My Journey 9/9/10

   So there's been quite a bit going on since my last update.  I had a tooth pulled on Aug. 25th.  Reason being I had a root canal done when I was 10 years old.  The tooth had a potential crack in it up by my jaw bone.  It was an upper tooth just left of my front two teeth.  For what ever reason, there was a little infection that had a small drain in my upper lip.  The infection had been going on for the last 20 or so years.  It never gave me any problem.  And we never say any decay in the tooth and jaw bone from the infection.  But since the transplant will bring my immune system more or less to zero, I cant afford to have a flair up cause of a bastard tooth.  So I had them do a bone graft also so I can have an implant latter down the road.  So im definitely a redneck now! hahahahah

   The following friday was my restaging testing.  I had another PET scan, a Echocardiogram (heart), Pulmonary (lung) test, Blood and Urine test and Bone Marrow Biopsy and A Bone sample.  The PET scan came back looking like really good. I am in remission which is where I need to be to move forward with the transplant.  Same with the Echo and Pulmonary tests.  Blood and Urine looked really good too.  Same with my Bone Marrow.  The funny part was the first needle that they used to take a Bone sample bent cause my bones are strong.  Must of been all the milk I drank growing up.  They got the core sample with a bigger needle.  It too cane back looking really good.  With my face swollen and walking with a little limp, it felt like I had been in a bar fight.  hahahahaah

   With all the news looking really good, all the doctors including my transplant doctor want to move forward without mobilization chemo.  Hell yea!  That means that I only have one more chemo to do and its the big one.  Immune Suppression chemo.  Tomorrow I start taking shots to stimulate my stem-cell growth.  Monday the 13th, I have my CVC catheter placed. and start harvesting later that afternoon.  Harvesting could take up to 3 days.  Well just hope for one.  Ill have a couple days off then on the 20th, ill check into Presbyterian/St Lukes (P/SL) for what will be about 2-3 weeks.  September 27th is D-day for the transplant.

   Im expecting to be hit pretty hard from the chemo.  And im feeling that the waiting around is worse than the actual procedures.  The anxiety and reality from the consent signing on tuesday has made the reality kick in pretty hard.  I've been so fortunate that I have gotten through all the treatment up to this point so well that it has felt surreal.  Dream like!  Signing all the papers has made me realize just how important it is to fight and push forward.  I know im going to be all right through all of this, but when discussion of your mortality is discussed, it hit pretty hard.  Im good and ready to tackle this bitch! Here we go!