoetic transplant" (a.k.a stem cell transplant). Hematopoetic transplant refers to the process of kicking the donor's stem cells to his blood through medication, doing a reverse blood transfusion to collect the blood, harvesting the stem cells, and returning the blood to the donor via blood transfusion. It is all very amazing and high-tech. The stem cells are then flown to the US and given to me via IV. It is all very amazing and high-tech. Thank God for technological advances in medicine. But most of all, thank God for people who have signed up to be donors. What a blessing they are!
I am feeling much better since the last couple of days. I try not to think of all the things that could go wrong, and just focus on what's going right each day. I can only take things one day at a time, and hope and pray for the best. I made some progress on the harp. Katie learned to play a few pieces, too. Ellie brings me her projects from summer camp everyday, so now my room looks like her art gallery with a few contributions from Katie! No complaints here. My room looks cheerful with all their artwork. Once again, I am so thankful that we live close to the hospital so I can see my family almost everyday.
I lost my room with the mountain view, because they had to move me to the transplant floor. At first, I felt sad not to have a the full mountain view from my new room. But when I realized that I have a partial mountain view anyway, plus I can see trees in Arcadia and a view of the buildings in downtown LA, I was happy. It feels like I am somewhat connected to my family when I look at the trees in our area, and to Rob when I see the building he works in in downtown LA. Perhaps I can send them my love through the air or via mental telepathy. :-)
That is all for now. You don't know how grateful I am for all your prayers. Just knowing that there are people out there interceding for me and my family is such an encouragement. I believe in the power of prayer and the goodness of God.
Thank you again for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
7/21/2010 – Relief
As most people in the US are getting relief from heat waves across the nation, I have my own share of relief. Not from the seething weather outside, though. The weather in my room is a constant 71 degrees. The relief I got was from the biopsy result. The liver biopsy came out clean! Whew! I am so happy to hear that from the doctor just now. I was not sure how I would react if the result came out bad. Thank God it was good.
I have been feeling lazy and blah the last few days. I was feeling fine earlier on, even learned to play a few pieces on the harp. I think it all started after my radiology consultation. They told me about all the potential risks and side effects of radiation. Then, the nurse coordinator for my transplant also told me about what to expect with the transplant – not many good things. Then, the doctor wanted to have a biopsy of my liver. It was all too overwhelming.
Now that I think about it, I might have also been mourning the end of my somewhat carefree life. In a few short days, I will be physically prepared to have the transplant. This includes giving me various medications to manage side effects and prevent Graft Versus Host Diseas (GVHD), 4 days of radiation and 3 days of intense chemotherapy. Mouth sores and GI tract problems are to be expected, I was warned by the nurse coordinator. Yikes! Then, comes the transplant.
The transplant is tentatively scheduled for August 5. My life will not be the same again after that. I have lived a relatively carefree life. I enjoyed much of what life had to offer without worrying about my health. This changed somewhat last year, after having Leukemia. After the transplant, this carefree attitude may be replaced by paranoia. With the prospect of having cataract, thyroid and lung problems, leukemia relapse, secondary forms of cancer, liver and kidney problems, all due to the treatments received for and during transplant, I will have to figure out how I can live the rest of my life responsibly without being overly cautious to the point of not enjoying life anymore. Life is too short not to make the most of it and enjoy it as best we can. I guess I will have to learn as I go.
With the good news from the doctor, I am feeling better already. We’re expecting to receive the donor clearance tomorrow. Then, they will finalize my schedule. I am bracing myself for the regimen I will be going through in the coming weeks. I was advised to load up on protein, because it is the building block for cellular growth - learning something new everyday!
I will post my treatment schedule once it is official. Please do continue to pray for me. I need your prayers now more than ever. The BMT is going to be very intense, with many potential side effects and many risks involved. Please pray that my body will be able to tolerate the medications and treatments well, and that there will be minimal side effects and GVHD. Please also pray that my family and I will continue to be happy and have a positive attitude throughout the whole process, and may we be given extra strength, faith, grace and mercy throughout these coming weeks.
Thank you again for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family.
I have been feeling lazy and blah the last few days. I was feeling fine earlier on, even learned to play a few pieces on the harp. I think it all started after my radiology consultation. They told me about all the potential risks and side effects of radiation. Then, the nurse coordinator for my transplant also told me about what to expect with the transplant – not many good things. Then, the doctor wanted to have a biopsy of my liver. It was all too overwhelming.
Now that I think about it, I might have also been mourning the end of my somewhat carefree life. In a few short days, I will be physically prepared to have the transplant. This includes giving me various medications to manage side effects and prevent Graft Versus Host Diseas (GVHD), 4 days of radiation and 3 days of intense chemotherapy. Mouth sores and GI tract problems are to be expected, I was warned by the nurse coordinator. Yikes! Then, comes the transplant.
The transplant is tentatively scheduled for August 5. My life will not be the same again after that. I have lived a relatively carefree life. I enjoyed much of what life had to offer without worrying about my health. This changed somewhat last year, after having Leukemia. After the transplant, this carefree attitude may be replaced by paranoia. With the prospect of having cataract, thyroid and lung problems, leukemia relapse, secondary forms of cancer, liver and kidney problems, all due to the treatments received for and during transplant, I will have to figure out how I can live the rest of my life responsibly without being overly cautious to the point of not enjoying life anymore. Life is too short not to make the most of it and enjoy it as best we can. I guess I will have to learn as I go.
With the good news from the doctor, I am feeling better already. We’re expecting to receive the donor clearance tomorrow. Then, they will finalize my schedule. I am bracing myself for the regimen I will be going through in the coming weeks. I was advised to load up on protein, because it is the building block for cellular growth - learning something new everyday!
I will post my treatment schedule once it is official. Please do continue to pray for me. I need your prayers now more than ever. The BMT is going to be very intense, with many potential side effects and many risks involved. Please pray that my body will be able to tolerate the medications and treatments well, and that there will be minimal side effects and GVHD. Please also pray that my family and I will continue to be happy and have a positive attitude throughout the whole process, and may we be given extra strength, faith, grace and mercy throughout these coming weeks.
Thank you again for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family.
Friday, July 16, 2010
7/16/2010 - What a Week!
First, the good news: The bone marrow biopsy came out clean. Thank you, Lord! Thank you for your prayers, too, of course.
Next, the bad-to-good news: The mild fever I had last Saturday afternoon turned ugly that night. My fever shot up to over 39 degrees, and would have stayed there if it weren’t for Tylenol. Every four hours, I would seesaw between shivering because of the high temperature and sweating once Tylenol sets in. By Monday, they figured out that I had strep infection possibly from the catheter on my arm. They removed the catheter and gave me the right antibiotic. My fever slowly came down after that. Whew!
Some bad things happen due to no fault of ours. Unfortunately, I think this is not one of those cases. One of the things I did to entertain myself here is to play games in my Blackberry, specifically Sudoku and Word Mole. Before coming to the hospital, I have always been careful NOT to play any computer games because I know how addicted I can get when I start enjoying a game. In the past, I would play so much that my grades at school would begin to head south or my work would begin to suffer. At that point, I would stop cold turkey to save my future. I would have signed up for “Gamers Anonymous” if there is such a thing. :-)
With so much time on my hands in the hospital, I thought it will be safe to indulge myself with a game or two. Wrong! I ended up spending most days just playing and giving myself eye strain and headaches. Even worse, I think it might have led to a series of other minor but annoying things that went wrong before and during the fever. By Sunday night, with my fever burning, I was so tired that all I could do was stay in bed and do nothing. That was when I realized that God may be trying to tell me something. I also realized that since I started playing, I have been doing too much playing and not much praying! Oh, no! Of course God was not pleased. Those silly games have taken over my precious time with Him. Got it, Boss! I’m sorry! No more playing! Actually, it was tough to pray that night knowing how much I have offended the Lord. I am just glad that we have a God who is slow to anger and quick to forgive. The following day, they found out that strep was causing the fever and they were able to treat it. Hallelujah!
Now for the bad news: The hospital is putting me through a series of tests to make sure that I don’t have anything else going on that may badly interfere with the transplant. So far I had chest x-rays, EKG, echocardiogram and CT scan. They saw a small lesion in my liver during the CT scan. After an MRI and liver scan, they still couldn’t figure out what it is, so the doctor wants me to have a biopsy on Tuesday. It could be as bad as a liver cancer, something totally benign or many other things in between. Please pray that I will have a clean biopsy on Tuesday. I certainly do not need any more challenges.
My blood count has not gone up at all from the bottom. It probably didn’t have a chance to inch up because the few good cells I left had to fight the infection. It was like a few brave men fighting an army until the right antibiotic came to the rescue.
Please keep praying that my blood count will go back to normal and that I will not have any other infections from here on. Please also pray that they will not find anything else wrong with me, and that the biopsy on Tuesday will come out clean. Lastly, please pray that Rob will have the strength and wisdom for his new role as Superdad, and that all of us will remain happy throughout this new adventure.
Thank you very much once again for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family.
Next, the bad-to-good news: The mild fever I had last Saturday afternoon turned ugly that night. My fever shot up to over 39 degrees, and would have stayed there if it weren’t for Tylenol. Every four hours, I would seesaw between shivering because of the high temperature and sweating once Tylenol sets in. By Monday, they figured out that I had strep infection possibly from the catheter on my arm. They removed the catheter and gave me the right antibiotic. My fever slowly came down after that. Whew!
Some bad things happen due to no fault of ours. Unfortunately, I think this is not one of those cases. One of the things I did to entertain myself here is to play games in my Blackberry, specifically Sudoku and Word Mole. Before coming to the hospital, I have always been careful NOT to play any computer games because I know how addicted I can get when I start enjoying a game. In the past, I would play so much that my grades at school would begin to head south or my work would begin to suffer. At that point, I would stop cold turkey to save my future. I would have signed up for “Gamers Anonymous” if there is such a thing. :-)
With so much time on my hands in the hospital, I thought it will be safe to indulge myself with a game or two. Wrong! I ended up spending most days just playing and giving myself eye strain and headaches. Even worse, I think it might have led to a series of other minor but annoying things that went wrong before and during the fever. By Sunday night, with my fever burning, I was so tired that all I could do was stay in bed and do nothing. That was when I realized that God may be trying to tell me something. I also realized that since I started playing, I have been doing too much playing and not much praying! Oh, no! Of course God was not pleased. Those silly games have taken over my precious time with Him. Got it, Boss! I’m sorry! No more playing! Actually, it was tough to pray that night knowing how much I have offended the Lord. I am just glad that we have a God who is slow to anger and quick to forgive. The following day, they found out that strep was causing the fever and they were able to treat it. Hallelujah!
Now for the bad news: The hospital is putting me through a series of tests to make sure that I don’t have anything else going on that may badly interfere with the transplant. So far I had chest x-rays, EKG, echocardiogram and CT scan. They saw a small lesion in my liver during the CT scan. After an MRI and liver scan, they still couldn’t figure out what it is, so the doctor wants me to have a biopsy on Tuesday. It could be as bad as a liver cancer, something totally benign or many other things in between. Please pray that I will have a clean biopsy on Tuesday. I certainly do not need any more challenges.
My blood count has not gone up at all from the bottom. It probably didn’t have a chance to inch up because the few good cells I left had to fight the infection. It was like a few brave men fighting an army until the right antibiotic came to the rescue.
Please keep praying that my blood count will go back to normal and that I will not have any other infections from here on. Please also pray that they will not find anything else wrong with me, and that the biopsy on Tuesday will come out clean. Lastly, please pray that Rob will have the strength and wisdom for his new role as Superdad, and that all of us will remain happy throughout this new adventure.
Thank you very much once again for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
7/10/2010 - Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Transplant
"Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His (B)holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle." Psalm 103:1-5
This is such a beautiful psalm! I read it this morning, and I am reminded of God’s love and goodness. It is also comforting to be reminded that He is in control of my disease, and He can easily cure me if He wants to.
The hospital found a match for me. It is a 90% match, but the doctors think that it is good enough. They will just give me extra medication to reduce potential Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD). GVHD is the biggest risk in any transplant. If my body rejects the new stem cells, it could lead to multiple and potentially fatal complications.
The donor is an international donor. The only things I was allowed to know are that he is a 22-yr old male with O+ blood type. I have A+ blood type. After the transplant, my blood type will become O+. Amazing, isn’t it? I don’t know how that happens, but I remain amazed at the complexity of the human body, and its ability to adapt to various situations.
Fortunately for me, I needed a donor when technology has allowed the hospital to search donor databases all over the world. The donor is now undergoing physical exam to make sure that he does not have any infectious diseases and that he is healthy enough to be a donor. I am glad the donor is a 22-yr old, because stem cells from younger people work better than stem cells from older people. One year after recovery, I can request to know who my donor is. Right now, I only have a picture of a selfless man who is willing to go through all the hassle to save the life of a total stranger. I marvel at the generosity of the human spirit.
The preparation for bone marrow transplant has started. The process involves a battery of tests – EKG, echocardiogram, CT scan, chest x-rays, blood tests, etc. Then, comes the difficult part: I will be given ultra high doses of radiation and chemotherapy to wipe out my bone marrow. I may not have the energy to post anything in my blog during that time. It starts on July 26. After that, I will be given immune suppressants for a few days.
The bone marrow transplant is scheduled for August 5. It takes only a few hours, and it is just like having blood transfusion. But the similarity ends there. There may be some form of GVHD, and they will treat the problems as they arise. I will be in critical condition during the first 100 days, because if anything were to go wrong, it usually happens during the first hundred days. My sister will come and help us out during the 100 days, and friends have also offered to help us during this time.
I am still in the hospital. I developed a mild fever this afternoon – not unusual. I may not be able to go home between now and the transplant if my blood count doesn’t go back to normal soon.
Please continue to pray for me and my family, and may God bless you and your family.
And all that is within me, bless His (B)holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle." Psalm 103:1-5
This is such a beautiful psalm! I read it this morning, and I am reminded of God’s love and goodness. It is also comforting to be reminded that He is in control of my disease, and He can easily cure me if He wants to.
The hospital found a match for me. It is a 90% match, but the doctors think that it is good enough. They will just give me extra medication to reduce potential Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD). GVHD is the biggest risk in any transplant. If my body rejects the new stem cells, it could lead to multiple and potentially fatal complications.
The donor is an international donor. The only things I was allowed to know are that he is a 22-yr old male with O+ blood type. I have A+ blood type. After the transplant, my blood type will become O+. Amazing, isn’t it? I don’t know how that happens, but I remain amazed at the complexity of the human body, and its ability to adapt to various situations.
Fortunately for me, I needed a donor when technology has allowed the hospital to search donor databases all over the world. The donor is now undergoing physical exam to make sure that he does not have any infectious diseases and that he is healthy enough to be a donor. I am glad the donor is a 22-yr old, because stem cells from younger people work better than stem cells from older people. One year after recovery, I can request to know who my donor is. Right now, I only have a picture of a selfless man who is willing to go through all the hassle to save the life of a total stranger. I marvel at the generosity of the human spirit.
The preparation for bone marrow transplant has started. The process involves a battery of tests – EKG, echocardiogram, CT scan, chest x-rays, blood tests, etc. Then, comes the difficult part: I will be given ultra high doses of radiation and chemotherapy to wipe out my bone marrow. I may not have the energy to post anything in my blog during that time. It starts on July 26. After that, I will be given immune suppressants for a few days.
The bone marrow transplant is scheduled for August 5. It takes only a few hours, and it is just like having blood transfusion. But the similarity ends there. There may be some form of GVHD, and they will treat the problems as they arise. I will be in critical condition during the first 100 days, because if anything were to go wrong, it usually happens during the first hundred days. My sister will come and help us out during the 100 days, and friends have also offered to help us during this time.
I am still in the hospital. I developed a mild fever this afternoon – not unusual. I may not be able to go home between now and the transplant if my blood count doesn’t go back to normal soon.
Please continue to pray for me and my family, and may God bless you and your family.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
7/6/2010 - Here we go again
This is just like those action/suspense movies that make you hold your breath during the final chase scene. And just as you finally give out a sigh because the villain's dead, a hand reaches out from behind... Aaahhh! That was exactly how I felt when I heard the bad news. It took me a couple of days to get over the shock and numbness that came with the news. The "screaming" in my head has stopped.
I went for a check-up last month. The doctor was suspicious when she saw my platelets slightly below normal. She said it may just mean I am about to have my period. I thought that was exactly what it was. But just to be sure, the doctor scheduled another test 2 weeks later. When I went back for the test, my white blood count was more than 10x above the normal range - really bad sign. More tests that day confirmed it. I had a relapse, so the doctor sent me back to the hospital for chemotherapy on the 24th. This time, they used 3 drugs and it lasted 5 days. I will be kept in the hospital until my blood count goes back to normal - that's about 4 weeks.
How did this happen? I don't know. Did my going back to work so soon affect it? The doctor said that if the cancer cells are intent on coming back, going back to work or not will not have much effect on it. I'm thinking I might have pushed it a bit by trying to pack too much in my half days at work - bad habit.
The doctor had previously warned me that a bone marrow transplant will be necessary if there is a relapse. I guess this is God's way of telling me that I do need a bone marrow transplant. I was afraid of all the complications that may come with it, but now I have no choice. Just like the last bout with Leukemia, our family is counting on the prayers of family and friends to carry us through the treatments. We are leaving everything in the loving hands of God and taking things one day at a time.
As bad as thing are, things could be a lot worse. I am thankful for blessings that come my way everyday. I was able to tolerate this round of chemo better than the induction round I had last year - no fever, chicken pox, mouth sores or inflammation. Yay! Once again, I did not throw up or lose my appetite. This definitely helps in the recovery and prepares me for the harsher treatments that come with having a transplant. My hair will fall out again, but it's not a big deal. Things could be a lot worse. My family also gets to visit me in my room - the best part of my days! I did not realize what a blessing it was to be able to see my family everyday until I met patients who live far from the hospital or who have to fly in from out of state for treatments. They do not get to see their family very much
Other blessing include getting a room with the mountain view! I saw beautiful fireworks from my window during the 4th of July celebration. I am also quite blessed to have physical, musical and recreational therapy available in the hospital. When my counts are okay, I get to join group exercise classes and play poker or do something else with other patients. When the counts are low, a therapist goes to my room to guide me with exercises. A music therapist gives me CDs of therapeutic music (ever heard of music accupuncture?), and schedules musicians to play music in my room. We had a choir singing patriotic songs outside my room the other day. What beautiful voices! I may even get to learn to play the harp or a few pieces on the keyboard while I'm here. That would be fun.
The biggest blessing of all is to have family and friends helping us during these difficult times through prayers, words of encouragement, and giving us a hand with some of our chores. Cristina, Marlene, Nini and Nora have been specially helpful in keeping my family well-fed while the chef is taking an extended vacation in the hospital.
Please pray for my healing, that the hospital will find a suitable donor for me, that I will not have any side effects from the chemo, and that my blood count will go back to normal soon. Also pray that my family and I will remain happy throughout this period, and that Rob and I will have the extra strength, courage and faith to face the challenges ahead.
Thank you very much for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family.
I went for a check-up last month. The doctor was suspicious when she saw my platelets slightly below normal. She said it may just mean I am about to have my period. I thought that was exactly what it was. But just to be sure, the doctor scheduled another test 2 weeks later. When I went back for the test, my white blood count was more than 10x above the normal range - really bad sign. More tests that day confirmed it. I had a relapse, so the doctor sent me back to the hospital for chemotherapy on the 24th. This time, they used 3 drugs and it lasted 5 days. I will be kept in the hospital until my blood count goes back to normal - that's about 4 weeks.
How did this happen? I don't know. Did my going back to work so soon affect it? The doctor said that if the cancer cells are intent on coming back, going back to work or not will not have much effect on it. I'm thinking I might have pushed it a bit by trying to pack too much in my half days at work - bad habit.
The doctor had previously warned me that a bone marrow transplant will be necessary if there is a relapse. I guess this is God's way of telling me that I do need a bone marrow transplant. I was afraid of all the complications that may come with it, but now I have no choice. Just like the last bout with Leukemia, our family is counting on the prayers of family and friends to carry us through the treatments. We are leaving everything in the loving hands of God and taking things one day at a time.
As bad as thing are, things could be a lot worse. I am thankful for blessings that come my way everyday. I was able to tolerate this round of chemo better than the induction round I had last year - no fever, chicken pox, mouth sores or inflammation. Yay! Once again, I did not throw up or lose my appetite. This definitely helps in the recovery and prepares me for the harsher treatments that come with having a transplant. My hair will fall out again, but it's not a big deal. Things could be a lot worse. My family also gets to visit me in my room - the best part of my days! I did not realize what a blessing it was to be able to see my family everyday until I met patients who live far from the hospital or who have to fly in from out of state for treatments. They do not get to see their family very much
Other blessing include getting a room with the mountain view! I saw beautiful fireworks from my window during the 4th of July celebration. I am also quite blessed to have physical, musical and recreational therapy available in the hospital. When my counts are okay, I get to join group exercise classes and play poker or do something else with other patients. When the counts are low, a therapist goes to my room to guide me with exercises. A music therapist gives me CDs of therapeutic music (ever heard of music accupuncture?), and schedules musicians to play music in my room. We had a choir singing patriotic songs outside my room the other day. What beautiful voices! I may even get to learn to play the harp or a few pieces on the keyboard while I'm here. That would be fun.
The biggest blessing of all is to have family and friends helping us during these difficult times through prayers, words of encouragement, and giving us a hand with some of our chores. Cristina, Marlene, Nini and Nora have been specially helpful in keeping my family well-fed while the chef is taking an extended vacation in the hospital.
Please pray for my healing, that the hospital will find a suitable donor for me, that I will not have any side effects from the chemo, and that my blood count will go back to normal soon. Also pray that my family and I will remain happy throughout this period, and that Rob and I will have the extra strength, courage and faith to face the challenges ahead.
Thank you very much for your prayers and may God continue to bless you and your family.
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