My Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT/SCT) story: Will you share yours?

Sally, I had my transplant with a 10/10 donor in April. My hair had just hit my shoulders from losing all my hair with breast cancer and then MDS. I thought for a 2nd before i said yes to the transplant, would my red hair grow back again grow back? Well, as my zoom friends in Breast cancer.org said, I am looking now like Annie Lennox. My hair is red but more brown and some grey. The 2ndtime i got out my beanies and bought more. Headcovers.com and other places have cute hats.
I had my transplant at City of Hope in CA. All the preconditioning and Day 6 to transplant were like what Lori shared. She walked me through the steps right here. The main procedure is fairly standard in many research hospitals. Up to Day 100 differ. No matter what, comeback here. I am 292 days past transplant. A day at a time.

Hi there,
My transplant is March 6. So coming up. I didn't think too much of losing my hair but I actually really miss it. Would you say it grows back about half an inch a month per normal. I guess I don't really care about the color as I color every 8 weeks to keep the gray away. Was kind of wondering how fast it grows back?
Thx!
Sally

Sally,

Hair is funky. It has taken nearly 10 months for me to have a sold amount of 1 inch hair all over. Both times I lost it i wore my sift beanie caps. Night and day. I did not ever walk around and still do not as my hair grows. With red hair, I had never colored my hair. I have a bit of grey, but mine has color still at 64 as it returns.
You have a great attitude about it!!

Sally, my hair growth was interesting. During the 3 months of chemo for AML, after shaving my head preemptively before the first go-around, I’d see a feel fuzz growing back during the month, just in time for the next round of chemo. It was a little different after the chemo for the transplant. The 1/2 inch of stubble I had at the time of bmt, took a leave of absence about a week later. I remember standing over a waste basket rubbing my head to shed! I was laughing because it was so absurd! By that time I was used to the cue ball look and felt pretty bad-a**! So I owned it! LOL

Anyway, it took 3 months post transplant to see any trace returning. But once those little follicles decided it was safe to come out of hiding, they let the locks flow at a good 1/2 inch per month…and never looked back!
Like @katgob says, there are so many cute hats, chemo caps and head coverings. I think I mentioned it before, but definitely wear sun screen this summer and wear hats! Being immuno compromised it’s extremely important to stay covered in intense sun because we can become more prone to skin cancer.

Here we go. Day 298. My next Bone Marrow Biopsy will be schedule on my next visit February 14th. 365 days. I love the way it gets done right on time!!!!! I will make sure to ask for my favorite PA for the procedure. I was asked if i was ok coming thereon Valentines Day!! Sure. It means i am taking a valentines treat for all!! The new "Hope Plaza" is opening at City of Hope. Our bottom Floor women's center will be there, Hematology, the Pharmacy, VAD, blood draw, scan machines and so much more.

My PA is thrilled with all my numbers. My CMV result does not come till Monday or Tuesday, but she said no worries. Another pill is used. My liver number went to normal after starting the Ursodiol again. All other blood numbers very good. It was 2 weeks since my last blood test. Creatinine was .76. Whew. Plenty of water as i try for 80 plus oz. a day. This is what they love seeing. I look at my blood numbers and go right to the big C #. If it remains over 100, I have to drink the orange Mepron. YUCK!!!! I am drinking water. I do not ever want to drink that stuff again.
I did tell her there was one problem. Hannah said I look GREAT!!!
Quantitative immunoglobulins. - Love these medical names. This number was just about at the lowest desired. This number was the highest I have had. That is why she was not bugged by my lower neutrophils. She asked if I felt run down or had sniffles or anything. That is a cause for those to come down.

There is a "Library" with every disease the hospital treats. Spanish and English. That is the room the Notary meets you if you need one. It has been the VAD waiting room and more. I went through it and asked the young lady if she gets to more to the new building. No, she does not, and she says she does feel disappointed as all the people walk by with the boxes for their new offices. I told her I will stroll through as i walk from the new building through hers to my favorite cafe. I hope others do too. The floor that had way too much along with the emergency also called the ECT may be taking up much of that floor in the future. The care at City of Hope gets better all the time.
Catching up to the Mayo Clinic. The west coast best in the west.

Kat, your updates always bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart for your continued success. You are a BMT team’s dream patient with your willingness to adhere to their guidance, suggestions, and expectations. ☺️ Isn’t it amazing how your team becomes such a huge part of your family? There is a bond that develops when you work that closely with someone who has saved your life.

We’ve been hanging out together for over a year! And I’m always blown away with your positive, ‘can-do’ spirit of making things happen. This was not an easy journey for you with the early logistics of getting the necessities lined up for the transplant. But you knew it had to be done and you made it work! Now you’re instrumental in helping newbies navigate along their own path through a SCT. 😍

I’m so happy for you that you’re coming up on your first Re-birthday! It will be a time for ‘cell’-ebration. Giggle.

Day 298...@katgob, I'm smiling! 😊

(To others reading this post, only @katgob will know what I mean.)

Lori, I love your post. I emailed the fellow at COH as they are putting together a zoom/email system for patients and future patients going through transplants. I think I mentioned it. I talked with him over a month ago. It is a trial, so we shall see how it goes. He said it is still being worked out. As a nurse told me a while back, COH is centered on science and cures. Technology like Mayo Clinic's resources needed those younger tech genius staff members to move them forward. I am kidding in a way, but with zoom and those platforms, it is a good venture to move forward on.
I cannot BELIEVE I am day 299!!! Wow. The journey was made so much easier with you Lori and our fellow transplant patients and families. My breast cancer group could not speak to this BMT road. I took a happy detour I will always be grateful I found.

Slow posting. I need to check in and say on Monday i found my CMV levels went back down. A sign my new immune system said to get out. I think so. My transplant was April 9th, 2024. My next BMB is in 2 months. I am hoping my feeling good will mean the results of the BMB are promising.
I thought about something on my walk today. In July of last year, I had finished my year of Lynparza and was excited for my follow-up visit with my oncologist's office. At the time, the fact my Medical Oncologist had moved to another hospital was only a could months past. and i was considered done with my BC treatments. My Nurse Practioner was my only holdover from my breast cancer journey. My breast surgeon first went to Cedars before my MO joined her in their new state of the art department at that hospital.
Well, my NP had told me in May she was pregnant and would be out for the allowed time. I was excited to see her at my appointment and hear about her baby's arrival and all. I had gotten a call from COH to change the appointment but i thought little about it. At the appointment I was now in a different wing in the women's center than i had been for 2 years. When the NP came in, she was not my regular or anyone i knew. As she talked with me. She told me my NP had decided to stay home with her baby. I felt sad right away. I left that appointment knowing the blood numbers in my blood test were worrisome to me. But, because neither the MO and NP knew my case or walked through any part with me, concern was not there. I was let down as i drove home and thought of my loss of my relationship with my NP. She was my champion that helped me through the 2 years. The MO led the way but worked with her NP. Alexandria would have looked at my blood numbers and recommended seeing a hematologist. I had pancytopenia in my BC treatment. I was a platelet donor for 25 years. I knew my blood numbers.
Today i thought what might have happened if i had not advocated for myself and got a referral to the hematology department. My blood readings slowly went down. My next appointment would have been 6 months in January for the new MO/NP. At what point would they have noted any blood number troubles and referred me?
I was reminded that if you have a spouse or are the caregiver for an MDS or other blood cancer patient, you are the support and love a patient will need through this journey. I had a group of friends who listened and encouraged me to keep speaking up. Let the medical team know what was going on. Having no real illnesses most of my life, I was uncomfortable being uncomfortable.
Today I am checking how i feel as i start my day as i have done nearly every day since my transplant. I hope all of you do too.

You mean 💯 donor isn’t forever?? 😞