February 12, 2007

It is day +11 since I received my new stem cells. According to the doctors sometime in the next 5-6 days is when we should see my blood cell counts start to rise. The rising counts will confirm that the new stem cells are engrafting in my marrow and they are producing good cells.

The blood cell counts will start rising slowly for the first few days and may even bounce up and down on the way up. Once the total white count reaches 500-800 then the rise will increase much faster. A successful engraftment will be official when my ANC (absolute neutraphil count) reaches 1500 for two consecutive days.

One very common condition that occurs to transplant patients is mucositis. It is a side effect of chemotherapy and total body irradiation and is heightened because my white blood counts are so low. Sores have developed in my mouth, making it very hard to swallow due to extreme pain. I didn’t get sores until a couple of days ago, which is a real blessing.

Most patients start getting sores within a few days of the chemotherapy and have the sores spread until their blood counts rise. In fact, a large percentage of patients have mucositis so badly that they are on a pain medication pump and are fed through an IV. My mucositis pain has been controllable and I am still eating ok.

Other that mouth pain my days have been very uneventful. I used to say boring, but have found that uneventful days are far superior to days when something new has happened. Something new seems to bring with it a feeling of “slight pressure”. Slight pressure is a term used by medical personnel that means extreme pain.

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers.