[Steve Mohr]

Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)

by Steve Mohr on Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:12 pm

I have been reading with interest your regular reports. You are a much better person than me as I was unable to carry out my obligation to give regular reports to The Beacon on my stem cell transplant as I was hit pretty hard with nausea and diarrhea. I remember very little from the first 9 days of my hospitalization.

All of the above was worth it though as I feel like a new person. No bone pain or fatigue. 5 days after being discharged from the hospital I went back to work for 3-4 hours a day for 2 weeks and have been working full time now for about 6 weeks, putting in many 12-16 hour days.

I'm wishing you the same positive results!

[NZMum]

Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)

by NZMum on Thu Aug 21, 2014 8:23 pm

Hi Kim,

Thanks for your informative posts and good to hear everything is going well.

Wish I had your stamina - had harvest on Tuesday and have been suffering fatigue for the last week. Still doing what I can, but finding the couch becoming my new friend. The more you do the better you feel just doesn't seem to apply at the moment.

Take care of yourself and hope you start picking up soon.

Jen

[MattSchtick]

Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)

by MattSchtick on Fri Aug 22, 2014 8:54 am

Now that you about a week since the melphalan transfusion, you probably feel about as bad right now as you are going to feel, so take heart, there will improvements in any number of ways quite soon hopefully. My doctor said days 5 to 14 were expected to be the worst, then the upturn starts. He wasn't far wrong in my case.

I know what you mean about being turned off by food, it was 'chuck everything in a blender and make soup of it' for me. Slurping was much more appealing than chewing for some reason.

Thanks for posting Kim, good luck and keep up the good work.

Andy

[antelope1225]

Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)

by antelope1225 on Fri Aug 22, 2014 10:14 am

Hi Kim.

I am pulling for you, too!!! I kept a diary when I had mine but didn't even think to share the experience in real time - I feel like I am right there in the hospital with you. . I would rub your feet.

[KimT]

Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)

by KimT on Fri Aug 22, 2014 2:37 pm

Hi everyone! Thank you for your nice feedback and good wishes.

It's Friday morning now and I am at Day +3. Side effects seem to come and go.

I thought I had nausea under control this morning, but all of a sudden as I was sitting in a chair, I had the nurse grab a container for me. I thought for sure something was coming up, but the reality is, there isn't anything in my stomach right now. Then it settled right back down as if it had never happened.

I am having trouble with soreness in my legs, which makes it very difficult to rest. I attribute this to the fact that I am rarely off my feet at home and workout almost daily. The last couple of days I had been a little lazy about walking, so I got up and did some rounds today. I am not neutropenic yet, so I am still allowed to leave my room. I should be taking full advantage of that while I can. They will provide me with an exercise bike when I'm confined to my room.They have a physical therapist here who has suggested various exercises. I'm in good hands.

And now, I've got to get back to watching my ChickenCam! I need to know what my girls are doing while I'm gone.

image.jpg (28.31 KiB) Viewed 328 times

[Toni]

Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)

by Toni on Fri Aug 22, 2014 2:56 pm

Hello Kim,

Can I just say, you are an amazing woman! It sounds like your transplant is going as well as can be hoped. I loved your picture of your chickens. Wishing you all the best and keep taking it one day at a time.


toni

[Ellen Harris]

Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)

by Ellen Harris on Fri Aug 22, 2014 7:03 pm

Kim you are doing great! I am in awe of you! I hope things continue at the current level. You will probably get out of the hospital in record time! Wishing you the speediest of recoveries. Your nurses must be amazed! Keep us updated ... ellen

[antelope1225]

Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)

by antelope1225 on Sat Aug 23, 2014 10:45 am

Hi Kim.

You got melphalan on August 16th and 17th and then your stem cells back on August 19th?
I kept a diary when I was in hospital:

• 2 days after, my stem cells, my Absolute Neutrophil Count was 4500 (even though bones are not producing neutrophils, they live about 1 week in your blood)
• 3 days after, they were down to 2800
• 4 days after, they were down to 1200
• 5 days after, they were down to 400
• I remember the nausea
• 6 days after, the nurse shaved my head because my hair was falling out in clumps
• 7 days after, I developed host versus graft - strangely my body was rejecting my stem cells, so I went to critical care unit and didn't keep diary, but I remember watching eagerly as my ANC went back up - meaning the stem cells were back into the bone marrow and were producing neutrophils!
• 14 days after, my stem cells were introduced, I was allowed to leave and go stay in an apartment.

Good luck!

[KimT]

Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)

by KimT on Sat Aug 23, 2014 4:33 pm

Thanks again for all the good wishes. And thanks Cathy for the diary excerpts. Very handy!

I am Day +4.

This morning I noticed a few hairs on my pillow. Could be normal hair loss I suppose, or it could be starting. Honestly, I'm just anxious to move through every step here, so I'm not worried if it's starting to fall out. I have many hats waiting to be worn!

I wanted to do some walking today but they said I am apparently having orthostatic hypotension. My blood pressure drops unusually low when I'm standing. I find it mildly amusing because I am not feeling light headed at all.

I feel pretty good. Other than having no appetite and having some occasionally soreness in my legs, it seems odd I'm in a hospital at all! That of course, may change, but I will enjoy it while I can.

I did get to see my younger kids today. They are very busy now as schools starts this week. My 16 year old daughter will be a senior in high school and my 13 year old son starts 8th grade. I am lucky to have a great husband who will make sure they are all ready to go!

[OlgaMM]

Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)

by OlgaMM on Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:52 pm

Kim,

Thank you for posting your progress. I am rooting for you here in NY!

Olga