This is lengthy… but basically what you’d go through with a transplant. We each have our own story so I’m sure my fellow band of friends will help you out with their journeys too, from different clinics.
Honestly, Jan, life holds not guarantees. I’m just grateful to buy more years with my family. Had I not done my transplant it was pretty certain that I wouldn’t make it two more years. I’m so happy that I didn’t hesitate one moment to go through the transplant process. Because I’m coming up on 4 years and feeling fabulous…much like nothing ever happened.

My bone marrow transplant was it Mayo-Rochester. It was one month after my last chemo round (of 4) at my local cancer clinic. Two months before the transplant, I had a meeting with the doctor who would be at the helm of my transplant voyage. We talked about the risks and what would be involved. There was no pressure to make a decision that day. He wanted us to talk it over as a family. My husband, daughter and I already had done that and I gave the nod that day…we were going transplant or bust! ☺️
If I had a second chance at life, I was going to take it!

One month later a donor was found to match my DNA. There is an international search registry for that. Your team takes care of it all!
I can’t speak for other clinics but with Mayo, we are ‘out patients’ and need to remain near the clinic for 100 days along with a caregiver. My husband and I moved temporarily to Rochester in a hotel suite for 4 months. It was my home away from home and it was really nice not having to be in the hospital for weeks or months! It felt like home…

Ok, getting close to transplant time:
There will be a week of testing, educational classes and meetings with your team.
For the transplant itself. There are usually 5 days of conditioning chemo beforehand. The last few days you’ll be admitted into the hospital. Conditioning is a chemotherapy that will remove the old bone marrow, making a squeaky clean environment for your new stem cells.
At the end of that week, is day zero, the day you receive your stem cells. It is done exactly like a blood transfusion and takes about 15-30 minutes. Very anticlimactic!!

During that week, your donor will also be preparing to donate cells so that they arrive in time for your transplant. We can talk more about that later.

The first few weeks after the infusion, you’ll be incredibly tired and possibly nauseated. Your transplant team is amazing at keeping you comfortable during all of it. There will be daily blood tests…but they are easy because there will be a port inserted for all of the infusions and blood draws.
At about days 10-18 your new stem cells should engraft…that means they found their way into your bones and start setting up housekeeping…making new blood cells!

Since you’re going to be very immune-compromised, you’ll need a temporary immune system. So there will be a number of meds you’ll be taking with your transplant for some months. You’ll also be on an anti-rejection medication. But it’s all temporary and it’s a means to an end! It helps you stay healthy until your new immune system takes over.

Jan, I know this all sounds so daunting!! It is! There’s so much coming at you at one time. But truly, there is hope! I believe knowledge is power, but even I stopped reading information about Stem Cell Transplants after the first one! I didn’t want to know the details and I’m glad I didn’t!

Because in reality it has been much easier than the informational article that I read! Those articles spell out ALL the potential issues. Most of us have some things pop up, but certainly not every item listed! You’ll learn to trust your team, they become your family. I let them and my husband worry about all of that for me. I was just along for the ride. ☺️

Hi Jan8, I just wanted to pop in today to see how you are. Have you spoken anymore about the possibility of a transplant with your oncologist or gotten a second opinion?