She's a Match!

Latest news on the cancer front is that my sister Johnnie is a perfect bone marrow match for me! We still don't know when the bone marrow transplant will take place, and I don't know all the particulars about what we need to do next, but I'll keep everyone updated. I'm very thankful that Johnnie is a match and is willing to be a donor for me.

It's been a trying week, and next week promises to be even more stressful, with Mom needing to go to the lab on Monday before her doctor appointment the following week, an appointment for me with my regular oncologist on Monday, an appointment with my radiation oncologist for a 6 week follow-up on Tuesday, and the usual labs on Wednesday, and chemo and probably platelets on Thursday.

When I saw my radiation oncologist the last time, after I completed the radiation therapy on my spine, he said that he hoped the next time he saw me I could walk into his office. I am going to surprise him and do just that on Tuesday. :o) I have been practicing walking around my room without my walker, and I'm doing fine. I'm still a little unsteady and wouldn't want to go on any long hikes or shopping expeditions, but I'll be able to walk into his office.

I was under the mistaken impression that I wouldn't be receiving chemo through my ommaya port, since they didn't find cancer cells in the spinal fluid they withdrew the first time they used it. I just won't be getting it weekly. They would have given it to me through there on Thursday, but I was sick, so my doctor will do it on Monday. Each time they access it they will check the fluid again for cancer cells.

I'm on antibiotics for this respiratory thing I've got. I was so sick on Thursday; I vomited in the car on the way to the hospital (thank goodness Ron had a plastic bag), then again after I took the first of the antibiotics and while I was getting the chemo. My heart rate was so insane when they did my vital signs that they immediately did an EKG and sent me for a chest x-ray. It wasn't pneumonia. If it had been, they were going to put me in the hospital.

We were at the hospital for 8 hours on Thursday. When I finally got home I came straight upstairs. The littles wanted to see me, so they came to my room. I was sitting on the couch at the end of our bed, and when Reece walked in he said to me, "Do you feel bad, baby girl?" Then he came and put his arms around my neck to give me a hug. It was so precious! Then both Aubrey and Camryn came over, smiling and wanting a hug. They are so sweet. It made me feel better right away. :o)

What a whiney post. Sorry, readers.