A Turning Point

This last week, we reached a turning point. After 30 something days, W’s doctor decided to a bone marrow biopsy to see if engraphment had taken place. The results were positive. Those little donor cells have been sleeping soundly slowly making blood cells. It is well known that cord blood cells take longer to engraph than regular bone marrow cells. This news was a great relief to me, and shortly thereafter, we have seen W’s blood count start to elevate. Although there is still some fluctuation, there is definite increases going on.

Just when I was ready to celebrate and get ready for possible homecoming in the near future, suddenly, there is a set back…….Fever, infection! W is now in ICU. Although things are uncertain right now, I have confidence that the City of Hope will do everything they can to abate and treat this infection. Everything is happening so fast. In the blink of an eye and within 10 minutes, he was moved with all his belongings to an ICU bed.

I should feel quite blessed and fortunate that W was infection free for the 40+ days he’s been in the hospital. This is a true testament of the good care he is receiving. I am also gratified that this infection happened when his cell counts were improving and not when his immune system was weaker.

Lately, I have been loosing my knitting mojo over the past few weeks. All I have been able to think about is getting the house ready for W. I cannot think about any projects that take too much of my concentration. Time and preservation of my energy has been precious to me. I’ve got to keep healthy and yet, get the house cleaned to reduce the chance of added infection when W does come home. Much is to be done….Drapes & blinds cleaned, a good scubbing of the kitchen and bathroom, carpets shampooed, bedrooms dusted & vacuumed.

I’ve been trying to keep some of my knitting mojo by small projects such as knit hats. I made an owls hat that came out nice. I sewed some buttons for eyes to make it really look like owls. I’m now working on a basketweave hat. These mindless projects will likely be donated to Hats for the Homeless.

Post Transplant- Day 13: Hair today….gone tomorrow.

After coasting along without any serious side effects other than the usual fatigue, we have hit a more than minor snag. W has been experiencing fluctuation in his blood counts needing transfusions of blood and platelets. He is feeling more nauseated and believe it or not he is losing his hair. After several courses of chemo over the last year, he has never lost his hair until now. The nurse noticed it on his pillow. He would reach up to smooth his hair and end up with a handful. Fortunately, he doesn’t have much to lose. I keep telling him I will bring him one of my knit hats to keep warm, and that now he fits in with the rest of the patients on the ward, who already have shiny pates. We tease each other about this to keep his spirits up. The hardest thing is the nausea. This means he is not eating and it is possible the doctors will put him on IV nutrition to keep his blood sugar under control. He had been eating so well over the last 13 days that I thought he was looking rounder around the middle, perhaps even gaining weight. We are told that it takes longer for a cord blood transplant to start working well. Does this mean that W. will be in the hospital longer? Time will tell.


I’ve been working full-time days lately. After work I go see W. and then come home to catch up on some chores and emails. I think all this is taking its toll on my energy level. The stress at work right now is not helping. This week is Staff Appreciation week, but I can hardly enjoy it.


One thing I will have to share from work is what happened yesterday. One of my coworkers found out that yesterday was our new boss’s birthday, so we planned a surprise potluck. Everyone was to bring something. There were no plans for a gift so I decided to buy some flowers for her from the entire staff. Before she arrived I put them in her office. Unknowing to me, there were four other staff members who did the same after my contribution. Someone came to me and said, “Have you seen the boss’s office? It looks like a garden!”. Apparently 5 other coworkers had brought flowers too. She was definitely surprised!


Status on the Knit Red Owl Sweater….I’ve joined the sleeves and body. Had a little difficulty getting the amount of stitches correct for the Owl pattern, but now have started in on the Owl pattern for the yoke. There going to be a lot of owls. I hope it will look right with the decreases.

T minus 1 day before transplant

W. has been passing the days quite happily watching videos, listening to audiobooks, eating what he wants. These are all his favorite things to do. For him this is a little bit of heaven. Yesterday was the first day, since starting his daily conditioning chemo that he has felt any different. He is getting more fatigued and feeling like he is dragging his body around. Yet, he is still able to converse and joke around, albeit between very long napping. Today is the Total Body Radiation day, where he gets a relatively lower dose of radiation to kill the cancer cells, ready for the infusion of stem cells tomorrow.

This is considered Day 0 of the Stem Cell Transplant. Every day after is like a new life, a birthday! The nurses tell us that the doctors start counting these days to track how likely the transplant will be a success. The magic number is 100. If the patient reaches this without any complications, it is more likely to continue a success. So this is the time to pray, pray, pray.

I have been trying to put in some time at work, while W. is in the hospital. This fills my day as I haven’t had a lot of time to think about what’s next. Our sons have been visiting and keep in touch with whats going on. I am surrounded by caring people who ask how things are going. I am very blessed. I know it is God who is arranging for these people to pop in to give me encouragement. I seem to be running into old friends in the grocery store who I haven’t seen in awhile, as well. Perhaps God felt I needed some uplifting. He was right and I enjoyed the encounters greatly.