As we approach the turn of the clock to midnight, I approach Day +7. My team continues its positive evaluation that I am proceeding according to plan. Over the next few days to a week I look forward to my new cells “engrafting.” I am told until that time I will continue to feel a bit off my usual.

Every evening at about 11pm my daily blood tests are drawn. Last night I was found to have a low platelet count and received my first platelet transfusion. I am told this will not be the last blood product transfusion I will need. I am so grateful to those who donate blood. It is a selfless act that helps so many people.

I did take my walking laps around the floor today and passed the 3-mile mark of walking since my arrival 1-week ago. I used to be able to run 5k in under 30-minutes. In my current situation, achieving that in a week doesn’t seem so shabby. So I will keep on trucking

Thanks again for all the support we receive.

Larry and Sharon

Yesterday I began the medication to help in the new cells not rejecting me. I will receive that twice daily via IV in the hospital and will change to oral when I am released. Otherwise not too many changes in my treatment today. Having said that, as is a common theme going from day to day, my own cells that are to be produced in my bone marrow are decreasing. This morning my white cells were still hanging around but too few to count. My platelet counts are getting close to needing a transfusion and same for my red cell counts.Testing is done at 11pm each night so the next days treatment plan can be made.

My clinical team told me this morning that I continue to follow a usual course. In my head the word that popped in was “nominal.”

Those who know me understand that I am a bit of a space cadet. I follow rocket launches to this day. I think what has been created lately with SpaceX able to soft land their booster rockets is amazing. I also like space fiction – Star Wars, Star Trek and so on.

The word nominal is used frequently in rocket launches whether with or without astronauts. Here comes my point. When an astronaut is rocketed from the launching pad, and the ascent is deemed nominal, they are not telling us what the astronauts are feeling with all the extra “G” forces. They have to be impactful and nominal may refer to the trajectory, and it may refer to the vital signs of the people in the capsule’s. I can imagine that there are very physical effects although very little mention is made. Of course these effects are temporary.

When I am told, my course in nominal, that implies I am following the curves based on what is expected. And like an astronaut pulling G forces, I can tell you the nominal is not without physical stress. I am told these stresses, like G forces will accelerate over the several days and then I will somewhat feel better. I am hanging in there. Taking what is thrown at me. Your support is palpable. Thanks,

Larry and Sharon

The chemo phase of this process is over. Hey-Hey. Now we wait for that to take effect. I can tell the treatments are additive as I had a bit more fatigue today. Having said that I did take 2-laps around the hallways today where yesterday I had none.

The new event is to add a medication that calms the new cells down and prevents their chomping away at me. To refresh that is referred to as Graft vs Host Disease (GVHD). I have been told I will be taking this medication for up to a year from now.

The one constant from my stays here is 2019, 2020 and 2022 compared to today, is that I can have as much ice cream as I want – or have an appetite for because my usual appetite is much reduced now. The difference is that the ice cream used to be Haagen Dazs. Now it is some generic brand. Still okay, but just shows that there are cuts to healthcare everywhere.

Tomorrow is another day. I will report in after the days events. Appreciate everybody’s support.

Larry and Sharon

I know, how can this be a half day. Again, based on my transplant cell infusion time the chemo that is usually received on Day +3 and Day +4 was moved up to middle of the afternoon each day.

Today, I received the last blast of chemo. So happy to be writing this. And no way around the side effects, I am fatigued, dry mouthed, and having some GI upset, mostly a feeling of indigestion in my esophagus. I am trying to eat as much as I can although I have been forewarned that the protocols here now include feeding tubes at an earlier stage. If I need that so be it. I have a bit of PTSD from an nasogastric (NG) tube I required in 2015 associated with my colon surgery. That one was to treat an ileus – air in my loops of bowel – and I an told a feeding NG tube is much smaller and softer. I can only hope.

Otherwise, I am told I am following the “normal” curve after a transplant. As I had mentioned about my blood counts. today my bacteria fighting neutrophil counts are virtually zero. My platelets are falling as is my red cell count although they have a ways to go before I might need transfusions.

The next week is the critical week during which time my bone marrow cells have disappeared and we are waiting for the donor cells to begin producing and doing their thing. During this week I will be given supportive therapy whatever form that takes.

I told my doctor today that I do enjoy the day of the summer solstice – June 21. He thought if all goes really well I could be out of the hospital to celebrate that celestial event.

Sharon has been of great support coming to my side daily and I know we both appreciate the messages of support. Thanks so much.

Larry and Sharon

Officially I’m day +2 today. Having said that on Day +3, the plan was to begin my next round of chemo needed to allow the new cells to feel more at home. This chemo is given for 2-days and has to be timed based on when the new cells were infused. As Agent Smart said on Get Smart,” I missed it by that much.” Meaning the clarity of the days. As such, the chemo was started today at 3pm and I will have a second and final dose tomorrow at 3pm.

At team rounds today with my doctor he said I was pretty much a boring case up to this point. All is going as expected. That does not imply that I am having no side effects. I am, and they are the ones expected.

If you are interested in the nitty gritty of blood counts during this process I can tell you my white blood cells are virtually wiped out. That is expected although until the new cells “engraft” and start producing I will be very vulnerable to infections. The staff here is being very careful with me. My red cell counts are down about 3-quarts if you think of oil in a car. If the counts drop another 3-quarts, like a car, I will need some transfusions. Also, not unexpected.

You know I like to walk and on this hospital unit they have the distance mapped out to tell us a mile of walking is 10 loops around the floor. I did that earlier today and received a nice note to post on my door.

That is the report for today. Hope you are well.

Larry and Sharon.