Before the War

...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 ...

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...

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...

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.

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...

....Or so my Aunt Elaine recently put in the wedding anniversary card/gift we received recently (Thank you btw !!). In the writing I sensed a possible "snarky" dig at my complete and utter lack of updates on my progress on this blog.  I could also be wrong :) Anyway, I guess it is about time for an update. In short, everything is going pretty damn well.  I have been to the Abbotsford General Hospital for my 6 week checkup a second time, and everything went well.  It's nice not having to do the long drive in.  I do still have to go into Vancouver every so often to pick up some drugs that are not available out here. My prednisone has been reduced to 5mg / day, but everything else has been held the same.  Once the prednisone has been reduced to nothing for a while, they will start reducing the others. The tingling has gone down quite a bit, or rather I have just integrated the sensation into my normal life.  My muscles sometimes are quite sore in the...

So, I had my first Dr. Appointment in Abbotsford on Tuesday.  Dr. N comes out to Abbotsford every so often to hold a clinic out here.  Everything is on track and status quo.  Prednisone is dropping down to 7.5mg from 10, so in the next few days I will be going through the standard withdrawal symptoms as the body adjusts.  Blood levels are still lower then normal, as expected.  Red and Platelets around 110, with the White good at around 5, but still low on the 'fighter' white cells due to the Anti-Rejection drugs. Hands and Feet are still numb, but I am starting to get used to it when it's minor, but sometimes it flares up where walking is hard.  Something I can live with, and until/if the drugs stop I probably will have to. I have started going to the gym pretty much daily now.  Hurts like hell, but I need to try to get the muscles back or at least stop the loss.  Not to mention I need to work of the extra calories the prednisone is making...