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My Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT/SCT) story: Will you share yours?
The past two years have been a storied journey of facing Acute Myeloid Leukemia and a subsequent bone marrow transplant. Being in a high risk category for relapse for AML, a transplant was necessary. Simply put, it would provide a completely new immune system to fend off any remaining AML cells lurking about in my body, after my original factory installed version had become defective in recognizing them. My husband and I shared a collective sigh of relief with the news that my latest bone marrow biopsy, at 19 months post transplant, showed no AML or the mutation which caused it. My new immune system is working!
While celebrating the results with my husband and a pizza, it occurred to me how far I’ve come and how life has changed in the past two years since the onset of AML and the transplant. There have been some challenging transitions but none insurmountable. Of course, life as a genetically modified organism, with two sets of DNA and a new blood type, can have its turf wars with a few GvHD issues, adaptations to medications and such. But I’m incredibly happy to have a second chance with this generous gift of life from an anonymous donor, and through the medical expertise of my amazing BMT-team at Mayo-Rochester. Hopefully I can meet my donor someday to thank him in person. I did send him a card right after the transplant giving him my “undying” gratitude!
We’ve all been given a gift of life. I’d love to hear your story. Lori
What diagnosis brought you to a BMT?
How has it impacted your life and that of your caregiver?
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Hi Mary! I appreciate your sending the healing vibes and hope to heck they’re stronger than the other vibes I’m getting today! 😂 Just starting day 3 of the Vancomycin and was hoping there would have been more of an improvement to, um, the plumbing issues! I did put in a call to my BMT care team again this morning so we’ll see what’s next on my ‘naughty list’ from Santa. Geez is right.
I don’t have a doctor/oncologist here but there’s a decent hosptial for emergencies and there are several Urgent Care facilities should the need arise. This morning, I’m uncharacteristically unsettled and let a few ‘what ifs’ sneak in. So I’m working on mindfulness to get my brain refocused. I think it was the abrupt change in plans and the added disappointment of missing the usual traditions of the holiday at home with our daughter. There are only the 3 of us, so we’re pretty tight but seldom get to see each other.
AND, of course, the extreme disappointment in having a flare of C-diff when I felt it was all under control. Blargh…
😂What you’re witnessing is my real-life 30 second meltdown. I seriously give myself 30 to 60 seconds to have a hissy fit and then move on. Accept, adapt and move forward is always in the background. But this is the little brown pile of emoji!! Hahaha.
On the other hand, as I joked with my husband, there are worse places than being stuck on the beach for the next few weeks! 😂 So I tossed a string of Christmas lights on the large fake palm tree in our condo. Yesterday I glued string to sea shells and hung those from the plant. We’re rolling with the holidays.
I hope you and Dane have a lovely holiday season. We all have so much for which to be thankful. A few little hiccups are nothing in the grand scheme of things.
🧑🏻🎄 Here’s a couple photos of the hardships we’re facing by not being home! 😂😂
The deep white powder! If you didn’t know better you’d swear it was snow, right?
And our “Christmas Palm”. Ho ho ho!