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A decade of life

So around 11pm Pacific time tonight, it will have been 10 years since the bone marrow transplant. I am still alive.  It is a gift, and with so many others who have passed, I can say I certainly have survivors guilt.  Have I made the most out of the 10 years?  Did I live life to the fullest? From someone looking outside in, or even if I just look back myself, I would probably go on the side of not.   Would have have made different choices though?  Also probably not.  Some of the paths I took are just in my core, my being, and a cancer transplant didn't replace those. Could I have travelled more?  Seen More? Done more with Family? I could have, but at what consequences?  What gambles should I have taken?  I have not hit the jackpot, where someone outside would say "Wow, he really made the most out of those 10 years though!", but no one will say "He walked away empty handed and destitute" I am alive and mostly healthy.  I can walk, I c...
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Too often, we loose

Shannon McNeil, wife of my cousin, Dan McNeil, lost her battle against cancer back on November 17th.  http://shanielmcneil.blogspot.ca/ F%#k cancer, and the horse it rode in on.
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3 year old Lethargic Old Man

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...I had to think of a good opposite to 'bouncing baby boy'. Happy 3rd Birthday to me ! Three years ago today, I received my Stem Cell transplant.  I seem to be so far going good ! News over the last year ? Nothing too exciting.  I am now down to every 6 months between checkups with my oncologist and they feel everything is going very well.  I am getting monthly phlebotomy where they take out a pint of blood, and chuck it into the wastebin.  The reason is to try and lower my iron levels which are crazy high due to all the blood transfusions. The GVHD symptoms have been benign, and result in very dry flaky skin on the head and face.  My hair while very fast growing is just too thin to let grow long.  After it get about a cm long, it just looks horrible, like I am a cancer patient.  Keeping the hair also winds up making the GVHD rashes on my scalp worse.  I just shave it daily now. Other than that, everything is good, and I am one ...
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Ha ! I knew it !!

I knew it ! http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f2424 Summary : "Surgeries on Friday Are More Frequently Fatal ... compared to those who opt for really bad Mondays" There is a reason the blog's url is "Bite Me Friday" ! See : http://bitemefriday.blogspot.ca/2009/07/pretty-basic-friday-stuff-in-3d.html http://bitemefriday.blogspot.ca/2009/06/its-friday.html http://bitemefriday.blogspot.ca/2011/02/just-cant-get-enough.html http://bitemefriday.blogspot.ca/2009/07/guess-what-its-friday.html And let's not forget : http://bitemefriday.blogspot.ca/2009/06/fridays-suck.html Other than that, I am still alive and doing good.  I still see an oncologist every 3 months now, and there is some super minor GVHD symptoms (dry skin/rash on head/chest) but I don't need to take anti-rejection drugs, etc. Also, we have found out some information about the donor.  I will not say more than that as she has provided her info to me, not you ;) I will post an u...
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Blood turns 2 !

Happy 2nd Birthday - To Me !!! Oct 27, 2012 will be 2 years since my stem cell transplant. Going Strong !! I will now take this opportunity to brief you on an important message from our sponsors, me: Money. There is a common problem that affects many of us nowadays. There is just too much of it.  Money everywhere, cluttering up the floor, getting stuck in the furniture, etc. Sometimes it can create a fire hazard - Those $50 bills burn like nobody's business. Do what I did, and get rid of your excess money before it causes you harm ! As some of you know, in 2009 I was diagnosed with Leukemia, after a few rounds of Chemo it looked like it was gone.  Unfortunately, just about a year later, it came back. In October of 2010 I received a Stem Cell transplant, and so far the Leukemia has stayed away, and I have returned to a mostly normal life with only a few minor issues. On October 20 – SATURDAY !, just a few days before what I call my 2nd Birth...
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2012

2012 I made it to another year ! Yay me! Another stellar delay before posting an update, but it has been a very busy time - work, Halloween, work, trip to the Island, work, Christmas, work, New Years, work. In my last update, I was off Prednisone, and now, I am off Cyclosporin. I am still on the Anti-Pneumonia, Anti-Viral, and blood pressure pills until the end of the month, and then I can stop all but the blood pressure pills. So far everything has been clear for GVHD, but my energy levels have been taking a pretty big hit. Next doctor visit is in March.
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Happy 1st Birthday !!

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Well, first off, Googling first,birthday,transplant for an image for todays message is not a good idea unless you're looking for a bummer trip. So, yes, here we are, or more importantly here I am, one year after getting my stem cell transplant. I went for my checkup on Tuesday, and everything is going good.  I am off the Prednisone !!! So, now we get to see a big glimpse as to how well my donors stem cells jive with the rest of my body.  So far things have been very good, but I have been on a lot of Anti-Rejection drugs.  Even in its weakened state, my shinny new immune system has been working pretty darn good.  I have been able to dispatch the colds that have taken down the kids with only a few sniffles and coughs. We received the consent form today (how timely, thanks to Sonja) to give consent to provide information to the my Donor. I am back again in 1 month for another appointment to see how everything is doing after the drop in prednisone. I am looki...
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