Yesterday I received my bone marrow transplant. I don’t want to say it was uneventful, because, well that’s the reason we’re all here. But it was pretty uneventful, which is good. I got a big bag of Nancy’s blood and marrow transfused into me over a 3 hour period along with lots of fluid. I didn’t have any big reactions. I was mostly just very tired (that’s the theme around here these days). It was exactly the experience were hoping for and Nan’s marrow was absolutely perfect. My nurse described the transaction as if the chemo and ATG were making holes and space inside my bone marrow, and yesterday Nan’s marrow cells were going to make their way into those spaces, make it their new home, and start growing new blood products. Now we just have to wait 11-21 days for that last part to start happening. Ugh.
I don’t think I have yet to describe how the days are tracked in the transplant world. Yesterday, transplant day, was Day 0. All the days leading up to that day were negatives, Day -1, Day -2 and so on; I was admitted on Day -6. That makes today, Day +1 (99 days until this blog self-destructs!). So even though I have been in the hospital for 8 days now, I’m only on Day 1. It’s like time travel! Just not in a good way.
So, what’s been going on the last couple of days? Welp, as you know I had some serious reactions to the ATG, which is both quite common and thoroughly unpleasant. This happened again the day before the transplant which was supposed to be my “rest day”. Not quite. I had pretty much the same reactions I described in my “ATG-Chemo Cocktail – Shaken not Stirred” post, minus the nausea, thank God. This was made more frustrating by the fact that this hospital really wants to protect my liver (apparently more than I do) and therefore will not give me Tylenol on demand. I mean you’d think I was asking for heroin or bath salts the way they react to my request for some simple Tylenol. No, first my fever must get to a particularly awful range until they will even consider giving it to me. The chemo is apparently already doing a number on my liver, so they don’t want to do any more damage by giving me Tylenol without a serious reason. They also don’t want to mask the fever so that they know where it is coming from. I DON’T BLOODY CARE WHERE IT’S COMING FROM, GIVE ME THE DAMN DRUGS! No. This was the conversation that happened several times between me and my poor nurse who happened to have me on 2 of my bad nights (I’m sure she has since requested to be moved elsewhere on the floor). Anyway, I spoke to my sister Nancy and she said this is standard protocol at any hospital, and I basically just need to deal with it. Nancy’s word = law. Luckily, I have not had another fever since the night before the transplant.
Aside from all that loveliness, I’ve had a rash/hives on my legs and arms for the last several days that won’t go away. It’s really attractive looking. My feet also feel like they are on fire all of a sudden, so that’s fun. They just switched up my antibiotics a few minutes ago to try and help with both of these things, I hope it works. Also, all of the fluid they gave me with the transfusion built up a bit causing me to be short of breath last night. I got Lasix again and oxygen overnight which helped a lot. I’m back to breathing normally today.
In other news, my knight-in-shining-armor of a husband just hooked up our Amazon Firestick to the hospital TV, so I can watch all sorts of stuff without having to balance my brand new iPad (I love it, thank you Allen & Company!) on my belly when I’m trying to fall asleep. The things this man has done for me in the past week, I can’t even describe. Yet.
12 Comments
Kristin Bond
July 15, 2016 at 6:37 pmLove reading MK! Colin looks forward to new posts as well and actually gets really disappointed when I tell him, ” not today☹️”. So needless to say he will be thrilled to read this one, and to know things went smoothly yesterday. Enjoy the newly wired TV, and get some rest????
Kat
July 15, 2016 at 6:38 pmEvery day is an experience and you are having one hell of an experience. One day you’ll go back to these blog posts and forget that you went through all of this.
I’m happy to hear the bone marrow transplant went well! Tomorrow is a new day! So sorry you’re having some very rough ones!
Susan calabrese
July 15, 2016 at 7:44 pmLove you MK. You are amazing, your outlook, your strength, it’s inspiring. Sending you tons of love.
Maggie
July 15, 2016 at 8:15 pmHello “Give me my Damn drugs” Mary Kate! I remember when I was in the hospital telling the nurses I was going to call 911 if they didn’t pay more attention when I asked for help! LOL Hospitaks can make you crazy when they are making you better! Glad you are feeling better and listening to your big sis! XO
Maggie McAuley
Lala & Joey
July 15, 2016 at 8:57 pmYou are one tough chick, MK. So glad the day was “uneventful” and here’s to another 11-21 days going smoothly and as planned. We are checking in daily and are with you every step of the way. Love to you and your knight-in-shining-amor!!! Love, Lala and Joey
Christine
July 15, 2016 at 9:02 pmHi Marykate!!
We love your writing out here in Central America! Thanks so much for doing this so we are in the loop. Your writing is so beautiful, I find myself smiling and crying at the same time.
So happy my baby brother is taking good care of you! And of course so happy you have your whole family to support you. I’m so sorry you are going through this, like you said, you have no choice but to take it one day at a time… Hopefully each day will be a tiny bit better than the last. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
And ps, how long ago did Nancy get married? You have not aged a day
I loved all those photos!!
Maureen
July 18, 2016 at 8:07 pm20 years ago next week!!
Maureen
July 18, 2016 at 8:08 pmI meant this week. July 21 🙂
helen aviles
July 16, 2016 at 8:12 amYou continue to be an inspiration! God bless!
Wendy Bond
July 16, 2016 at 8:16 amSo glad things went well for Day 0 for you! I will be following your writings with hope and prayers that this transplant heals you. Enjoy the Amazon Firestick – and the new ipad! Glad you have a good support team ???? Thinking of you!
Aunt Lorraine & Mike
July 16, 2016 at 5:14 pmHi, Mary Kate – so happy your transplant went well. Hope the next 11 to 21 days keep you on the road to recovery. It’s great the way you’re handling everything, and may the days ahead be all good ones! Keeping you and Sully in our prayers.
Susan Sullivan
July 17, 2016 at 7:43 pmMaryKate…we love you so much and appreciate you keeping us all up to date on what you’re going through while you’re going through it. The boys were telling our friends in Cleveland how great you are. They ask me everyday how you are doing. John is a Rock Star and Such a great guy….I’m so proud of you and your strength….your writing is so descriptive, we feel like we’re there with you like a fly on the wall. We just got to Cape Cod so we’re sending you love from here. So glad that everything is moving forward and that you’re pushing through. Please tell Nancy we send our love and that we hope she’s doing well also. Kisses and hugs and love bubbles from us xoxo