Dr. Yesterday

Penny, Justin and I met with the Drs. in Iowa City on Wednesday and they have decided that it is time to move on with my Transplant. They did not see the improvement they had hoped to with the drugs that I have been taking, my counts are quite low and there really aren't any more options left. So I will be admitted to the hospital on November 23rd. I will start taking medicines on the 22nd that should help with some of the side affects of the Chemo Therapy (Nausea etc. ) and then on Tuesday they will start with High Dose Chemotherapy. I will get a new pick line put in my arm that morning (they gave me my choice of arm or chest and I thought arm sounded better) and the drugs will run continuous for 6 days, then I will have one day off of everything and on the 30th of November "Transplant Day", they will start to put Nathans stem cells back into me (they do it by transfusion). Nathan will go in on the 29th and 30th to have his stem cells extracted after 4 days of shots to stimulate growth. He will be hooked up to a machine for most of the day that will draw blood out of one arm and circulate it through a machine that can extract the needed stem cells, the blood is then pumped back in his other arm. Years ago they actually went right into the bone marrow and extracted the stem cells but they have found that they can do it this way now and they have good luck with it. The chemo should kill most of my immune system and hopefully not anything else. I will be in the hospital in isolation until the new stem cells start to take and grow and they feel comfortable that I can go home. Hopefully by Christmas I might get out but I will have to be isolated at home for a while. You could pray for us for the next few weeks that neither Nathan or I get sick. I have been taken off all of my Cancer drugs and so it would not be good if it is delayed. I will go in to the Dr often between now and when I am admited as my blood counts are not very good, low whites and Nutriphils so I am susceptible to everything. I have to take my temperature at least twice a day and wear a mask whenever I am out or at work. I didn't want to do that (wear it at work) but the Drs called me at work today and were pretty adamant about it, so much for blending in , The guys kept saying "who is that masked man."
On Wednesday this coming week I will go in for an echocardiogram to make sure my Heart is in good condition and then we will attend a class for a couple of hours that will better explain the transplant procedure. Nathan will go down for Blood work and a physical soon.
I feel a sense of relief that we have a plan and am looking forward to getting better, I am very comfortable with the direction we are going and feel at peace that whatever the outcome is, it is in Gods hands and where else would I want to be.
Thanks for Praying
Lance