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And the journey begins

As Edie begins preparing for an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT), and since I have mostly recovered from my recent back injury (I swam 300 meters, ran 2.5 miles, and raced my bike yesterday), for the next couple of months this blog won't be so much about me, but instead will focus on chronicling Edie's journey.

And so far it has been a rapid and event filled journey. Maybe even too fast [for me]. I never realized how much preparation goes in to having a transplant.

Last week there was extra blood work, a 24 hr urine collection, skeletel scan and EKG. This week she's had a MUGA scan, pulmonary function test, and had blood drawn to check blood gases (a very painful experience she tells me), and today she has a stress test scheduled.

Next week there's a consultation for the insertion of a Hickman Line, and if all goes as planned, the installation of that Hickman Line the following week.

After that it's all down hill. Chemotherapy, stem cell collection, and transplant (once sufficient stem cells have been collected), followed by about a 3 week hospital recovery while her immune system rebuilds itself.

Edie's anticipating she'll be back home, and back to normal by early November.

This has all been happening rather quickly, and I have to admit I'm not totally on board with this decision, but she has done the research, and believes it offers the best chance for achieving a good remission, event free survival, and greater quality of life, so who am I to second guess her.

I'm just hoping everthing goes as planned!
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Comments

Claude RICHARD said…
Best wishes to both of you, autologous stem cell transplant is efficient i can tell.
So it is a bad for a better (not very good english i suppose) :-)
1:46 AM
Becky said…
Give Edie my best and hang in there.
4:16 PM
Alan Posner said…
Good luck, we'll be thinking about Edie.

Alan
2:38 AM
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