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

Good morning @loribmt
I want to share a very helpful education resource from LLS and an expert from Stanford. Since my husband’s AML diagnosis and transplant last year I have read a lot, researched to the best of my ability. This session really impressed me as being easy to understand, and hopeful! It’s free to access as well.

It’s one of the most comprehensive overviews of AML and treatments, including news on research for exciting emerging treatments.
https://www.lls.org/patient-education-webcasts/breakthroughs-and-progress-acute-myeloid-leukemia-aml
Wishing everyone good health, and peaceful days!

Mary

Hello Beautiful People
Just praying for healthy life for everyone .
Hey @loribmt ,It feels immense pleasure to announce my husband is back home Post Allogenic Transplant on Day+85 which was July 27,2025. Yes I must say he is recovering better ,I cant be thankful enough to God and beautiful people just like you who came forward to motivate personally or side by side . All of your advise, Suggestion, Stories, and other perspective are really worthful in his transplant journey . I am really thankful from bottom of my Heart to all the people reading this.
As usual in the starting he was having appetite issues like feeling full or not much hungry but gradually its improving day by day . also he is having sometimes itchy forehead n body parts and its better these days .
My husband is so happy met with their parents after 3 years ,spending a good quality time all together now . My kids were happy to see his cheerful face after this horrible things .My Son suddenly behaving so responsible and big as a family member touchwood .
its a hard though Positive attitude and will power always win at the end.
So I'm hoping everything gonna work slowly . One day I will share this story with others and tell them you will surely Win the Game .
Finger crossed , stay happy and Healthy you all Strong people . Enjoy your time and live your life to the fullest .
See you for the time being!

Oh happy day!! @anitasharma, this was such a wonderful message! I’m so thrilled to see that your husband is home already and doing so well after his bone marrow transplant.

I know how concerned you and your family were for your husband with his challenging chemo treatments for ALL and then finding out he’d need a BMT to help keep him in remission. So it’s with enormous relief and happiness for your husband and your entire family that this has been a positive experience.
His parents had to be overjoyed to see him again after the 3 years apart and not quite knowing what to expect. And your children! Aww, seeing their dad again through eyes of hope instead of despair is moment they’ll remember forever. I can feel your enormous, loving sense of pride for your son stepping up to the plate to give his dad this amazing gift of life with his stem cells.

Anita, you have a strong, beautiful family and you fought hard to keep everyone together! I’m so glad you found Connect and that we members who have had BMTs were here to help you navigate this uncertain journey. Please give your husband a hug…yes, from a complete stranger…but I’m old enough to be his mom. ☺️ I share in your joy!!
I will echo what you wrote…stay happy, healthy…and live life to the fullest!

I love you found out your donor is from Poland. With Be a Match, that only share age!!

What a wonderful update! It is so good he has you to advocate for him too. I was often asked if i had itching. I did for a short time i remembered but with my breast cancer not my BMT. Our bodies react and we often do not know of a problem until our body tells us.
A positive attitude and living each day as morning comes. No worries. Lori always says we are patients for life after a transplant. Anything we are worried about we tell our transplant team.
I hope there is more consistent good days every day.
Good health and peace in your days.

Quiet. On Monday the 25th i turned 65 yrs old. Crazy. At my 6-week follow-up my dang creatinine was off. I knew it as i did not drink enough water at work. Everything else was good. I hit 500 days past transplant then. I also got 2 vaccines. One was the 1st of 2 shingles. Yea i said to the NP. I had wanted it. My nurse who gave me the vaccines told me her dad had shingles on his back. The Mom had to help him with ointment, but their fighting took over. The nurse said neither will get the vaccine. Her parents live in Japan.
I had applied for Medicare, although i put in i still have medical until i retire. My NP had asked me if i applied and she suggested i go speak to the financial lady to make sure i am squared away before i turn 25. Well miss Maddie was able to look in Social Security to see i had the medical assigned and would be paying starting Sept 1st!!
I went in Monday the 25th, filled out the form needed to cancel the Part B, made the appointment they requested and headed out on my Monday funday. I have some weekends planned in September, and every day i thank God I got a transplant that has worked. I look forward to seeing when my blood changes to O from A. That had not happened. The 100% chimerism did, so the COH was happy. This reminded me of the lady i met at the celebration for donors earlier this year. She works in the lab that comes up with those chimerism numbers. She was happy to hear of mine as she said they are thrilled when the magic 100% arrives.
It is a team effort when treating us.

Happy Birthday @katgob !
A momentous day in your new life! Congratulations on your 500 day post transplant milestone too.
So happy you are feeling well and making plans for the beautiful Fall ahead.
So great to hear a positive update from you.

We just received favorable results on my husband’s most recent BMB. We are riding the waves of joy and anxiety as these biopsies are done every 3 months for his original high risk AML. Also 100% chimerism, stable labs, tolerating monthly maintenance therapy, and proceeding with all his vaccinations too. He also just received his second shingles shot, Amen!
He is closing in on 1.25 years post stem cell transplant anniversary! We literally say a prayer out loud every day together, thanking God for another day. We’re right there with you!

Keep drinking lots of water, enjoy your meaningful work, and have fun!

Mary

Mary, What a wonderful update! Such a great update that mirrors mine!!! This forum reminds us there are so many walking this road without the bonus of a fellowship of new friends who have walked this road of a BMT for some dang blood disease.
Sometimes with information like 100 chimerism, I do not realize the magnitude of it. As a kid i would get excited about an accomplishment but found no one in my family of 6 others to feel the same about it. Later I realized my mom was so busy with 5 kids, dozens more she babysat, a funky husband, my dad and literally no time for herself.
For years and years. It reminded me as i read your update of the joy it is to share with another. Your post brought me joy.
I shall reflect on my Labor Day weekend off thanking the scientists, Doctors, nurses, lab workers, blood draw department, scan and surgeon staff and doctors for their education, time and love of what they do.

Hey @katgob ! You made me look! What do you know...today is 506 days since my BMT!

Congrats to both of us!

Hi all,
I went on my weekend dessert trip and found earlier was better to get a walk. It was a desert resort so i mostly walked the property. I found the gold course and fake water pounds brought the humidity forth, so i walked the parking lot and the street that had streetlights.
I bought 4 hats on the Sunday I left. Two from REI and 2 from the hat shop. Such fun!!! All for sun, 3 with good brims and one smaller.

Today i am posting to remind myself i am a transplant patient. I hope more out there give us updates. I was in a research forum at COH to get those with genetics tests to begin post their experience and if they are glad, they did it. One of those administering the study called to ask me if i got the survey. Also, if i want to be interviewed. Funny, I do imagine Mayo Clinic started the way COH is, so i suggested this gal check out this site. I told her it is a fabulous place where good information and people from around the world log in and find answers. This site has taken years to develop into this tool for life. Every hospital could use a forum for patients to get answers. May will always be a place i come too. I find Lori first who helped make my transplant easier. I knew what was coming from someone who knew. I was in a breast cancer zoom meeting and so many women fear so many procedures. Only one i know comes here. Here you find answers.