Thanks Lori for your support and encouragement - it means so much! Yes interesting you mention the cord blood transplant option. I had asked the BMT doctor about this possibility at the beginning of the donor process since I had read that GVHD can be milder and sometimes more easily controlled with cord blood transplants. Also there is not the uncertainty with finding, screening, and scheduling the donor’s time. He was not in favor of this as an option and at the time I didn’t ask for more explanation - I was still finishing my last two cycles of chemotherapy and feeling overwhelmed with all of the information.

I have since read that there can be slower engraftment and inconsistent screening to identify potential issues with cord blood, but I am honestly not sure if that is why the BMT doctor was not in favor of this. I may bring this up again with my primary hematologist at the visit next week to get a clearer understanding of why they do not favor this approach.

Thank you again for your support and encouragement. In this situation that no one would choose, connecting with you and Kat @katgob has been a wonderful gift. I will keep you posted as my journey continues. Many, many thanks. 🙏🙏🙏