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Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)
Pretty soon those blood counts will begin recovering. I think the worst of it is over and you will be doing laps around the nurses soon! Did you get rid of the thrush? Sending positive vibes to you tonite from nyc!
Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)
Hi Kim. Glad you are starting to feel better. As everyone else has said, it's not unusual to get a fever or lose your hair -- it's just hard when your hair is longer. But, that's a good excuse to wrap your head in a pretty scarf or hat.
In my case, my hair was longer than yours when I lost it -- in the winter, just before Snowmageddon hit the East Coast. My sister, who is a knitter, came to visit and make me several soft, warm caps, which she decorated with hand-made flowers. They kept my head warm and made me feel pretty, which is something you don't feel as your hair falls out.
Hope you continue your good progress.
Dana A
In my case, my hair was longer than yours when I lost it -- in the winter, just before Snowmageddon hit the East Coast. My sister, who is a knitter, came to visit and make me several soft, warm caps, which she decorated with hand-made flowers. They kept my head warm and made me feel pretty, which is something you don't feel as your hair falls out.
Hope you continue your good progress.
Dana A
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darnold - Name: Dana Arnold
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)
Hi Kim,
Andy and Eric are right about the sensitive scalp, I thought it must have been because of the winter and a cool breeze when walking around and find even a light hat helps. Thin cotton ones under the woollen ones help sometimes to reduce irritation and can make it easier to get the spikey bits out. I heard your hair starts growing back about 4 weeks after melphalan so hoping that's the case.
Keep up the great posts and thanks for the motivation! I stopped my exercise after pre-harvest chemo due to fatigue and blood pressure problems, but have figured can still do core and upper body strengthening lying on the floor and you are right, it feels good to be doing something when you can!
Have a good weekend
Jen
Andy and Eric are right about the sensitive scalp, I thought it must have been because of the winter and a cool breeze when walking around and find even a light hat helps. Thin cotton ones under the woollen ones help sometimes to reduce irritation and can make it easier to get the spikey bits out. I heard your hair starts growing back about 4 weeks after melphalan so hoping that's the case.
Keep up the great posts and thanks for the motivation! I stopped my exercise after pre-harvest chemo due to fatigue and blood pressure problems, but have figured can still do core and upper body strengthening lying on the floor and you are right, it feels good to be doing something when you can!
Have a good weekend
Jen
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NZMum - Name: NZMum
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March2014
- Age at diagnosis: 49
Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)
Hi everyone,
Checking in on day 11. I am feeling good. The only problem that continues is my lack of appetite, but I know that will come back. I can't eat very much because I get full so fast and get totally turned off to what I'm eating. I've always been a little champ at eating. I was chubby as a kid and the main reason I began running is because I like to eat!
I am just about over the thrush, which is great because the lozenges for that are on the nasty side. I took the last one tonight. Yay!
My counts have started to come back. I had been at 0.1 for my white count for several days and as of last night's blood draw, I am at 0.3. So I'm going in the right direction and we will see what they tell me tomorrow. I have been here since the 15th. I am ready for a change of scenery! Although I can't go home, I move to a 2 bedroom apartment about 6 miles away until Day 30.
Thanks for all your kind thoughts about my hair. But I'm not upset. I knew this was coming and at this point, I'm pulling it out myself because there is hair everywhere!
My husband has been battling me on this, insisting I don't shave my head yet. He is clearly in denial. I told him I'm not walking around with bald patches. So today in the shower, I took that handheld shower head and ran it through my hair so many times, I could have made a small puppy out of the hair in the drain. I made him take a look.
I now have visible bald patches and I'm done with this. Tomorrow, I will have one of NA's do the deed.
So, have a great night everyone, and by the way, here's the puppy!
Checking in on day 11. I am feeling good. The only problem that continues is my lack of appetite, but I know that will come back. I can't eat very much because I get full so fast and get totally turned off to what I'm eating. I've always been a little champ at eating. I was chubby as a kid and the main reason I began running is because I like to eat!
I am just about over the thrush, which is great because the lozenges for that are on the nasty side. I took the last one tonight. Yay!
My counts have started to come back. I had been at 0.1 for my white count for several days and as of last night's blood draw, I am at 0.3. So I'm going in the right direction and we will see what they tell me tomorrow. I have been here since the 15th. I am ready for a change of scenery! Although I can't go home, I move to a 2 bedroom apartment about 6 miles away until Day 30.
Thanks for all your kind thoughts about my hair. But I'm not upset. I knew this was coming and at this point, I'm pulling it out myself because there is hair everywhere!
My husband has been battling me on this, insisting I don't shave my head yet. He is clearly in denial. I told him I'm not walking around with bald patches. So today in the shower, I took that handheld shower head and ran it through my hair so many times, I could have made a small puppy out of the hair in the drain. I made him take a look.
I now have visible bald patches and I'm done with this. Tomorrow, I will have one of NA's do the deed.
So, have a great night everyone, and by the way, here's the puppy!
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KimT - Name: Kim Tank
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)
Kim - how can you be in the midst of a SCT and still keep such a great sense of humor??!!! God bless you sweetie! Love the puppy picture 
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Toni - Name: Toni
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self - MGUS
- When were you/they diagnosed?: April 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 51
Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)
Hi Kim, glad to hear your counts are improving!
Who is going to stay with you at the apartment? I hope your appetite comes back soon but I hear that eating is one of the last things to normalize. Glad to see your sense of humor is intact!
Hang in there!
Who is going to stay with you at the apartment? I hope your appetite comes back soon but I hear that eating is one of the last things to normalize. Glad to see your sense of humor is intact!
Hang in there!
Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)
Hi Toni, I just have a very sick sense of humor and being here brings out the best ( or worst) in me! But thank you!
Ellen, I will have a caregiver with me 24/7 while I am there. I have 2 family members and 4 friends who have agreed to help, so they will do it in shifts, a few days at a time. My husband can't be here all the time. He needs to work and manage our two younger kids. I will still be 60 miles from home. Grateful that it isn't farther and I'm so lucky to have people who can help!
Ellen, I will have a caregiver with me 24/7 while I am there. I have 2 family members and 4 friends who have agreed to help, so they will do it in shifts, a few days at a time. My husband can't be here all the time. He needs to work and manage our two younger kids. I will still be 60 miles from home. Grateful that it isn't farther and I'm so lucky to have people who can help!
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KimT - Name: Kim Tank
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)
Hi everyone,
Just giving you my Day 12 check in.
I am feeling really good. I'm still not allowed to use the bike because my platelets are at 10, but I hope to be able to leave the room soon. My white count has climbed to 0.5, so things are moving along. I had another transfusion last night as hgb was at 7.8.
I found that vanilla pudding agrees with me so I ate three of those today, plus a little bit of very carefully made homemade banana bread some friends brought me. So far, so good.
One of the first things I did today was to have the rest of the animal kingdom shaved off my head! It feels great! Right after that, I showered and they changed all my bedding, so everything was fresh and hair free.
I had another fever last night, but a great day today. No word on discharge day yet. I'm being patient. Can't wait to feel what it's like to be outside again!
Had 9 visitors today. Feeling very loved. Have a great night everyone!
Just giving you my Day 12 check in.
I am feeling really good. I'm still not allowed to use the bike because my platelets are at 10, but I hope to be able to leave the room soon. My white count has climbed to 0.5, so things are moving along. I had another transfusion last night as hgb was at 7.8.
I found that vanilla pudding agrees with me so I ate three of those today, plus a little bit of very carefully made homemade banana bread some friends brought me. So far, so good.
One of the first things I did today was to have the rest of the animal kingdom shaved off my head! It feels great! Right after that, I showered and they changed all my bedding, so everything was fresh and hair free.
I had another fever last night, but a great day today. No word on discharge day yet. I'm being patient. Can't wait to feel what it's like to be outside again!
Had 9 visitors today. Feeling very loved. Have a great night everyone!
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KimT - Name: Kim Tank
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)
Good Monday morning, Kim.
I hope you had a good night. As usual, you sounded terrific yesterday and your sense of humor shines through. I hope today brings good news about your blood counts. Hang in there. You have an audience of well-wishers sending you positive thoughts. I'm cheering you on from New York!
Olga
I hope you had a good night. As usual, you sounded terrific yesterday and your sense of humor shines through. I hope today brings good news about your blood counts. Hang in there. You have an audience of well-wishers sending you positive thoughts. I'm cheering you on from New York!
Olga
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OlgaMM - Name: OMS
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2008 - SMM, 2015 - multiple myeloma
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: KimT's Stem Cell Transplant (Stanford, Inpatient)
Hi KimT,
Glad to see your posts continue to be positive and I enjoy reading your experiences as you go through your transplants.
I had my ASCT in March and will start immunizations soon. My question for you and others is; how active are the medical team members with your daily activities?
Case in point, I had a lot of bone damage, so both my OT and PT members were extremely engaged in my recovery. I would be challenged to walk the hallways (33 laps around the floor added up to 1mile) and ride a stationary bike each day. My physical therapist motivated me by saying "you do want to leave in 18 days" and I absolutely agreed!
Kim, I know that you're an extremely active person and I've tried to follow others, but I've never read how the medical team interacted with day to day activities. If this was an oversight on my part I apologize.
As is stated often, multiple myeloma is not a one size fits all disease and I'm interested in others experience with the transplant team members.
Stay strong!
Kully
Glad to see your posts continue to be positive and I enjoy reading your experiences as you go through your transplants.
I had my ASCT in March and will start immunizations soon. My question for you and others is; how active are the medical team members with your daily activities?
Case in point, I had a lot of bone damage, so both my OT and PT members were extremely engaged in my recovery. I would be challenged to walk the hallways (33 laps around the floor added up to 1mile) and ride a stationary bike each day. My physical therapist motivated me by saying "you do want to leave in 18 days" and I absolutely agreed!
Kim, I know that you're an extremely active person and I've tried to follow others, but I've never read how the medical team interacted with day to day activities. If this was an oversight on my part I apologize.
As is stated often, multiple myeloma is not a one size fits all disease and I'm interested in others experience with the transplant team members.
Stay strong!
Kully
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kullybunnny1 - Name: Kully
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: August 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 48
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