welcome and thanks

Hi Folks,

First a big thank you to Ann MacDonald for setting up this blog page for me.  She's even agreed to proofread my comments (that's not an enviable task).

So many people have expressed their concern and support for us as we approach Jim's transplant. This blog will hopefully give you a chance to keep an eye on the situation and to learn about the process.  It's quite an adventure, probably not a short one and certainly we expect a lot of ups and downs.

Many of you have offered us help. These offers are all exceedingly welcome.  For now, please know that your offers have not been ignored or forgotten.  I just don't know yet what kind of help we'll really need.  As the situation develops, I will ask for your help.  Right now, if you are up to it, please consider donating blood or platelets.  There is always a need for them (never did realize just how much of a need until recently).  If you want to donate at City of Hope you can do so without an appointment and their donation center is really lovely.  If you want to do it locally, the American Red Cross centers are available everywhere.

Please feel free to share the link to this blog with others.

Let me know if there is an issue you'd like to know more about.

Here is a brief summary of what is scheduled and how we hope it will progress.

Next week, on the 4th, Jim starts chemotherapy.  The chemo will be strong- its job is to kill off Jim's existing bone marrow and thereby eliminate the MDS.  Jim will travel from home to City of Hope for chemo every day through the 9th and on the 10th be admitted to the Helford Hospital at City of Hope.  Then he'll get drugs to suppress his immune system, a couple of days of rest, and the stem cell transplant on the 14th.  That is Day Zero, his new birthday.

Whose stem cells will he get?  The stem cells are from the cord blood donations of two very young people; one is a girl, the other a boy, one from Houston Texas the other from the Puget Sound area of Washington State. Both are O+, so Jim's blood type will not change.  One of these two sets of stem cells should graft and the other will fade away.  So, Jim may discover his "inner pink" or become an honorary Long Horn. Should we need it, there is a third group of stem cells from yet another cord blood source.  We hope to see that the graft is successful, that the new stem cells are creating marrow inside Jim's bones, within two to four weeks after transplant.

Jim will likely be in hospital for 6-8 weeks, maybe more.  No way to predict this now, we'll have to wait and see.  Visiting hours are from 8AM to 8PM.  Please do visit.  It is going to be a long stay in an essentially dull environment.  Bring word from the great outdoors, but please don't bring any evidence of it (no plants, flowers, foods) and above all, only come if you are healthy.

Enough for now- again, thank you, all of you.

LN