The transplant went well. In 25 minutes all the stem cells were delivered. The doctors told me I would react a bit because of the different blood type, I would shake a bit and have some fever... Well, that was an understatement! I haven't been that ill in my whole life! The following night my temperature was around 40° and I felt terrible. Worse than the rabbit serum. Yesterday, around noon time things got a little bit better. As I'm writing this at 5 in the morning, I can't sleep now, even though they've given me a sleeping pill.
Well, now I have to wait 10 to 14 days until the new stem cells start to work and one or two weeks after that I can go home. I start to look forward to that!
Thanks again for all your reactions!!! I wish I could reply on them personally, but for now, I don't find the energy...
Today is D-day. I find it a very good metaphor, thinking of June 6, 1944. (I admit I had to look that up :)) The allied invasion for my liberation. It's only ironic because the enemy in this case is my own bone marrow. H-hour is around 1600 hours.
As you can see, I feel alright today. (some might even think I'm crazy) Saturday and Sunday I felt a lot worse. I reacted very badly on the rabbit-serum. First I started to shake uncontrollably and then my temperature started rising very fast to 39° and more, the nurses checking my temperature and blood pressure every hour, not giving me much chance to sleep. The fever lasted until next morning, but they had told me the first day was always the worst. When they started again, the reaction came a bit later but my temperature went even higher than before to 40°. Luckily on Monday, the reaction was much better and yesterday my temperature was not higher than 37°. Today this treatment is over. In fact every treatment is over. This afternoon they give me the stem cells, just one or two baxters, and after that, they will only give things to avoid or treat the unavoidable side-effects. The transplant won't take long, not more than an hour, but that's just the start. The whole process will take months. The new stem cells have to settle into my bone marrow, or actually become my new bone marrow. That's why this is a kind of rebirth. I will even need a total revaccination like a baby.
Thank you all for the courage you have sent me and still send me. I use it on the heavy days.
