Dates & Donors

BIG news everyone!! 
My family and I met with Dr. Douglas today for another transplant meeting. It went very good. We had previously thought that the donor was deployed to the military and that my doctor would have to find another donor, but we learned today that he was deployed but will still be my donor. So that is awesome news. 

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We finally have a date for the actual bone marrow transplant!!! The wait is over. I get admitted July 28…that's the day my transplant journey will begin. I expected for it to start in July, but actually hearing a date makes it very real and very scary. But at the same time, it's so exciting and i'm so grateful. So many mixed emotions. The schedule is as followed:

Monday 7.28.14 (day -23) i get admitted and my broviac (central line) placed in my chest

this day is pretty special…my grandpa passed away on this exact date about 4 years ago, he was in the army and so is my donor. Not a coincidence. Right there you know someone is watching over us all. 

Tuesday 7.29.14 (day -22) i start Campath; medication to get rid of my T-cells

Wednesday 7.30.14 (day -21) Campath

Thursday 7.31.14 (day -20) Campath

Friday 8.01.14 (day -19) Campath 

Saturday and Sunday are rest days. She said I'll be on medication that makes me sleep for about the whole week, so i won't remember much lol. I then go home for 10 days, and the isolation will begin. No restaurants, movies, shopping, anywhere really for that week. I just have to be very careful and cannot get sick.

Monday 8.11.14 (day -9) re-admitted 

Tuesday 8.12.14 (day -8) i start a med called Fludarabine, which is a chemo

Wednesday 8.13.14 (day -7) Fludarabine (chemo)

Thursday 8.14.14 (day -6) Fludarabine (chemo)

Friday 8.15.14 (day -5) Fludarabine (chemo)

Saturday 8.16.14 (day -4) last day of Fludarabine (chemo) 

Sunday 8.17.14 (day -3) Melphalan (another chemo)

Monday 8.18.14 (day -2) REST 

Tuesday 8.19.14 (day -1) rest/ donor harvest; my donor will have a surgery to get the bone marrow

WEDNESDAY 8.20.14 TRANSPLANT DAY….or my new birthday as they call it!! (it's really not) but kinda like it because this new bone marrow will save my life and essentially give me "new life". It will give me the hope of being cured and one day living a normal life. I can say "see ya DBA and CVID"  I am SO beyond grateful. Just so you all know, this transplant day for me is not a surgery, it's actually just an infusion of the bone marrow into my central line, much like a blood transfusion. It will be a very calm day, but it will also be the biggest day in my life. 

She said I'll be in the hospital about 8 weeks, depending on how i'm doing. 

I'll be on all sorts of medication, the ones I mentioned are just the big ones. With chemo there's lots of side effects, because it's basically whipping out everything. It can cause nausea, vomiting, horrible mouth sores, fevers and other stuff that I won't mention because you probably wouldn't care too know…LOL!

I'll also start steroids later on to stimulate cell growth and I'll become puffy in my face and probably in my stomach…so i'll be bald and fat. Cute right?? Ya…not too excited about the steroids but I'm totally gonna embrace the baldness. (I will miss my pink hair though, i'm kind of obsessed)

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It's a lot to take in. But like I've said before i have THE best support system and the greatest friends. Thank you everyone for all the love and prayers. I have felt them more than you even know. 

#KINCANKICKIT 

XOXO, Kin