We arrived back on Wednesday after our fleeting visit back to Phoenix. We had a great time catching up with the boys and getting things ready for Christmas as we don`t know what issues may lay ahead. Mom has been doing a great job and our friends have been fantastic. Especially Sue and Gille, Mark and Emily. Thank you all for helping out. The boys are more used to Moms routine than mine. She has it well organised.
After our short but sweet visit we boarded our carriage back to Chicago and returned to our new second home at the Northwestern. Winter has come to Chicago while we have been away and the icy chill is more noticeable. We returned this time with more apprehension and trepidation for what may lay in store for us over these perilous few weeks. I now have a new line in my rt jugular a tunneled catheter and get anti coagulation to stop the clotting problem that hindered my previous access.
The bone marrow transplant unit for the last three days is now home for me. Craig is staying at the Seneca hotel nearby at night. The unit is excellent with large individual rooms with all mod cons. The nurses and doctors are exceptional taking care of all my needs. You can instantly call your nurse on an individual cell phone a RN as well as an auxiliary. Chemotherapy is going to plan and I am tolerating it well so far. Craig cleans the room from top too bottom with each visit with the hospital sani wipes that kill everything from the plague to the common cold and is becoming a germ a Phoebe. Hope he takes these tasks back to phoenix with him.
I have a further two days of chemotherapy along with an immune globulin immunosuppresent agent called a rabbit. It helps the body accept the transplanted stem cells not a product of watership down. Today is day minus 3 and day 0 will be the day, I get my scleroderma free stem cells back. Which will make my new immune system by in grafting to my bone marrow.
Dr Testorie one of my immunologists who is originally from Italy an Ac Milan fan was telling us about the successfully treated patients he has seen receive the stem cell transplant. There was a young girl who after 18 months of scleroderma ended up bed bound with extensive contracturs. This girl is now walking and able to once again look after her self. He told us that the skin is the first improvement to be seen which is great news for me and the lungs quickly follow. People on oxygen now are off it which is remarkable. The success rate is amazing which gives us great hope for the future.
We thank you all for your continued support.
Craig and Sharon
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2 comments:
Glad to hear you are tolerating everything well, Sandy started today, so we are a couple of days behind you. Good Luck and our prayers are with you both, Dale & Sandy.
great to hear the progress. Thinking of you all the time spoke to mum tonight she has now give me hotel phone number so will ring soon. love and kisses always. debxxxx
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