Day + 7

Doing good! Looking good!

Two weeks in captivity, haven’t lost my mind yet. Hopefully only one more week or less.

Getting a cold pint of blood today, other than that just chillin’.

Check out this cool Kellogg’s shirt. I’m stylin’ Up in here.

Day + 6

Doing well, really well.
Doctors and nurses impressed that I am doing so well and tell me to keep it up. The key is getting out of bed and staying active throughout the day. (Well, as active as I can be in a hospital room) I take daily 20-30 minute walks around the 4th floor pod.
So far (knock on wood) , I have not been that  impacted by the horror show of symptoms I could have gotten from the chemo.
A little indigestion, like heart burn and feeling tired here and there. Nothing that some Malox, and a nap can’t fix!
My goal is to be outta here by Saturday, but that might be a little aggressive. (According to the nurse)

Had a fresh bag of platelets for breakfast, and may get some blood tomorrow depending on labs.

Go cells go!

Oh, and thank god for Shark Week!

Day +5

Oil pressure is good, but I’m low on some transmission fluids. (Platelets and white blood cells)
Kind of makes me a bleeding and infection risk. No worries , I’m super careful.

A 30 minute walk yesterday surprisingly got me a little exhausted.

My amazing wife bought me an incumbent stationary bike for when I get home. It should slowly whip me into shape in no time.

Gonna get started on this today

Go cells go!

Day + 4

Still plodding along on this marathon. Feeling fine.

Doctor tells me that typically I should be sent home between day +10 and day + 14. I’m shooting for day +10. (Next Saturday)

Go cells go!

Day +3

10 days in captivity. My captors although polite, will not let me leave.

All is well. Doctors and nurses keep telling me to just keep doing what ever it is I’m doing.

Still trying to find away to sneak my dogs up!

Here’s my next project: it’s over two feet tall.

Day +2

All is well!
Just waiting on these blood labs to improve. (Now I’m asking the doctors everyday if I can go home!)
I know it’s gonna be a week or two, but hey, I can ask.

I have been semi-productive. Check out this Apollo Lunar lander:

Day + 1

Go cells go!
Feeling good today!
Now it’s just a matter of watching my blood labs bounce around. Drops in numbers are expected, as some die off, but new ones are on the way.
Needed a fresh cold packet of O pos this morning. (Which come with hourly vitals taken. With the nurses, doctors, house cleaning etc, my room should have a revolving door. )
I’m eating healthy and staying active both physically and mentally. Can’t wait to bust out of this place!

DAY ZERO

Here we go.  I get my new cells today!

The Chaplain is coming by for a quick blessing around 9am-ish.  Then I get the transplant at 10.  Then I’ll have my own nurse assigned to just me all day.  (oh joy)

The conditioning was rough, I don’t wish that on anybody.  Thanks for all the encouraging wishes, and positive vibes.  Now let’s go build some new marrow!

A special shout out to my donor today:

Your selfless act humbles me, I can’t believe that a complete stranger would take the time and go through the discomfort of donating their stem cells to me.

Thank you for my healing!

Update on the day:  Chaplain came in around 930am and did the blessing which was very nice.  Keegan, Damian, Jacob and Cesar were here for the transplant.  They started the transplant at 10:07am and it ended at 11:30am.  Joe did really well during the entire event.  Now the nurse will monitor him for the next hour and he will rest for the remainder of the day.  Special cheer for those stem cells:  “Go forth and multiply and create the marrow that will restore Joe’s cells. – Go Cells Go!”

Day -1

Rest day today! Like what else am I gonna do?
Antithymocyte Globulin Rabbit today - prevents and treats your body from rejecting transplants.
It doesn’t sound like anything I’ll be holding or petting.

Keeping the mind and body focused!

Day - 2

Day - 2
All is well! Slept great, probably at least 7 hrs.
Starting the Tacrolimus today ( prevents organ rejection). This one I may be on for quite awhile.

The good news , no more chemo. That last dose was a tough one to push through, but I powered through! There could still be some side effects, but at least I’m not getting more.

Feels like I’ve been here forever, but it’s not even been a week. It’s a marathon, not a sprint!
Just keep plodding along.

Day - 3

4th and final round of chemo today! Feeling alright.
What ever it is you guys are doing, it’s working, keep it up, keep it up!

Day - 4

Starting my 3rd round of chemo today!
Slept a little better last night, it’s not the meds , it’s the shitty bed and attentive night nurses. Nap time later!
Last round of chemo tomorrow.!
All the kids are coming up today, should have a room full, I’ll take pics or the party

“Where is my Dad!”
Bell checking out the clothes Lauri brought home. Hello! He’s not in here!

Day -5

Good morning!

Started the day off with a cup of coffee, a protein drink , some water and a bag of chemo!

Woot woot round #2!

Feeling good, moved to a bigger room, so we don’t  feel so cramped when Lauri and the kids come by.

Hemoglobin is down to 6.6 so a fresh bag of blood is on order as well. I think the last transfusion I got was when I was just a few hours old, right Mom?

Still eating, drinking stretching and walking!

I got this.

Don’t get me wrong, I miss Lauri, the kids and chaos at home, but most of all I miss my babies;

Day - 6

Actually slept ok, once I fell asleep. Got at least 6000 steps in before bed.

Here’s what’s on today’s drug menu;

Ondansetron - prevents nausea and vomiting

Levetiracetam - treats seizures (ya, apparently the chemo could cause that, wtf)

Acyclovir- anti-viral actually used for treating herpes and genital herpes. ( good news ladies!, I’m clean!)

Ursodial - Dissolves gallstones, and to prevent biliary cirrhosis. (Liver will be hit pretty hard)

Fludarabine - chemo - treats chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Bulsulfan - chemo - treats certain kinds of leukemia, and pores body for stem cell transplant.

I should start glowing any minute;

Today is gonna be a good day!

Day -7

    First day of admission to the hospital.  Joe had a procedure this morning to provide central line for ease of giving medicine and drawing blood daily.  The whole process took about 3 hours and it went very well.    

    He is now in his room doing fine on floor 4 East #77.  (He is already asking for a bigger room, but who can blame him when he is spending the next few (4-6) weeks of his life here.)  They are going to try to move him tomorrow to a corner room.  

    He will have a few more tests this afternoon and get use to the hospital routine of being checked every 4 hours.  He starts Chemo tomorrow around 6am through an IV in his room.  They think he should feel ok for the first week.  

    Thanks for all the warm wishes, thoughts and prayers.  Keep them coming as this is a marathon not a sprint (good thing he stays in shape.)   

    

Day - 9

All the tests are done, and I’ve signed my life over to Mayo Clinic! (Consent forms)
Dr Palmer says I’m super healthy which qualifies me for stronger doses of chemo, not sure that’s good or bad.  She says it will result in a clean rock garden to plant my marrow garden.
We are ready.

Here’s what my schedule will look like this month;

Day -16

Told friends & family-  tons of positive vibes, thoughts and prayers headed my way - Thank You!

Day - 21

Bone Marrow Biopsy today, they now use propophol , never felt a thing!
I woke up and they were done!

Day -22

Day -22
More tests!
Electrocardiogram , Echocardiogram (got to see my own heart working. That was pretty cool)
CT (sinuses, chest and abdomen, the iodine solution I had to drink sucked)

Day -23 (23 days until day 0)

A day filled with testing and consultations.
Met with my BMT Coordinator, research specialists, financial and social worker experts.
Topped that off with blood labs (17 vials worth), urine tests, chest and jaw imaging and pulmonary baselines.
Looks like it’s happening!