Yesterday, I got my new ports which will accept the stem cells. My existing port is too small for the cells to go through. While stem cells are only about 8.2 microns* (+/- 1.1 microns), which is about the size of red blood cells, they stick to the side of the tubes and so they need a relatively larger tube.
The surgery to put in my ports went poorly though. I was told that I would be put under. When I got down to surgery, I was told that I would not be put under, but would be given pain meds and anti-anxiety meds such that I would not feel anything and would not really care. I was fine with this, since it is what they did when they put in my original port, and all I felt was a little bit of pressure. However, this time, it did not work. They tripled the dose, but to no effect. Luckily the area was locally numbed, so it did not hurt much, but I could definitely feel it, and was definitely stressed. I need to talk to someone about the fact that all they did was increase the dose of a medication that was not working.
Anyway, I survived, and in the scheme of things it is pretty minor. If that is the most pain that I go through before the end, I will be a lucky guy. The new port was pretty sore yesterday, but today it is much better. They also pulled my PICC line, which went into my arm, so everything goes through the new central line in my chest. I really have more holes in my chest than a person should.
Tomorrow is my stem cell transplant. Below is a chart on how the stem cells turn into all the other blood cells in the body. It is sort of amazing to me that I have to replace all my blood cells just to stop the cancerous B cells. The chemotherapy effects all the blood cells, and it is the red blood cells, the neutrophils, and the platelets that I keep track of when I talk about my numbers going up or down.
As a random factoid, NK in the NK cell stands for Natural Killer, because it is so good at wiping out infectious material. The T cells and the B cells are actually NKT cells and NKB cells, but the NK is dropped for ease.
It is too bad that there is no way to leave the lower types of cells alone and only target the upper types of cells. Eventually, I suppose they will have some way of doing that. I am lucky that I live in a time when they at least have stem cell treatment now, so that there is a chance of fighting off this disease. Just 10 years ago this was a much more dangerous disease.
As far as I can understand, my job now is to avoid getting an infection, and to avoid host-donor disease. Host-donor disease is when either the host or the donor cells reject the other. There are various medicines that help with that, but they lower your immune system and increase risk of infection. I think I am pretty laid back, so I hope that my cells are too, and have no problem with these foreign cells moving in and taking over the job of blood cell production. I am basically firing my bone marrow stem cells for incompetency and outsourcing to immigrants. Does this make me a bad person? :)
The surgery to put in my ports went poorly though. I was told that I would be put under. When I got down to surgery, I was told that I would not be put under, but would be given pain meds and anti-anxiety meds such that I would not feel anything and would not really care. I was fine with this, since it is what they did when they put in my original port, and all I felt was a little bit of pressure. However, this time, it did not work. They tripled the dose, but to no effect. Luckily the area was locally numbed, so it did not hurt much, but I could definitely feel it, and was definitely stressed. I need to talk to someone about the fact that all they did was increase the dose of a medication that was not working.
Anyway, I survived, and in the scheme of things it is pretty minor. If that is the most pain that I go through before the end, I will be a lucky guy. The new port was pretty sore yesterday, but today it is much better. They also pulled my PICC line, which went into my arm, so everything goes through the new central line in my chest. I really have more holes in my chest than a person should.
Tomorrow is my stem cell transplant. Below is a chart on how the stem cells turn into all the other blood cells in the body. It is sort of amazing to me that I have to replace all my blood cells just to stop the cancerous B cells. The chemotherapy effects all the blood cells, and it is the red blood cells, the neutrophils, and the platelets that I keep track of when I talk about my numbers going up or down.
As a random factoid, NK in the NK cell stands for Natural Killer, because it is so good at wiping out infectious material. The T cells and the B cells are actually NKT cells and NKB cells, but the NK is dropped for ease.
It is too bad that there is no way to leave the lower types of cells alone and only target the upper types of cells. Eventually, I suppose they will have some way of doing that. I am lucky that I live in a time when they at least have stem cell treatment now, so that there is a chance of fighting off this disease. Just 10 years ago this was a much more dangerous disease.
As far as I can understand, my job now is to avoid getting an infection, and to avoid host-donor disease. Host-donor disease is when either the host or the donor cells reject the other. There are various medicines that help with that, but they lower your immune system and increase risk of infection. I think I am pretty laid back, so I hope that my cells are too, and have no problem with these foreign cells moving in and taking over the job of blood cell production. I am basically firing my bone marrow stem cells for incompetency and outsourcing to immigrants. Does this make me a bad person? :)
I'm getting your post on THE day! Good luck! Godspeed! Huge amounts of love and hugs!! Happy new stem cells! Happy wedding between new stem cells and old body (but not very old)! Oh geez, we didn't even manage to get a phone call in--I so desperately need to revamp my life (more on that later)! Go Leif!! Cat and I are cheering and rooting for you! Talk about an endurance test--how many marathons do you think your last few months equate to? Wishing you all the relaxing and healing in the world. Much love.
ReplyDeleteWell, 2 grays of total body radiation is about what one would get from two round trips to Mars (assuming one doesn't get hit by a solar flare.) Depending on the route, that's equivalent to something like 100 million marathons. Go Leif!
DeleteAwesome, Doug. I hope though, that this won't disqualify me from going to Mars when we finally have commercial transport. This process is taking about as LONG as it would take to get to Mars and back as well. I wish I was going to Mars instead of being stuck in a hospital room. However, some days I pretend that it is training for the trip. Do you think that the astronauts will be able to have a high speed internet connection?
DeleteVery high speeed...but only one way!
DeleteSending you gentle, loving transplant vibes Leif, hoping the immigrants like their new home and don't do too much redecorating! love you!
ReplyDeletePrue
Sounds like you are getting holy, Leif, bc with all these ports, Pic lines, IV's....sounds pretty hole-y to me! Boo bad surgery! But glad you are still trucking on. Don't ask me to read that chart...it makes my head hurt. Glad, somehow, it makes sense to someone.
ReplyDeleteI have way more holes in my chest than a person a should. If I get a scar from it, I am thinking about having a tattoo (despite my fear of needles). Perhaps a biohazard symbol.
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