“I’m Home!”

At least for now, I’m enjoying being at home with my family and in my own bed.  Mostly what I’m doing is lounging around due to a complete lack of energy.  Ten days in a ten foot by ten foot room will sap all of your strength.  The effects of chemo are behind me and I am just waiting for the donor’s marrow to fully kick in.  My blood cell counts are going up slowly but as the doctor says the donor’s white cells are “stupid.”   It will take a while for them to figure out how to fight off infection in my body.  Next week I will be getting another bone marrow biopsy to make sure that the marrow is all from the donor and none of mine is left.

I’m having problems eating because nothing tastes very good and it is also hard for me to keep all of my pills down.  I have to take about twenty a day.   Hopefully my appetite will return soon and I will be  throwing back pills like a pro.   The doctor has said that I will have days where I feel back to normal  and days where I have no energy.   These will be interspersed with no rhyme or reason.    Until day 60 , I’m still not allowed to go into crowds, be outside without a mask,  and must stay on my dietary restrictions.   After day 60, I am looking forward to fresh fruits and vegetables.  Yay for salads!  What is a hamburger without lettuce, tomato, and onion?

Brad already explained the new and strange technique of blood letting that they’re using at St. Francis.  After the initial shock of seeing my blood everywhere, I recovered and looked at it as another strange story in this crazy adventure.  The best part about all of this has been all the friends I’ve gotten to see and the encouragement and prayers that have helped lift our family through this time.

Love,

Laura

Day +22  (over a 1/3 of the way)