Extraction Underway
As I write this, Lisa is doing her second apheresis which extracts stem cells from her blood. She went in yesterday and they extracted 2.3 million stem cells. While I am really impressed by her ability to pump out 2.3 million stem cells in just a few hours, they need to get at least 5 million and would like even more. Apparently, they can often get that many in one try, but sometimes it requires 2 or even 3 tries. Apparently, they time the harvest for when most people peak in their output of stem cells following the 4 day Neupogen regimen. However, different people peak at different times, and it may be that Lisa will peak today (she got another shot of Neupogen yesterday and will get another this morning), but they will do a third day of extraction if needed.
Because she has a catheter in her neck for doing the extraction, she stayed in a room at the hospital last night. I went to visit her and am amazed at how cheerful and extremely positive she continues to be. I am blessed indeed to be partnered with her through this process. She is a real inspiration and I love her dearly.
I am still on schedule to go into the hospital on Thursday to start my conditioning with the actual insertion of Lisa’s stem cells on the following Thursday, August 19.
I am also blessed to be partnered with my loving wife and loving children who also continue to be so totally supportive. We are all planning to go to the orientation at Jeans Hospital this afternoon to get a better idea of what to expect from the hospitalization and home care time. I will try to report back here tonight or tomorrow about some of those details.
I also continue to be amazed and humbled by the love and support of people in all aspects of my life, including people I don’t even know. People in the community where I live, where I work, and from my past whom I haven’t seen much over the last several years have truly been angels in my life. I have also become aware of some people I have never met and never will meet who have prayed and offered blessings. Whether they know it or not, all these people are allowing themselves to be instruments and messengers of God which literally makes them angels, and I thank the Lord for them.
Because she has a catheter in her neck for doing the extraction, she stayed in a room at the hospital last night. I went to visit her and am amazed at how cheerful and extremely positive she continues to be. I am blessed indeed to be partnered with her through this process. She is a real inspiration and I love her dearly.
I am still on schedule to go into the hospital on Thursday to start my conditioning with the actual insertion of Lisa’s stem cells on the following Thursday, August 19.
I am also blessed to be partnered with my loving wife and loving children who also continue to be so totally supportive. We are all planning to go to the orientation at Jeans Hospital this afternoon to get a better idea of what to expect from the hospitalization and home care time. I will try to report back here tonight or tomorrow about some of those details.
I also continue to be amazed and humbled by the love and support of people in all aspects of my life, including people I don’t even know. People in the community where I live, where I work, and from my past whom I haven’t seen much over the last several years have truly been angels in my life. I have also become aware of some people I have never met and never will meet who have prayed and offered blessings. Whether they know it or not, all these people are allowing themselves to be instruments and messengers of God which literally makes them angels, and I thank the Lord for them.
1 Comments:
From Wayne:
It's good to hear that everything seems to be going about as well as it could. Medical care today is truly amazing and we are all with you on this one, Justin.
I know how hard it is to walk yourself into the hospital when you're feeling pretty normal, knowing that you're committing yourself to a rough journey. It's scary and depressing, but after that, it's just a matter of recovering. (:->)
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