This is what my myeloma cells look like!
Today is Day Zero -the day I undergo the actual transplant. Yesterday, I received my second vial of the dreaded Melphalan. I sucked on ice chips for about 2 1/2 hours before and after the Melphalan injection, to protect against mouth sores. Today at around 10 am, I get my cells back to replace the ones destroyed by the Melphalan. It is rather anti climatic. Takes about 20 minutes and is rather unexceptional, except I've been warned that the cells carry an odor that is something on the order of "creamed corn". I'm told that I will lose my taste for food and will need to force myself to eat. I'll also get pretty fatigued starting today. And the Melphalan is like a ticking time bomb,which will bring on nausea and other discomforts as soon as tomorrow.
Yesterday was action packed. I took a walk to the outdoor plaza level. Watched an episode of Breaking Bad on my iPad. Read several chapters of a book entitled "Employee of the Year" written by Dmitri Ragano whom I work with at Herbalife. The book is quite good! Received visits from Rabbi Mark Hyman, Ken Goldstein, and Susan who joined me for dinner and a TV interview with her not so secret obsession, George Clooney. That plus the usual tests and medication visits made for a very busy day.
So, I'm still feeling fine, but apprehensive about how I'll be this time tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Dear Ed, Losing your taste for food is cruel! Do you have restrictions on food or can I bring you a pot of chicken soup from Jerry's Deli?
ReplyDeleteI am sending you healing vibes that you get ALL the good cells back to replace the ones that went through Star Wars.
I want to feed you before you get that crummy nasaea you mention~ I am taking Allen for cartaract surgery today but will ring you this morning while in the waiting room
germ free hugs from Jeanne
Thinking about you, Eddie! xoxoxo Kim
ReplyDeleteI am a 59 year old female and I will be starting the SCT process as soon as my insurance company agrees to cooperate. The SCT is something that am both looking forward to and dreading. I appreciate your blog as it is giving me an overview of what I might expect. Good luck and prayers for a long life for both of us. Eileen
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you, Eileen, as well. I'm 59 as well. Here I am on Day 1 - the day after the transplant - and I'm feeling pretty good. Hope it stays that way and that you will also skate through yours.
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