Planning for Bone Marrow Transplant

 

This week has been crazy, full of appointments, including a lumbar puncture, infusion of chemo, and a dentist appointment, among others. The main thrust for the increase in appointments is the upcoming Bone Marrow Transplant. 

Monday's meeting with the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) team was a long day because we saw so many people, each collecting and giving out their piece of information. But how nice it was to get some questions answered about BMT. One major takeaway is how big of a deal it really is, and it’s pretty overwhelming. It is so involved that they provided us with an inch and a half binder of information we must read. In addition, we have to attend a class where we learn more. Many other things have to be completed, including medical tests, blood workups, meeting with a psychologist, contacting family about donation, insurance approvals, and even a dental appointment to ensure the teeth are not likely to get infected. That is just for starters. Then, I will prepare the house for when I come home from a 14- and 28-day stay in the hospital. The whole thing has to be sanitized and made as free from dust as possible, and we're not talking about just a general cleaning. It includes washing the blinds, cleaning the carpets, cleaning air ducts, changing furnace filters monthly, using sanatizing cleaner on all surfaces (door knobs, handles, cabinets, counters etc.) any were I may touch and that has to be done everyday, and much more. Needless to say, it is a bit overwhelming.

We also have to establish a caregiver to be with me 24 hours a day for the first 100 days from the beginning of the BMT in case of complications and just general care. Fortunately for me, I have my eternal companion who has already been fulfilling that role in a way only someone with forever love can do. She loves me more than I can understand, and I hope she truly understands how much I love her for her sacrifice. 

From what we are to understand, BMTs are very difficult to go through physically as well. For example, there is an intense dose of Chemo that is administered just before transplant that kills off all the stem cells in the body, which comes with some pretty tough side effects. In addition, a full-body radiation treatment will only add to the possible pain and discomfort. However, the doctors informed us that due to the aggressive nature of my cancer, the treatments I have already been receiving are very similar to those I will get, so it should not be as bad an experience for me as it is for others. 

Once they kill off the stem cells in my bone marrow, leaving me with no immune system, there is a major risk for infections like pneumonia, etc., so the risk at this point is very high. But they quickly infuse the new stem cells into the body through a process similar to a normal blood transfusion through an IV. The stem cells begin to find their way to the bone marrow and start growing new healthy blood cells. The donated cells can come from several sources. A sibling has a one in four chance a being a perfect match. If they are not a match, then there is a national donor list where they can usually find a match. In my case, they feel very confident that they can find a match for me. So fortunately, it is not like waiting for a liver or heart, but still, there is worry in the process of finding the right match. 

So I will be hospitalized for a time to protect me as much as possible and for close monitoring, and then I will be released into the hands of my caregiver to go home. The first 100 days are the most vital. It is hoped that within the first 10 - 14 days, the new stem cells have taken hold and started producing new blood cells that are healthy and effective. Then it is just a matter of waiting and watching for new cell growth and improvement in my immune system. 

So, the stakes are very high once they start the process, and getting ready is a major challenge of its own. We are very hopeful that we are heading for a cure, not just a “Get you by”, as the cells are all little miracles of new life. 

Again, I am drawn upon the Savior for the strength to make it through all of this. In my study, I have been drawn to two different conference talks. One by Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “Why Marriage, Why Family” (April 2015 General Conference), and Elder Bednar's talk “Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins” (April 2016 General Conference). They both are steeped in doctrine, and it requires one to slow down and study them in detail to fully understand them.

For example, Elder Bednar talks about the ordinance of how receiving the gist of the Holy Ghost is so vital to our remaining clean

 “Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost is an ordinance administered in the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood. In the process of coming unto the Savior and spiritual rebirth, receiving the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost in our lives creates the possibility of an ongoing cleansing of our souls from sin. This joyous blessing is vital because “no unclean thing can dwell with God.” 

What glorious doctrine that this gift is vital in returning to our Father in Heaven, and also living with joy while here on earth. I learned so much that it is hard to express without spending an hour typing, and with my typing skills, you may see a paragraph or two.  

Again, the detail about the doctrine of the family. Elder Christofferson breaks it down in detail and even in four sections, and talks beyond just having a good marriage, etc. He talks about the Father's plan and how family and marriage fit, and how it is not just about the couple and their love, but a much bigger part of the entire plan. “A family built on the marriage of a man and woman supplies the best setting for God’s plan to thrive.” As I said, both talks require a slowdown and review.

It is amazing how the Lord works. As I was reviewing these talks, deciding what to put in the blog, I found some doctrine that I have been seeking for a very long time. Here I am writing a blog unrelated to my topic, and in a scripture that, in the context it was being used at the time, had nothing to do with my topic, but there my answer was. I testify that the Lord is mindful of us, and if we are actively studying his doctrine, he will reveal things to us in his time and on his appointed day. 

“For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.” (2 Nephi 28:30)

May the Lord bless you with all you stand in need, and even in the depths of trial, we can find hope. When we pray, we can always pray for a cure, but it can’t stop there; we must pray for things like strength to endure, patience in suffering, gratitude for the blessings, and much more that we do receive along the way.