They collected enough stem cells on the first day of harvest.
The average harvesting takes 2-4 days, because they try to harvest enough stem cells for 2-3 transplants. They freeze whatever isn’t used the first time, so that if you need another transplant in 3, 5 or 10 years, at least you don’t have to go through the harvesting again. I steeled myself for 2-4 days, and the possibility of even more. I recently heard of someone who went through eight days of harvesting.
Why is it so easy for me to accept when terrible things happen (in fact, I've grown to expect them), and so difficult for me to accept when something really good happens? Now that I say that out loud, and see it in front of me, I realize how indulgent and self-pitying it sounds; but if you look at my history of the last year, it seems perfectly reasonable.

La Cootina;
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the harvest! And thanks for agreeing to share the gory details. Hang in there you sound mean enough to handle this.
I'm day 13 and feel like crap but, engraftment is beginning to open its lovely blossom.
John
Good luck, John. I like to think I'm only mean when the situation warrants it, and I definitely hope to kick cancer's ass.
ReplyDeleteDear LaCootina,
ReplyDeleteThank you for agreeing to blog about your transplant. We are all rooting for you.
I could understand the sex questions if you were DONATING your stem cells but since they're collecting them for you I might have answered MYOB.
HOLY CRAP! Congratulations!! I think of the eight days I spent hooked to that machine, and I am very, very, very jealous. :) How many million did you get, if you don't mind sharing?
ReplyDelete