I did not blog last week mostly for 1 reason.
In ironic fashion, Ironman Texas was last weekend. A race that Amy and I both raced in 2012. Amy raced it in 2013, and I raced it last year. It was on Amy's 2015 schedule. In fact, in November when we went back to AnyLabTestNow to get our self-directed bloodwork done, it was so that we could make sure Amy was getting back to healthy so she could train for IMTX. Cruel irony that lead to a cancer diagnosis on December 23.
I didn't want to blog that things were on-hold once again last week. I had close friends and coached athletes racing, and they needed to be focused on their races. I wanted to go up and watch the race, catch-up with friends and sponsors. Instead I stayed in. We had a virus/sinus setback once, we didn't want another possible one.
Here we are May 19, and it seems like we 'finally' have some concrete dates after navigating the Memorial Day Holiday. Provided all goes well, Amy gets a test dose of chemotherapy Friday. PK testing to be exact. Pharmacokinetic. It is to see how her body metabolizes the chemo that she will get in the days leading up to her stem cell transplant. I will blog more about this as well in the coming weeks. All systems go, and May 27 will be her admit date. May 28 treatment starts. June 4 she will get her cord-blood stem cell transplant/infusion. The new Day 0. I considered the old Day 0 the day of Amy's diagnosis, December 23.
June 4, 2015. Day 0. Her new birthday. Re-birthday maybe?
It is the day that she is infused with new stem cells. They call it a patient's birthday. Interesting process that I will try to walk through as we go. They say the first 100 days are the key after a SCT. But, even after that Amy will have an entirely new immune system. The combination of the chemotherapy, immunosuppressive drugs, and new stem cells destroy her existing immune system. It's a re-start of sorts.
With a cord-blood SCT, likely even more important. A newborn is in the womb for 9 months. My google-fu says 'most' vaccines start at 2 months and go for awhile. Around 12 months if it's smooth sailing is when some of Amy's new vaccines might start.
After June 4 please don't take offense when...
- we turn you away from hospital visits
- we ask if you've been around any sick kids or people lately
- we turn you away if you have 'allergies'
- we decline invites to your house or dinners out
- I don't shake your hand or give you a hug, Amy doesn't hug anyway
- we request that you keep your kids and pets at a distance, especially your kids
- if you're an anti-vaxx person just stay the f-away
- you might feel fine, but you also might bring along some bug that you don't even know you have
- we generally become more anti-social and hermit like than we already are
That last one should cover things. Some of us will get along even better. Others just won't 'get it'.
Me, I have a feeling I'll be taking full body baths in anti-bacterial soaps.