"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.
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