January 17, 2007

I have some late breaking news. As I was getting my bone marrow biopsy today at OHSU, Noreen from the transplant coordination team came in with the news that Donor 2’s final report just came. This is the donor from the international registry and the best choice because she has had no children. All of her tests are complete and indicate that she is a great match for me (in a stem cell sort of way). Dr. Mauro wants to double check all of the test results, but I’m pretty sure that I will be admitted on Monday, Jan 22, 2007, to start my transplant preparation regime. Donor 2 is scheduled to be at the collection facility, which is near her, on January 30-31. I will receive her transplant cells within 24 hours of collection. I should be out of the hospital in 6-8 weeks and on my way to a long recovery.

Besides getting another bone marrow biopsy this afternoon, over the past 4 days I have received chest X-Rays, an EKG, pulmonary function tests, a MUGA (pictures of my heart with nuclear medicine in my blood stream) and a lot of blood work including an infectious disease exposure panel. These tests are used as bench marks to help monitor negative side effects of any GvHD, Graft versus Host Disease. I had all of these tests in December to prepare for donor 1. Because these tests have to be completed less than 30 day prior to transplant, it was necessary to repeat them all for Donor 2. I am really glad they are all done.

I am not looking forward to undergo harsh chemotherapy in conjunction with full body irradiation to destroy all of the leukemia stem cells in my marrow.

However, that is necessary to finally eliminate them. Should there any stem cells remaining after that, the donor stem cells will eradicate them. At least that is the plan. Of course, God must allow success of the plan or it won’t happen.

Again I thank you all for your prayers and support. It has been a long journey so far (241 days), but finally the time for transplant is here. With your prayers I am confident I can get through this time. On several occasions doctors and nurses have expressed amazement that I have done so well. I have been able to smile at them and explain that I serve a great God who is apparently not finished with me here yet. Some believe and others are suspect. However, they all have listened and considered that truth. It is my sincere hope that each of them and each of you are closer to God now than before.