And Then I Got Cancer

I normally ignore calls from numbers I don't recognize. But the other day I got a call from a number with a Seattle area code. I'm glad I picked up, because it was the coordinator from the bone marrow transplant center there. My doctors here had just requested an urgent search for a stem cell donor for me, and the coordinator, Lisa, was calling with information about the donor search. Everyone keeps asking me what the donor search process is like. And every time I get a question from someone, I wish I knew more about it. Like why does it take so long? I mean, if there is a database out there with a bunch of donors, and there's a search algorithm, you should just be able to plug in your information and know instantly if there's a match, right? Well kind of, yeah. Lisa told me she could plug in my HLA information to the system and know right away how many matches I had in the registry. I asked her how long the whole process of finding a donor takes. She said if you h

When I left the hospital a week ago, I left under the impression that I was in remission. The folks at University hospital didn't see any trace of leukemia in my fourth bone marrow biopsy. And they said that made sense; FLAG-IDA can take a little longer to show its effects. So I went to my parents' house for a few days, got some home cooking, hung out with Pisco, and enjoyed long stretches of sleep and not being connected to an IV pole. On Saturday I went home home, to the house I bought last year. At that point I was ready to enjoy making breakfast for myself and Brent, taking Pisco for walks, and even doing some housework. I could tell I had been languishing in the hospital when vacuuming made me sore. I also have a really hard time opening any kind of bottle or jar. Good thing I have my man hands within shouting distance at all times. I've had a number of appointments back at the VA since I left. I had to finish a round of IV antibiotics, and I went back again today