Wednesday, May 25, 2011
5th BIRTHDAY!!!
Today, today, today is the day five years ago that I received lifesaving bone marrow from an unrelated donor who lives in a faraway place. I can only hope and pray that she is fine following the devastating Japan earthquake and tsunami which hit just a few months ago.
Today is a day for celebration!!! At five years, they say the chance of relapse goes way down. Seems like it has been more than five years or, as I've said before, that all that did not happen to me! I have to say our family has fared well even under the extremely stressful and scary circumstances. Scott is at Cal State Long Beach and is majoring in mechanical engineering. Andrew is transferring from Cypress College to Cal State Fullerton and will major in kinesiology. Mark continues to be my rock!
I visited the City of Hope for my five year appointment. Things are really looking up and although my counts are still not all within normal range they are edging closer and closer.
WBC 3.0 (norm 4.0 - 11.0)
RBC 3.92 (3.8-5.2)
HGB 12.9 (11.5-15.5)
PLT 111 (150-350)
My platelets have never broken 100! Woo Hoo... 111 is record breaking for me. My PB. All my other counts and chemistry are within normal limits.
Last month, my brother, Kurt, and I attended City of Hope's, 35th Annual Bone Marrow Transplantation reunion. It's always amazing seeing patients sporting over-sized buttons showing how many years ago their transplant took place. We must not forget those who have lost their battles. Here are a few pictures from the event.
Left Photo from left to right: Myself, Kurt (my brother), Michelle (dear friend and fellow transplant patient 5.5 years post-transplant) and Pat (Michelle and my friend). Right Photo: Michelle, Dr. Nakamura (who helped save my life!) and yours truly.
Left: Christine Pechera and myself. She was in the hospital room right next to me. After being in isolation for so long and being hospitalized for months, I wanted to stir up some trouble... I was trying to think how Christine and I could switch our urine samples or our blood samples and really throw off the doctors... but, then I knew better... I was just trying to have a little fun..... can you blame me?
So, all in all, life is good. I thank God for every single day!
Thank you for continuing to check on me. I appreciate each and every one of you. Your support and prayers have had such a huge impact on so many levels...
love, Nancy (5 years and counting!)
