Category Archives: transplant

And Awayyy We Go!

melphalan, Myeloma, transplant, treatment

Jamie's New FriendSO IT BEGINS. I’m here at UAMC for day -1 of my autologous stem cell transplant.

Today I received my dose of melphalan, the chemo drug that essentially erases my immune system and most remaining cancer cells by attacking all fast-dividing cells.  There will be some side effects, but nothing I can’t handle.

I have a new friend — an I.V. tower on wheels that is connected to my CVC catheter at all times. Mostly it is used to keep me hydrated, so there’s a bag of saline hanging all the time. It was also used to deliver the chemo dose. So far I feel OK with just a brief bout of nausea. After a couple of pills to counter that, I’m doing fine and even had an appetite for supper. Continue reading And Awayyy We Go! →

In the Bag

apheresis, collection, stem cell, transplant

Now and Later CandyMY FIRST HARVEST was pretty productive, with in the neighborhood of 5.6 million stem cells collected. You need a minimum of 3 million for a single transplant procedure, so that’s not bad.

But the docs need me to bank enough for two procedures — one for now and another for later. That leaves me 400,000 short of the 6 million cell minimum target, so I’m back at the clinic this morning for a second and final round of collection. Based on my good performance yesterday, this particular goal should be in the bag. Continue reading In the Bag →

Harvest Time

apheresis, stem cell, transplant

THE MOMENT HAS ARRIVED to collect the stem cells I will need to donate to myself for my transplant next week.

I’m posting from the UA Cancer Center where I am connected to a machine that pumps my blood in and out of my body through my CVC catheter. The device is called a cell separator or apheresis machine, and it has clear plastic tubes that are connected to my “danglers” (remember them?).

The connections mean I must be confined to a bed for four hours today. Glad there’s good WIFI here in the clinic, so I can distract myself in various ways, including a bit of reading about my new mechanical companion. Continue reading Harvest Time →