deb13
I am Kat at 142 days past my bone marrow transplant. I met with the hematologist, who asked me to get a bone marrow biopsy. That gave the results that i had MDS. It was light to the mid-range in development, but i had a TP 53 mutation and a couple other things that had me thinking. If I watch and waited, would I be one who developed AML? 2 years before this I was found to have breast cancer and a genetic test showed i had Brca2.
As the doctor asked me if I needed time to make a decision, I thought for just a few minutes. I said put me in the "Be a Match" system. Even if they found a match, I could ultimately saw no. Finding a caregiver for the 1st 100 days was the hardest. COH in Duarte California has you in the hospital for the 1st 30 days. May has outpatient days. I did not have a caregiver those 30 days. This was perfect for me.
As the days progressed, I know i have had little if any graft vs host disease symptoms. It is crazy. I believe getting this done before my MDS advanced was a right call for me. I was 60 at my BC diagnosis. 63 for my transplant. Blessed my donor was a 26-year-old male 10/10 match. I did not know him. From Europe. I participated in a research study with a 2nd anti-rejection med for 95 days of my 100 1st days. I believe that has helped a bunch my having no GVHD symptoms.
Take the time to ponder life. As Lori said, there are a number of us on this journey. We are here to listen.