Hello, today is the day I have chosen to inform you all that I will be having a bone marrow transplant in April. I made my formal decision last week but haven’t felt up to writing about it, or talking about it since, thus the delay of this message. I won’t put off discussing my thought process as I have noticed that most every time I do that I never return to the original topic, so here we go.
Decision: At present I have made a decision, but I am not completely comfortable with it, which is unfortunate and a source of frustration. But that is life and I am making efforts, within my own thoughts to adjust this comfort level but no success so far. No matter how I looked at the options the numbers spoke clear and loud, “have the transplant”. Long term cure percentage with just chemo is around 20% compared to 70% with a transplant. While I feel that had I chosen to end my treatment with just chemo I would have been confident with that 20% success rate, I am not prepared to play that game at this stage in my life. So I have reached the point of choosing my road, now I must begin to focus and place all my efforts in that direction, which was very difficult as I didn’t really want to talk about that selected direction. But as the days have passed my original “confident, controlling, and aggressive” attitude has begun to return to original levels as if this is the first part of my fight. My comfort level has not increased, may be I’ll never be comfortable with my decision but I feel that I am moving in the direction of accepting it and I feel that is important.
Dates and Schedule: The official date is April 13th, that is the transplant date. I will be heading to Toronto for a pre-transplant assessment on March 30th, i.e. bone marrow test (this will be my 4th), lung capacity and other physical stuff, and of course many blood tests. This date may be moved a day or two either way as other tests may be required. Whatever the date I will most definitely be returning home for a few days before heading back to TO for about 8-9 weeks. My pre-transplant chemo starts on April 5th, I will receive chemo as an outpatient for 5 days, and will be admitted on the 9th. I’ll have 2 chemo treatments (10th and 11th) as an inpatient bringing us to the 11th, Monday the 12th is a day off, and on the 13th I will receive radiation treatment and the transplant. That is the schedule as far as I know it. It is different than what was described during my February visit but I have been assured that this is the proper treatment schedule. As I mentioned I will be in TO for approximately 8-9 weeks, but this is an impossible number to predict, it may be lower it may be higher depending on how well the transplant goes and the number and severity of complications that arise during the weeks immediately following. I am counting on being there for 2.5 months but have no real expectations of when I’ll be home, I have an open ended ticket to match my open ended mind.
It all comes back to Hockey: For those of you who don’t know I have not been fighting Leukemia, but instead playing the biggest hockey series of my life. And we are currently playing Game 3 of the series. The hardest game in any series is the clincher, and this series is no different, as we look for the clean sweep it is fitting that Game 4 represent the biggest challenge yet. While I am still concentrating on Game 3 I can’t help but think ahead and ponder the challenges Game 4 has instore. Of course I won’t let my focus get too out of wack, just enough to ensure solid preparation for Game 4.
There you have some idea of my thoughts, forward questions, comments and concerns. I’ll be in touch with new info as I get it, outside of that I’ll get you posted on other events as usual.
Take Care,
Geoff
#4
