Alyssa didn't have arsenic Saturday and Sunday. Her numbers were too high. When we got in there today they did the normal things. Her numbers came in low enough to have arsenic. Come to find out she could have had it over the weekend but the cardiologist didn't figure the EKG right. We were glad that she didn't loose another day today.
When we talked to the doctor today about the transplant all I could think is WOW. It was a lot of information packed into a hour. I am so glad that we were a little prepared for it. This the low down of the next step in this process.
She needs to finish her 30 doses of arsenic (today was day 18). After the 30 doses she will have to have a bone marrow biopsy. We wait a week to see if comes out negative. If it does then we start the bone marrow harvesting. They are pretty sure that the test will come out negative because she has been responding so well to the arsenic.
The bone marrow harvesting consists of her going to the hospital and they put her under. When she is asleep they will do the harvest. They will do it the same way as bone marrow biopsy's. This is when she lays on her back and they insert a very large needle in her back and they draw her marrow out in a syringe. It looks very painful. The difference in the harvest is that a doctor and a pa are both extracting marrow at the same time. She will have 4 more holes in her back. When they do a biopsy they are getting around a teaspoon of marrow. When they do a harvest they are getting a liter of marrow. In the same holes they are going in around 200 times to get their liter of marrow. They have to have 2 to 5 million stem cells for a good harvest. If her red blood count is high enough they will take out some of her blood and then transfuse it back into her when the harvest is complete. They will then freeze her marrow so they can transfuse it back into her when they are ready.
After the harvest she will come home for a couple of days to recover from the trauma of the harvest. She will be then be remitted to the hospital and have high does chemo to kill everything in her body. They said that this usually takes around a week. After the chemo all of her numbers will drop to zero. This is when she has no immunity. After the week of chemo they will transfuse her marrow back into her. Then we wait in the hospital 3 to 4 weeks to get her numbers back up. When her numbers are up then she will be released from the hospital.
After being release from the hospital we will have to go to the clinic once a week for a little while to check to make sure all is well. After they determine all is well we will have to go up to the clinic once a week. They are saying that probably around June or July she won't have to wear her mask anymore.
She is a little nervous but she is so ready to have this done. The nurses and I have told her a little what to expect all along so she wasn't so shocked today as she could have been.
Wow! Alyssa, we will keep you in our prayers. You have been tough through this whole process. Keep it up. It will soon be over and we can do something fun this summer! We love you!
ReplyDeleteOh my that is one process that I do not want to go through. Just reading it sounds painful. Its a good Alyssa will be asleep through all this. You have come so far Alyssa, and now you just need to go a little further. Heavenly Father has helped you get this far so he can do some more to help you get through it again. You are such a trooper and I know you can get through this. Just keep on trucking. Just remember at the end of all this you will have quite a story to tell. Christ suffered through this and so much more. If you need help or feel like you just can't go on, you know who to call on. I love you Alyssa, and you are always in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Bryan
Wow! It's a good thing we don't have a blue print of our life before we start. I think if I saw your blueprint I would say, "No thanks, I want a different plan!" I do know that the Lord's plan is always the best plan. As hard as it is to understand in this life I have faith that we will be blessed for our willingness to submit to His will. You must be feeling anxious to get this whole thing over with. We pray for you continually and look forward to seeing you happy and healthy soon.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Heather
Hey Alyssa, just wanted to let you know that we check up on your blog regularly and continue to pray for your quick recovery and that everything can go well. And that you will stay strong during the hard times and enjoy the breaks in the clouds when they come. We hope the best for you.
ReplyDeleteDarren & Kaitlin Hansen