Transplant Time, 2003

The time had come, my mom and I packed our bags, and were off to UNC hospital. On September 23, 2003 I was admitted to have a final round of chemotherapy and then a bone marrow transplant. The doctor tells you up front that a bone marrow transplant is a 100-day process. Part of those days are spent in the hospital, while the remainder of those days are spent in an apartment within 10 miles of the hospital. The first week was chemotherapy. I think I had 3 or 4 different chemo medications administered intravenously. They all ran at different times and for different amounts of time. Some were once a day and some were every 3 or 4 hours. But all together, I was getting chemo almost 24 hours a day for 7 days.

The chemotherapy administered before bone marrow transplant is extremely strong. With other cancers the doctors want the chemo to kill your cells, but then have all healthy cells return. With a bone marrow transplant, they do not want your cells to come back. The purpose is to replace your cells with healthy cells from the donor. There was a particular lab value the doctors watched. When that number reached zero, my body was ready for the donor cells. It took a little while after the last chemotherapy treatment for my cells to get to zero. During that time my marrow was not making enough blood, so I was getting blood and platelet transfusions every few days.

This time period after chemotherapy was similar to the times before. My cell count and immunity would decrease, and I would get infections and sick from different things that were lying inside my body. In addition to all of this I was isolated inside my hospital room. I was expected to walk on the treadmill beside my bed, but I felt too bad. I see now that I should have pushed myself even if it was for only five minutes, because I still have weak muscles. I didn’t have any visitors except my dad and other immediate family members. Sometimes a visitor would come and mom would go out of the transplant unit to see them. During this time, I couldn’t eat certain foods. I couldn’t even brush my teeth because of the risk of bleeding and infection. I had to use one of those sponges on, what looked like, a sucker stick.

While we were waiting for the chemo to do its job, coordinators were working on getting the donor ready for donating. I didn’t know anything that was going on with that process. All I new was my actual transplant was scheduled for Oct 20, 2003. It takes a lot of coordinating and work to get to this date. Doctors have to see how I am reacting to the chemo, figure out a time line for when my cell count will be at zero, get the donors timeline for cell building and extraction, then transportation for the marrow to UNC. My donor was in Michigan, and the marrow had to be collected and flown to Raleigh. Someone from UNC had to get the cells from the airport and get them to UNC. Thankfully I didn’t have to worry about any of that. All I had to do was receive the meds. 

The big day had arrived. My parents were there, both sets, and we were waiting for the arrival of my new bone marrow. The hours in the day were slowly passing and the cells had not arrived. I received fresh cells that had to be given within a certain time frame. We all were getting anxious wondering how much longer the wait would be. My mom was staying the night like always, but my dad was going back home afterwards. Midnight was approaching, and still nothing. I think I was more concerned about my daddy driving home tired from Chapel Hill. Finally, shortly after midnight, the doctor and nurse came in with my new cells.

The actual transplant is very uneventful. There are risks involved, just like everything in life. You could have an anaphylactic reaction or it simply may not work. Fortunately, I did not have any reactions. Unknown to most, having a bone marrow transplant is not a surgical procedure. Most people hear transplant and think surgery. With organ transplants that is true, but bone marrow is a blood product and is given like a blood transfusion. The marrow was in an IV bag that the nurse attached to the line in my chest, and on October 21, 2003, I had a bone marrow transplant.

I am so grateful and thankful for my donor, Blake, and all the doctors and nurses. They are the reason I am alive today. God was working his miracle putting all of this in place. Never discount what can be done in your life. You may hit rock bottom for whatever reason, or be at death’s door, but you can get through anything. Be positive, have faith, and trust in God! He will never give you more than you can handle.