Stem Cell Transplant – thanks for the good thoughts!

I’m here in Chicago – have gone through the first round of chemo, did neupogin injections, had my stem cells harvested (got > 8m, need 2), lost my hair and am ready to go into the hospital on Tues for 6 days of chemo, and then get my stem cells back on Aug 23rd.

My sister tells me she’s never met anyone so happy to get chemo! I tell her that should be a clear indication of exactly how bad this is – but this stem cell program is my only hope for long term remission. So, yeah, I’m EXCITED!!! Woo Hoo!

My daughter is with me right now and we had a head buzzing ceremony when my hair started falling out … she shaved half off, then did a long mohawk, then a short mohawk, the Tibitian monk look, then bald. She has a fan club here where everyone wants her to do their head shaving ceremony because she made it such fun.

Bill L and I go into the hospital on Tuesday – we both have CIDP. Then there are three others – Melanie, Patricia and Al, that go in on Wed – 2 have MS and 1 has Lupus. There is another lady with us, Jennifer, that is a few weeks behind in the process. We are all staying at the Seneca, so we’ve formed a close knit group and try to meet on the roof top to see the sun go down and share our experiences. We call oursevles the “roof toppers”.

There is such an optimistic attitude of all that are here for this – each and everyone of us feels so fortunate to be here and to have hope. It’s hard to explain, but this is really a good time in Chicago. We’re making the best of it and being tourists whenerver possible and laughing a lot. And Chicago in the summer beats Houston in the summer any day!!!!

It took me almost 2 years to be able to do this, but hey, those years go by anyway – might as well use than for planning! So here I am!!!!!!!

Optimisn is almost running amuck … it feels good. Thank you Alice!!!!!!!!!!!!

With hope that all find what works for them,