Just Cruisin'

Clinic Visits

More Platelets Please

Just a Little GVHD, Thank You

The Bandit is Loose

Drugs, Anyone?

Chemo + Steroids = Fuzzy Hair

Aside from clinic appointments, our schedule has been low key. This would be a good time for me to get caught up on projects and chores, but that makes too much sense. The heat and humidity have been miserable, and I detest weather of this type. It makes me so ssslllllooooooowwwww. Lower temps have settled in for the near term, and I can feel my ambition ramping up. Better go have a cold one before I get carried away.

JoJo's visits to the clinic have become mostly routine. The current issue lies in trying to figure out why her platelets are low. It could be a variety of things so we will continue to work through it by process of elimination. She had a transfusion of platelets yesterday so we will mark time while waiting to see how they affect her. The waiting room at the BMT Clinic is an interesting place what with bald people in masks who are in remarkably cheerful moods given their circumstances. It's like going to Cheers, where everybody knows your name. And like most bars, there is usually at least one customer who looks like they are about to vomit. There are lots of not so good days in one's transplant experience.  

JoJo's graft vs host disease is currently under control, and she is gradually being weaned off the steroids that fight the GVHD. In a perfect world, she will come off the steroids in a couple more weeks and the GVHD won't return. It could come back at a later date as a chronic form, but let us not get ahead of ourselves.

GVHD is one of those side effects of allogeneic transplants that are often a beneficial evil. About half of the patients get some form from mild to fatal. It occurs when the donor cells view the patient host as a foreign body and attempt to reject it. In a typical organ transplant, the patient host sees the donor organ as  foreign and fights to reject it. In a stem cell transplant, it is just the opposite. The beneficial aspect is that the same donor cells that are trying to kill off the host are also trying to kill off cancer cells because they can't tell the difference. It is a good omen.

GVHD either happens or it doesn't. There is nothing that can be done to prevent it. If and when it occurs, you treat and hope it goes away. Often it does, sometimes it doesn't. Very comforting, eh?

At this point in time, JoJo and I get out just about every day. We take all the necessary precautions to protect her against infection as shown in the included photo. Occasionally we are tailed by law enforcement or Homeland Security, but there have been no diplomatic incidents as yet. Between antibiotics and her increasing immune strength, we are comfortable getting around. We try and minimize contact by hitting restaurants or shops during off hours and staying away from crowds. The biggest issue is stamina. JoJo has very little so her activity is pretty well self limited, but she is getting stronger slow but sure.

And of course, she is under the vigilant eye of her caregiver, the inimitable Loooove Doctor, who monitors her every move while administering the extensive pharmacopoeia, which continues to grow.

The chemo did away with all of JoJo's hair. Now the steroids are promoting hair growth. Unfortunately, it is sometimes in places where you would rather not have it. All of that will self correct once she gets through the steroids. The head of hair that is slowly returning won't be featured on any magazine covers in the near future, but as in all things cancer related, patience is the paradigm. I sense expensive visits with the hair stylist in our future, and I am guessing they won't be covered by the insurance plan. Tax deductible? It's worth checking.

So its all good right now. We are at Day 85; less than 3 weeks to the significant 100 Day milestone. PET scans and another, yes another bone marrow biopsy, will give us a good read on progress. For now, I get to see courage in action every day. JoJo is one tough muthah! And she does a good job of keeping a smile on her face. She would like to send thank you cards to those of you who have done her good deeds, but her hands are very shaky making handwriting an illegible endeavor. Be patient. This too shall pass.

Thanks for your continuing thoughts and prayers. We know we have consumed more than our share and are grateful. Keep the faith.

Cancer Sucks