Journey to recovery

[Austintacious]

I had my open heart surgery in December to remove a tumor on my heart valve.  Thanks to MD Anderson for finding it last August when they did an echocardiogram as one of many test for my Multiple Myeloma. 

I'm back at MD Anderson where I'm going through four days of tests in preparation for my Stem Cell Transplant to put the Multiple Myeloma into remission.  Luckily for me, they can harvest my own stem cells for the procedure.  Many others have to find a host to donate them.  It makes my procedure simpler and shorter in length.  In mid June, I enter the hospital for 10-14 days when they kill my bone marrow with chemotherapy resulting in losing the rest of my hair.  Half way through they'll do the stem cell transplant and then monitor me for the growth of new bone marrow.  At the end of June, I'll be released to my local residence in Houston for a couple of weeks and monitored daily to check on my progress.  Then I'll be allowed to return home to Austin.

Wish me luck and prayers. 

[kyyote]

I will keep you in my prayers, my friend. I am going to sticky this post so that you can keep us posted and current.
My guess is that you already feel better than before with the ticker working better.
I?m also glad that you are at MD getting the best damned care you can get.

[MinerInWisconsin]

Best wishes and prayers for you Austin. Lots to go thru but isn't it amazing what modern medicine can do nowadays? Hope you will be home watching Miner football soon. That's not usually good therapy but maybe this year it will be.

[Minermojo]

Austin, get well my friend. Y'all are part of this Miner family in this site. Don't watch any Miner football though, it's not good for one's health.

[Austintacious]

Yesterday, I had my echocardiogram.  That's the same test that found the mass on my left atrial in August 2022.  It necessitated open heart surgery to remove the myxtoma (tumor) last December.  I'm still not a 100% recovered from that but enough to continue with the Stem Cell Transplant. 

MD Anderson is a big place.  In teaching high school, I did about 3,000-4,000 steps a day.  Walking around MD Anderson to all my appointments, I'm doing almost 6,000-7,000 steps a day.  It's a big facility.  To get from Elevator C to Elevator A or Elevator B are long walks.  But to get to Elevator T in another building is too long.  Luckily, they have a tram to get there and back.  If I was in better shape I would have walked it.  But my knees are worn out from my athletic days including playing adult soccer and refereeing it as well until my late 50s.  Last night my legs were aching. 

[SisyphusMiner]

Just said a prayer for you my friend.  Hope all goes well.

[kyyote]

Physically, the medical folks are the best you can get.  Mentally, having had multiple heart attacks when I was 39, you control.  You have a limited amount of mental energy available.  Use it.  Attitude is everything.  You are going to get an opportunity to demonstrate your strength and iron will to all.  You tighten up your belt a couple of notches, set that fuckin' jaw, and go kick some ass!  6k steps gives you a chance to get into soccer shape!  Who's a bad ass?  Who's a Badass!  You have the strength that only a Miners' fan can know.  Tough?!  Shit!  You're Miners tough!  You're a badass!  You show those folks at MD Anderson how a Miner rolls.  You're a teacher.  A fricken math teacher!  You teach badass!  Different subject, but you teach how a badass handles tough stuff. 

[KiddMiner]

Prayers for you Austin.

[liebestraum]

Had a scare myself last year when they found blood clots on my lungs.  But what you?re going through is much tougher.  Prayers for you, my friend.  I?ll do what I can to keep hurricanes from heading this way while you are down here.

lieb

[Austintacious]

Monday, I started daily injections meant to raise my white blood cell count.  This is help with the stem cell collection.  On Tuesday, they installed the CVAD line in my chest below my collarbone.  It is three lines.  One is to draw blood for testing.  Two are for the stem cell collection.  One of those draws the blood into a centrefuge (sp) where the stem cells are collected and then the blood is returned to me in the other line. 

Thursday's blood test specimen indicated we could start the collection.  I was hooked up to the machine for four hours.  I laid in a bed while this process took place.  Once started, they cannot stop it.  If I needed to go to the bathroom, they would provide a urinal.  I was a little achy after it was done.  I won't know the count of stem cells collected until this morning.  I'll be hooked again this afternoon for another day of collection.  They've created appointments for Saturday in case we need to do a third day. 

[Minermojo]

Wow, that's a lot to be going through Austin. Stay strong I'm sure your family needs you as well as us, your adopted family.

[Austintacious]

Thursday, the collected amount of stem cells was 4.33 million with a goal of 6 million. Friday, an additional 4.32 million stem cells were collected for a total of 8.65 million. Thus, I didn?t need to do more collection on Saturday.  I exceeded the goal by 2.65 million stem cells.  Being able to use my own stem cells for the transplant is a big deal because it makes my recovery easier than someone who has to use a donor.  Using a donor makes recovery more complicated. 

[KiddMiner]

Amen Brother

[kyyote]

You are in my prayers, my friend.

[Austintacious]

Wednesday I started my stay in the hospital. I got my chemo treatment that evening. Thus began the killing of my bone marrow. Today I got my stem cell transplant. Of the 8.65 million cells they only needed 4 million for the transplant. It will take 7-9 days for the stem cells to become fully operational and create new bone marrow. When I reach 70% recovery I?ll be released to my local housing. In the next two weeks I?ll be monitored as an outpatient.