Celebrating a 10 year SCT anniversary

Posted by alive @alive, 2 days ago

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing 10 years ago. I was at IU Health in Indianapolis, completely wiped out by the latest chemo that prepared me for the transplant. While I could barely muster enough strength to get up to go to the bathroom, my spirits were high - this was the day that was going to change my life, since my SCT was going to give me a chance to live. The transplant itself was uneventful: the new stem cells were slowly dripping down the IV line and into my body. When the IV bag was almost empty, my nurse told me: “I am going to squeeze the last stem cells - you will need all of them to help you beat AML.” With the last gentle squeeze, my transplant was over and a new chapter in my life had begun. I am so thankful to God, my donor, my family and friends, who all made it possible for me to be alive today!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) & CAR-T Cell Therapy Support Group.

Lori, Volunteer Mentor | @loribmt | 2 days ago

@alive,
Typing through tears this morning after reading your post! Everyone else who has gone through this epic journey will be doing the same thing...reading with a tissue, dabbing tears!

Your @name says it all. @alive! Thank you so much for sharing such a poignant memory of 10 years ago! I'm sure it still feels like yesterday when you're recalling all you went through! Looking at the before and after photos, phewww, they tell your story of going through heck and back with your AML/SCT journey! The transformation is nothing short of miraculous! Your donor can be so proud of the amazing gift of life they provided. And you, I'm sure, found this incredible underlying strength you never knew you possessed! ☺️

You are truly an inspiration to all of us who have had a bone marrow/stem cell transplant for AML or any other reason! That there is HOPE on the other side of the transplant. You've reached a huge milestone with 10 years!! That gives us all a morale boost!!

Please accept my deepest heartfelt congratulations on this auspicious CELLebration! Happy 10th Re-birth day and cheers to a lifetime ahead! Hugs! Lori

alive | @alive | 2 days ago

In reply to @loribmt "@alive, Typing through tears this morning after reading your post! Everyone else who has gone through..." + (show)

@loribmt Thank you, Lori! It’s great to look back and once again acknowledge that surviving AML is a miracle. To be able to live a full life after SCT is such a blessing!

On the day of the transplant there was a lot of hope, but no certainty that everything would work out. Sometimes clinging to hope and praying is all we can do in such circumstances.

I posted the same reflection on Facebook, and the first person who commented was my donor. He recalled donating his stem cells two days earlier in Germany. He didn’t know who the recipient was going to be, but that didn’t matter to him - he was saving a life and that was all that mattered.

Please sign in or register to post a reply.