100% transfer!

We got the DNA report today and my immune system is now 100% from Ann. All of my cells are gone. So the transplant was successful and I survived with relatively minimal side effects.

LeMaistre does think I'm getting some GVHD, but "some" is a good thing. I'll be wearing long sleeved shirts on the golf course for a couple of years.

Around mid-February we'll do our first set of PET/CAT scan tests to see how well Ann's cells are working against the cancer. I'm betting on Ann!

Merry Christmas!

Rick

Monday, Dec. 17th

I guess no news is good news. Blood counts keep going up in very small increments, but I think I'm way ahead of schedule for recovery from treatment.

Some time in the next week we'll know the % of Ann's immune system. We are looking for 85% plus. I'll post to the blog when I know.

The next major step after that is PET/CAT scans. We should do that in about 60 days (mid-February). It is one thing to recover from the treatment; it is another for the treatment to work. However, last Wednesday Dr. Doty could not feel any swollen lymph nodes. I, also, can not find any and they were pretty obvious before I started treatment.

I'm a little queezy and a little weak and I've lost more weight than LeMaistre likes, but all-in-all I'm doing very well.

Thanks for checking in.

Rick

Monday, December 3rd

Well, this is Day 26 and it was a good day. Dr. LeMaistre said I am doing so well that he's going to let me go to clinic two days a week. That means I can move back to Austin early!

Cindy is going back tomorrow and Mother & I will go up Thursday after clinic. I'll get a long weekend at home this week! Then, some time next week (probably right after clinic on Thursday the 13th) he'll let us move back to Austin and commute down twice a week.

I will come back to S.A. on the 17th, 20th, 24th (maybe), and 27th. Maybe by January I can cut back to once a week.

What a great day!

Rick