Katie's BMT Updates

In case you're interested, here's a look at just how many pills I take per day. Not pictured are any of the pain killers, stool softeners or sleep aids I use on occasion. I'm happy to report that my stomach has gotten a lot better during the last few days and I haven't needed much for pain. However, the steroid I'm on (still Endocort) keeps me sleepless and unsettled. I feel a bit like a junkie each night as I try yet another pill or pill-combination that might give me the relief I need without any zombie-like aftershocks in the morning.

During a recent clinic appointment, I got the results for my Chimerism test -- the blood test I took on Day +30 in order to determine how much of me is "me" and how much of me is my donor. I was shocked to find out that I'm 99% donor, a result I expected to come with cheers and confetti via medical professionals everywhere, but the nurse practitioner remained unmoved. Apparently, your chimerism percentage is just one bit of information within a long line of things that could be good or bad and -- since everything is different for everybody -- nothing can be relied upon to predict an outcome.

There I go looking for certainty again.

In other news, my basic blood counts are still holding, but my liver numbers continue to rise -- only slightly, though -- "not to worry," I'm told. My body is also doing better at holding magnesium and so they've lowered my IV intake and are starting to talk about trying oral magnesium again in a week or so. This last bit of news is encouraging: If I can get off the IV magnesium, they'll take out my Picc line and, since that eliminates one major source for infection, I'll be able to be left on my own for hours at a time.

Last week, the family -- Grandmama, G-Pa, Ian and Zach (and a sundry of friends) -- went on vacation to Bear Valley, leaving me at home with other friends to care for me. (I am hoping that one of the family members will post soon about the trip and share the fun with you all.) It was the longest amount of time I've ever spent away from Zach, so I missed him terribly, but he's getting so good at talking on the phone that it made the situation a whole lot better. I can tell you that he had a blast all around and was fascinated with the fact that prolonged water exposure wrinkles the skin ("Mama, my toes are wrinkly!"). As for me, I got to spend a lot of quality time with people I don't get to see that often, in a quiet house that stayed clean!

Lastly, you may have been wondering where I've been since my last post. You can all blame Kai for turning me onto Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series. It's about a woman from 1945 who accidentally falls back in time, awakes in 18th Century Scotland and falls in love with a hot Scottish highlander. They get in and out of trouble during six very thick novels (I am on number four), with a lot of soft core coupling and even more pledges of undying love. Oh, the things he says to her! In a Scottish accent no less! It's a total page-turner and a good read -- the first book "Outlander" was on The New York Times best seller's list, after all.

much love,
Katie