Waiting for Transplant_T-6 Days

Hello Good Friends,

The fact is...chemosnopicnic! Trudy had her third of five chemo installments this morning. It only takes about 30-40 minutes to infuse this stuff, but the effects are mighty hard to get over.

Today's chemo was Fludarabine, a chemo that seems innocuous enough. In smaller doses, it is usually pretty tolerable. However, for Trudy, she is feeling bad with some prominent nausea. Upon doctors orders, she is getting more frequent doses of the anti-nausea medications and if need be, there is an stronger drug. Right now, she is napping...a state in which she would gladly remain for the duration of the chemo! But, three down, two to go...for the chemo stage.

The chemo stage is having the intended result. Her White Blood Cells (WBC), Red Blood Cells (RBC), and Platelets (PLT) are dropping. These falling "counts" indicate that her Bone Marrow is emptying and will soon be ready for the infusion of the Donor Cells. Trudy will have chemo tomorrow and Friday, then she will have two days of rest before the new cells will be introduced on Monday.

Trudy is so appreciative of your prayers, as am I. She does have times where she feels well and we try to take those times as good opportunities to embrace the good things in our lives. Just last night, we placed a video call to the Jones'. We laughed and giggled and simply enjoyed a nice video-visit with Daniel, Melanie, Kara, and Wendy. Next best thing to having them here, I'll tell you! In the phone call prelude the video call, Trudy was telling Wendy about her breathing exercises that use a device called a "Spirometer" to measure the air inspired and expired by the lungs. She couldn't remember the name so she told Wendy she has to use a "breath-a-lyzer" several times a day. I couldn't help myself...talk about LOL! She asked me what was funny and as I told her that a Breathalyzer is used to check the alcohol level for drivers under the influence...then she started laughing. I'm just glad a doctor or nurse didn't happen to enter the room at that moment...I don't think we could have composed ourselves to tell them what we were so tickled about.

My Oh My! Life is full of twists and turns here on the transplant floor of MDA! Again, thanks for the mucho prayers! In this room, today, we are praying for less nausea and for other harsh side effects when they become factors to be controllable.

Blessings,
Trudy and Robert