2008-May 29-testing starts & transplant date set

I had a phone conference with Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) today & I start the whole testing process for the transplant in less than 2 weeks. I wasn’t quite mentally prepared to hear that. Even though I would rather have the transplant sooner than later it was still kind of scary to hear everything’s finally starting. Tricia will fly out here Tuesday, June 10. June 11-13 we will have several tests done on us, meet with doctors, go over our medical history, have physicals done, EKG, chest x-ray, etc. etc. I have to have a bone marrow biopsy done that Friday, which I am absolutely being put out for. I will NEVER be awake for one of those again in my life! For the next week or two I will continue with testing-heart test, lung test, dental checkup, meet with a nutritionist, pharmacist, social worker, have a PET scan done, go to various classes, etc. etc. As of right now the transplant is scheduled for Tuesday, July 8. I will have a Hickman catheter put in my chest July 2. Tricia will fly back here July 3 & take neupogen shots for 5 days to produce white blood cells & have her blood checked each day at SCCA. I will have hard core chemo July 4, 5 & 6 to wipe out my immune system again. July 8 I will have total body radiation in the morning & in the afternoon Tricia’s cells will be collected & the transplant will be done. I will be in Seattle for the next 3-4 months.