My Journey 7/8/10

   I received the results from the Mediastinoscopy on Tuesday (July 6th).  And the results that came back are conclusive!  My Hodgkin's is reoccurring.  A definite blow!  So yesterday I had an appointment with a bone marrow and stem cell transplant specialist at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers in Denver.  Dr. Brunvand studied in Seattle and coincidently we both graduated from Summit High School in Frisco.  A very smart man and knows his job very well.  Small world... and I feel really good about that!   

So now the fun begins...

   Tuesday I go to the hospital to start preparing my body for a Stem Cell Transplant.  I begin with two rounds of intense chemo therapy.  Each round, i'll be at the hospital for about three days.  The goal of this is to get the lymphoma into remission.  That should take about three weeks starting Tuesday.  Once in remission, I'll go through a battery of tests and re-evaluated.  Its called restaging.  I will also be going through a Pre-transplant Evaluation which is another battery of tests and biopsies.  Insane hua!  Im still wrapping my head around this...  I will have a CVC placed and the rest of the procedures will be done through that.  I will  have to wear it for 6 months.  The transplant should happen about two months from now. Got that!  Its honestly giving me a headache.

Click on Autologous Transplant if you want to enlighten yourself about my procedure.

   So its safe to say im scared!  And I'm a little shocked that its gotten this far...  Which is all the more reason to get going on this.  There is a part of me that finds this entire experience interesting as well.  Especially since im living it.  Medically speaking of course.  Even though finances are tight and economically its rough, everything feels sound and seems some what in control.  And im in touch with a woman that does financial assistance with the American Cancer Society.  Sweet!  Amongst this onslaught of information, even thinking of ones own mortality, there is so much love and hope that I know I will be 100% at the end of this.  I feel good and I feel strong!  Im ready to kick its ass!

Oh yea, I've been listening to a shit load of Clapton!