+90 Update

Not really anything to update, just awaiting my scans, tests, etc week after next to send me on my way to the long term clinic. In which Ill come back and have regular visits with my regular onc, and also my transplant doc every so often. My double vision still hasnt improved, so Ill be going to see an Neuro Oncologist to see what the deal is. We know that my optic nerves are swollen, just dont know quite why. Its either a BCNU toxicity that has just shown its ugly head, or a condition called Pseudo-tumor Cerbri. Im also have either a viral GI bug, or another episode with GVHD of the gut, we'll see if the steriods work. Well I guess I did have stuff to update! Hope all my fellow cancer fighters are fighting the good fight!

Day +73 Updates

I got my MRI results, and they were negative, along with my CT of my head. So now, I will go to an Opthamologist to see if they can't seem to fix whats going on with my double vision. Can you believe it? My 100 days in Nashville is almost over. I CANT WAIT TO GET HOME!!! I MISS MY KITTY CATS! The anti-rejection medication Cyclosporine is really causing me some problems with pain, but my transplant doc was very adamant that I stay in a therapeutic range to avoid problems with chronic gvhd. Skylar is growing like a weed.. especially her teeth! So that has been a sleep hinderer, its molars too. But more updates when I have them!

Lots of new info

I have had a rough last week, was put in the hospital in renal failure with a potassium of 7. They got that all worked out, and I was able to come back home. So that was scary. Im back on the mend. I have been seeing double the last few days, so Ill probably be having an MRI on Monday. I had a CT scan of the brain and it didnt show anything, so I dont know. I hope they can figure it out, because its really aggravating seeing 2 of everything.

+30 Pet/ct scan results...

NEGATIVE FOR LYMPHOMA! WOOOOOT!

Day +26

Hello all! i havent updated in a while, because, well, there hasnt been much to tell! which in my book is excellent. I had a clinic appt today, and everything looks good, my white count is 3.6, reds and platelets are normal, reds are alittle low. My creatinine is stable, but still high at 1.53. Of course it is Cyclosporine induced, but still nerve racking to know my kidneys are hating this drug so much. Im getting close to bone marrow biopsy time to see how much of "me" is left, and how much my sister is. Hopefully Im almost 100% engrafted and my sister. Its cold here in Nashville, and Im ready to go home. I have to be here till I am at 100 days. I also have no access because of blood clots in both PICC lines I had, so Im on blood thinners. I feel good, Ill update more later!

Day +20, Monday, Feb. 9

Kara's Mom again. Kara is being discharged from the hospital today! We are so excited to be getting out. The last few days have been pretty uneventful - a few issues but mostly normal post transplant issues - She will have daily visits to the clinic this week for blood work and follow up to make sure everything is progressing ok. They will continue to monitor her for GVHD & any other complications. It's a little scary for me leaving the hospital where they have taken such good care of her (I'm not a very good nurse!).

DAY +15 - Wednesday

Kara's Mom again - Praise God! - Kara is improving. Last week was a very rough week but her WBC started slowly coming up on day 10. It was a little early so we didn't get too excited for a couple of days until the counts kept going up each day. So it's official - Katina's stem cells have found their way to her marrow and are starting to grow! (Go Katina!) Kara's WBC was 1100 today and her platelets are almost normal. Her mouth is improving and she is beginning to eat again. From her lab work it seems that her internal organs survived the high dose chemo with no long term damage. There is a fine line between killing the cancer and killing the patient. She still has a long road ahead but she's headed in the right direction. Now we start watching for the graft vs host (GVHD). The doctors say that a little GVHD is good because Katina's stem cells would attack any remaining cancer cells if there were any. The doctor mentioned today that if everything goes ok the next couple of days Kara might get out of the hospital by the weekend. We are excited about that!