Well, I received good news and not-so-good news this week.  I met with the stem cell doctor on Thursday. Prior to my appointment, he had just attended a team meeting where my case was presented by my lymphoma radiation oncologist. Immediately after he walked into the exam room I was in, he said the team had agreed on a plan for me. (Love the team consults and communication!) The great news that he told me is that I can do an autologous stem cell transplant. (Interpretation: I can use my own stem cells, so I don’t need a donor!) That’s not only convenient time wise, but it also greatly reduces the chance of complications & chance of rejection that can put me at risk throughout my lifetime. Wonderful, wonderful news! The doctor said there are many studies to back up the effectiveness of an autologous transplant versus the donor type. There is also a study that MD Anderson is currently doing that is evaluating a promising next generation immunotherapy drug that may be a good choice for me to participate in.

The not-great news is that the stem cell process is a long one and I must stay in Houston for at least 12 weeks once radiation ends. In order to get the very best medical care and increase my chances for a cure, my physicians (and my family) believe the wisest decision is for me to stay put. The extremely hard part is being separated from our children for an even longer period of time. We are all ready to be reunited, and instead we are looking at possibly being apart 3-4 times the amount we’ve already experienced.

Thankfully, we have a great support system.  Jonathan’s parents recently took the children to Ohio for a visit and did some fun activities there, and currently my parents are planning to bring them to Texas very soon for a visit. Each one of us is going to need some extra patience during the next several weeks, especially the children because it is hard for them to understand the timeline and why this is taking so long.

A few interesting highlights from my conversation with the stem cell doctor: 1) He will continue looking for a donor, so that we have that in our back pocket if needed – the match can take a long time. 2) I will need two cycles of chemotherapy. The second cycle will be so strong that they will remove the stem cells from my blood stream, refrigerate/freeze the stem cells (that would otherwise be killed off by the chemo) and return them to me via IV after the harsh chemo kills off any last lingering cancer cells, then we will wait for my stem cells to rebuild my immunity while I’m in isolation. 3) I found out that I will have to repeat all of my childhood immunizations because my malfunctioning immune system will be wiped clean. I guess our 3-year-old and I can get our vaccines together. 🙂  4) Knowing that the donor-type stem cell transplant carries a high risk, I wanted the stem cell doctor’s outlook on using my own stem cells instead. I asked if I have a good chance of living a normal life after having the stem cell transplant that he’s coordinating and he said, “Absolutely!” That was wonderful to hear!

I’m so past anxious to get this behind me, but at least I’m seeing visible sustained progress from the radiation treatment, AND we have a plan for the stem cell transplant which is looking optimistic for curing my lymphoma. So I’m seeing a small light at the end of the tunnel!

For now, I have 12 radiation treatments left, and the stem cell transplant coordinator is seeking urgent approval from my insurance to begin my transplant at MD Anderson. They will immediately begin the process following radiation – because of the “super-aggressive” nature of my lymphoma they do not want to wait one single day for it to get a foothold after radiation ends. So, it looks like I’ll be living the Texas life a little longer without a reprieve to Tennessee.

Please pray for: our family as the kids continue to be separated from us and the grandparents care for them, the radiation to put my cancer into COMPLETE remission, the stem cell process to go smoothly & that it is the last stop on this unbelievable journey. Thank you!