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Wisest Elder Ever
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Deep South
Posts: 21,576
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Wisest Elder Ever
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Deep South
Posts: 21,576
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Latest update:
"Today is the last day of the LAST cycle of chemo!! We have passed two markers on our race, six cycles of chemo and major surgery. Claire has been sick this time but not from the chemo. She is taking a drug called Mesna that works to help move the chemo out of her bladder. This drug has made her very nauseous. Today she doesn't have to take it so we are looking forward to her feeling better. Remember to pray for Claire as this cycle will hit her blood counts a little harder and she will get mouth sores. We treat this with a specific mouth wash that really helps. Also, there's a good chance will be back in the hospital with a fever.
So, the next step is a big one. This next stage in her treatment is referred to as "transplant". So when I talk to you or you hear me say "transplant" it involves the whole process. Please do not stop reading here and think she is getting an organ transplant. Claire will be getting a STEM CELL TRANSPLANT. This is also referred to as a bone marrow transplant. This will take approximately 3 weeks and will happen at Egleston. Claire will be in isolation. We will not be leaving the hospital for three weeks and could be in there over Christmas. She can have visitors who are not sick, have had their flu shot and are over the age of 12. The big thing that Claire will be facing is mouth and bottom sores. Most likely she will be on a morphine drip and will have a feeding tube until she heals. She will also be at GREAT risk for illness or infection. All visitors will be asked to wear mask and wash their hands upon entering her room. We'll post the restrictions as we get closer. Here is what the time will look like:
7 days of high dose chemotherapy. First day starts as Day -7 and counts down.
Day 0 (day 8) Claire will get the stem cell transplant (small IV injection)
This next day is known as Day 1
Day 1-7 stem cells will begin to make new ones and create bone marrow causing blood counts to come up.
Days 7-14 Blood counts will continue to recover and so will Claire. During this time the mouth sores will heal and she will have the feeding tube removed.
Until this time comes (5-6 weeks from now) we will be back and forth at Egleston and Scottish Rite having various scans and test done to make sure her body is ready for it.
Here is a praise and it's a big one. Since there was no cancer in Claire's bone marrow, we were able to harvest her own stem cells. We did not need a doner. This also means the risk to Claire is very minimal. She will recover faster as a result."
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