Our anniversary

First, I will admit that it was not an easy week.
Tuesday went by as planned. I went to the clinic and the nurse started
me on fluids. At about 2:00 we went to another medical clinic for my
bone marrow aspiration. The bone marrow procedure was painless. I got
on the table and a nurse put oxygen on me and got me adjusted. The
next thing I knew was that I was waking up in the recovery room. Dr.
Nadir performed the BMA and put in a catheter. We went back to the
CTCI clinic. I was tired, but felt pretty good.

My chemo started when we got back to the Clinic. I spent Tuesday and
Wednesday night there. Everyone knows that Chemo can make you sick.
And it does. It felt like a very bad case of stomach flu. On Thursday morning
I was sent down to our hotel room for a shower. Then I went right back up
to get my stem cells back.

Today is a special day. Not only do I get my stem cells back, but it is our
wedding anniversary. I married the most amazing, loving man 21 years ago.
He is so supportive of me in every way possible. I am so thankful for Mike!

Getting my stem cells back was another unforgettable experience. They
were in 2 blood bags. My Picc line was flushed out and one of the two bags
was hooked up. When it was not going back in to me fast enough, Dr.
Nadir put another IV line in my left arm and started the second bag on the
other arm. The stem cells took about an hour to go back in.

After my stem cells went back in I got a fever. I did get a little worried at
this point. This was a little hard and exhausting. Dr. Nadir and the nurses got
my fever under control and I spent my third night in the Clinic. Sleeping in
the clinic is not easy. The nice part is that when you are in the clinic at
night you have a private nurse. I had 3 different ones and each one is a Bone
Marrow transplant nurse from the hospital. They were each very experienced
and caring. The staff are all so professional and very loving.

I got to go back to the hotel room on Friday morning. I was still very
nauseated and was only able to eat Saltine crackers. Checking my temperature
every hour got to be a habit. I ended up back in the Clinic on Saturday
to have my vitals checked, but no IV.

Today is Sunday and the start of a new week! I was checked this morning and
did have to have more IV fluids. But I am feeling much better today and so
very hopeful! I have gotten through the week of the transplant and now
am on the way to get better!!