Good morning, Tina @tmharbison. Reading your post this morning about your husband being an outpatient…I just had a flashback to 6 years ago learning that my bone marrow transplant would be outpatient at Mayo Clinic. This was such a shock to me after the collective 8 weeks spent as a patient at my local hospital. There’s a level of comfort and security being surrounded by care 24/7, right? Well, my fears turned out to be unfounded as my care was exemplary!

If your husband has MM, he most likely will be having an autologous stem cell transplant, using his own cells. While he will be an outpatient, he will be required to stay near the clinic for a certain period of time. Generally it’s 4 to 6 weeks. So, while he won’t necessarily be IN a hospital 24/7, during recovery he will be seen daily by his SCT team.
From my own experience and that shared by others here in the forum, IF there are any concerns or issues, we’re admitted to the hospital ASAP. So being outpatient doesn’t mean he won’t get the same intensive level of care.

There can be advantages to not being in a hospital setting long term. In my case, my husband and stayed in a hotel suite 2 blocks from the clinic. I was in-patient for the last 2 days of my 5 days of chemo until the transplant a couple days later. (I had a Allogenic transplant so my chemo was different than your husband’s.) A day after the transplant I was then released to recover ‘at home’ in my hotel suite. I loved having my own bathroom, the ability to shuffle to the fridge to get snacks, etc.. I reported to the clinic daily for blood tests and exams. But not being in a hosptial, I wasn’t exposed to potential germs, I got more exercise, better food, uninterrupted naps, and the like. My husband and I really embraced the out-patient experience.

Typically, preconditioning chemo for MM generally tends to be 1 or 2 infusions and not very eventful until about a week later; Similar to other chemo treatments. So it’s not uncommon to be administered as an outpatient in an infusion center. Your husband will most likely be given anti-nausea meds as a precaution. But certainly if he has any side effects or there are concerns, his team will be right there to act accordingly and would admit him right away.

There are several members who have had a SCT for MM and share their stories. Here are a few links for you to read that might be helpful for your preparation.

This was posted by @jstpeachey a few years ago but it’s still quite relevant and filled with great info:
One-week pre Autogolous BMT: I'm afraid I'm not prepared
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/1-week-pre-autogolous-bmt-712/
***Particularly this comment
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/889456/
I hope this is all helpful for you. We’re here if you have any concerns. How long does your husband have to remain near the clinic?