Ok, so, since I haven’t been able to update my blog nearly as much as I had hoped, this short and quick bit of positive news needs some explaining.
So, after nausea-town, I actually started to feel ok for a few days. And then, not. I spiked a 39.5 C fever (~103 F) that basically just stayed present for a few days. After culturing everything that could be cultured, the docs decided it wasn’t an infection, and gave me steroids to help deal with all the shivers and shakes and sweats and fevers. Oh, and rashes. So that worked for 3 days, then they took me off the steroids.
Also, apparently, when you’re given steroids, your blood sugar / insulin levels get all whacked. So you have to get finger stuck just like you had diabetes. Add that to the list of the things I suddenly have a lot more sympathy for.
They called that “Pre-Engraftment Syndrome”, and said it wasn’t a big deal, and we moved on.
Then it happened again. Same treatment. Worked again.
Anyway, I finally started to feel a little bit better, bit by bit.
So, the bottom line of all that, was that the haplo->cord transition didn’t really go off as they had planned. Their thought had been that my father’s cells would come in super early, way before the cords would even be really showing signs of life, really. This would give me a basic immune system. Nothing great, but the minimum neutrofils I need to be able to go for walks around my floor is 1,000. They were thinking the haplo cells would easily accomplish that, and to their credit, they almost did. They got all the way up to 900. Then they plummeted.
Turns out the babies were awake, and they beating my dads cells up.
So the smooth transition from minor immune system from the haplo over to the full immune system of the cord kinda petered out. Oh well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
However, last week, I had my first bone marrow biopsy since getting the transplant. The easy stuff to look at all looked good. I had healthy bone marrow cells (Dr. Barker called them left shifted, meaning, on the immature side of things), but that cells were being produced in the marrow. This is very good because it means the factory is starting to produce stuff. Unfortunately, it’s still not releasing into the blood stream, but that’s the last step.
The big bit of news that I wanted to share, though, and this is like super big deal, is that the final biopsy test came back and it says that my bone marrow is 0% me (good) slightly still my dad, slightly one baby, but one of the babies is definitely starting to take over and dominate. So rejoice! The chosen one has fought and won, and soon, shall release his or her glorious cells into my blood stream.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY
Eff Leukemia 
Tony
I was wondering about you and how you were getting on. So thank goodness you are OK and on your way to becoming fabulous with your very own new baby bone marrow engrafting and producing cells. I hope you are not too uncomfortable and taking it easy. How is the food?
Full double yeah hey this is one of the best days of my life Happy happy happy
Sent from my iPhone
I’m glad 😀
::Happy Dance:: And all hail that tough little chosen baby and all hail to you!
thanks 😀
Oh Baby, baby it’s so good to hear from you! With your birthday Dec 12th just around the corner -I think this baby will be in full swing. Now you get to celebrate two birthdays and we’ll Be so grateful for both. Love you Aunt Marge and Uncle Doug
I like the sound of 2 birthdays…
So so happy ❤
😀
Was just wondering how everything was. Glad to hear it’s going well! (and glad to hear that the Chosen One has arisen)
Thanks man
you’ve MADE SO MANY PEOPLE BEYOND HAPPY TODAY!!! bALLING CRYING KINDS HAPPY!!! THERE ARE NO WORDS AND I AM NOT YELLING I’m just too damn lazy to turn off caps lock at the appropriate time!!!! REJoice REJoice…hail to the baby!!!! xxxooo luv ya!!!!
You’re ridiculous Dawn ❤
I’m so happy for you!!! 🙂 I was wondering how you were, and hoping you were managing okay.. all that sounded pretty rough
yayyy 😀 enjoy your new super baby cells 🙂
Thanks 🙂
Yahoooo! This news makes the season so much brighter!
Thanks 🙂