Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Tomorrow's the big day
We'll wait at home to go in to the hospital until we get the call that the bed is ready. Quite a luxury compared with hanging out for hours in the clinic waiting room.
We got a couple calls today that some problems had surfaced on Jacob's preadmission tests. They found some abnormal cells in his spinal fluid, and his adrenal response is on the low end of normal, but neither of these things changes the plan fundamentally.
If I'm reading this protocol correctly, Jacob will get three days of high dose chemo (thiotepa and etoposide) and then have two days "rest". On Day Zero, next tuesday, he'll have the actual transplant; the stem cells that were harvested a few weeks ago will be infused through his central line just like a transfusion. Evidently, the thiotepa is excreted through the skin and is highly toxic to it, so he will have to take at least four baths a day while he's on it.
The week or two right after the transplant will be especially dicey. His immune system will begin shutting down altogether, and he'll be even more vulnerable to infection, so we'll need to be vigilant.
Young and I were talking tonight about how much we appreciate everything people done for us during this odyssey. Thanks to Young's brother Demian and his wife, Lorraine, who've watched our rambunctious dog, Sparky for weeks, to Patty who is taking him this time, to Ruth who's been such a stalwart visitor, Tammy who's making us breakfast tomorrow before we go. To Cindy for the CD's that entertained Jacob endlessly, Tish for the beautiful photos, Rush and the Nueva 6th grade for the great comments, Lang Anh, Susan and Betty and Mish and Eric and Peter and Steve and Mary and Beth and Sabina and Linda, and all the friends and family who call and email. Thank you so much.
It's going to be a long haul. Please stay in touch; you are our connection to the world outside and we want to keep up on your lives. You can post comments here by clicking on the yellow "Comments" link at the bottom of the post (I think you have to sign up, but it's pretty benign), or email us. If you want to visit, call me on my cell 415 307-5159 and I'll let you know what's happening. Jacob can't have any outside food.
Ellie will be here monday and Alex and Letty will be around. Thank god.
We got a couple calls today that some problems had surfaced on Jacob's preadmission tests. They found some abnormal cells in his spinal fluid, and his adrenal response is on the low end of normal, but neither of these things changes the plan fundamentally.
If I'm reading this protocol correctly, Jacob will get three days of high dose chemo (thiotepa and etoposide) and then have two days "rest". On Day Zero, next tuesday, he'll have the actual transplant; the stem cells that were harvested a few weeks ago will be infused through his central line just like a transfusion. Evidently, the thiotepa is excreted through the skin and is highly toxic to it, so he will have to take at least four baths a day while he's on it.
The week or two right after the transplant will be especially dicey. His immune system will begin shutting down altogether, and he'll be even more vulnerable to infection, so we'll need to be vigilant.
Young and I were talking tonight about how much we appreciate everything people done for us during this odyssey. Thanks to Young's brother Demian and his wife, Lorraine, who've watched our rambunctious dog, Sparky for weeks, to Patty who is taking him this time, to Ruth who's been such a stalwart visitor, Tammy who's making us breakfast tomorrow before we go. To Cindy for the CD's that entertained Jacob endlessly, Tish for the beautiful photos, Rush and the Nueva 6th grade for the great comments, Lang Anh, Susan and Betty and Mish and Eric and Peter and Steve and Mary and Beth and Sabina and Linda, and all the friends and family who call and email. Thank you so much.
It's going to be a long haul. Please stay in touch; you are our connection to the world outside and we want to keep up on your lives. You can post comments here by clicking on the yellow "Comments" link at the bottom of the post (I think you have to sign up, but it's pretty benign), or email us. If you want to visit, call me on my cell 415 307-5159 and I'll let you know what's happening. Jacob can't have any outside food.
Ellie will be here monday and Alex and Letty will be around. Thank god.
# posted by Ann @ 7:50 PM 
