The time has come and we are finally headed for Seattle. Michael starts treatment there on October 15. The firs t two weeks will be for testing; i.e., EKG, scan, pulmonary function, bones, MRI, Urine, dental, etc. Two days after he arrives he will be sedated and will have a bone marrow biopsy and have a “port” put in called (Hickman catheter). There will be classes on nutrition, and how the caretaker will handle the “pump.” I will go initially and Bob will come later in the month around the 29th.
About 11/3 he will have LOTS OF CHEMO, along with some medication afterwards that will cause his stem cells to mobilize. The intent is to kill all the cancer, and for 3 or days they will gather his stem cells and freeze them for later use. After 30 days, they will do even more heavy chemo and do his auto transplant (using his own stem cells) around 12/3.
At this point, he will get to feeling sicker by the day, and when he needs it, he will go into the hospital for 2 to 3 weeks. When he gets out of the hospital, he will go to the clinic everyday hooking up to fluids and medication.
40-60 days after the auto transplant, they will do 3 days of “light” chemo”, a day of rest, radiation, and the donor transplant. (This is about late January)
After this transplant, we watch him and go into the hospital when he gets sick and pray he does not reject. We will there about 100 days after the donor transplant, putting us getting out of Seattle in May or June, 2009!
All of these times are “ball park,” and we will just do the best we can day by day. KEEP US ALL IN YOUR PRAYERS.
Love Sue
