Monday, December 11, 2006

Update # 80

Day T minus 1

Good Afternoon,

This second chemo is still having some residual effects on Jeff.  He ate a couple of times yesterday afternoon and evening but nothing stayed down.  Today he has not even felt like eating and the vomiting is still hanging around.  Some diharrea has also begun.  The counts continue to drop and we notice Jeff is feeling a bit more sluggish.

I forgot to mention yesterday that the second chemo can affect the bladder.  A medicine had to be given before and after the chemo dose on Saturday and Sunday.

Jeff has been grinning from ear to ear for the last 10 minutes.  A package just arrived from KWWL at 4:30.  A holiday card from everyone plus KWWL logo items - mug, shirt, pens and paper.  We'll share the candy canes with the nurses!

I was able to do a little laundry at Hope Lodge yesterday and then did several loads today at the hospital.  The floor has its own washer and dryer so we families don't need to go far.  

Several of you have said something in your cards and some have asked by email about Jeff's "surgery".  A bone marrow transplant is NOT a surgery.  The bone marrow will arrive in an IV bag, be hooked up to one of the lumens, and take about 20 minutes to be infused into Jeff.  We just sit in the room and watch the bag empty.  One nurse said since the donor is a different blood type and they need to process the marrow, it could possibly come in a syringe and the doctor will just push it into a lumen.  Some people say the "transplant" is anti-climatic after all these months of chemo.  I'll have my camera ready and Jeff said if it's a syringe to turn on the video part of my camera.

So, our wait is getting closer every minute.  We're anxious for that bag to arrive!  Please remember the donor tomorrow in your prayers.   Thanks again for the continued prayers.  We feel God's love and yours.

love,

Marcia