While waiting for a bone morrow match

Sorry we neglected this blog for a little while, but we all had so much to catch up with that updating the blog was left out. Many of you spoke, emailed or texted with Carol already so our apologies to the ones that didn’t get any news.

Since Carol got home last Monday, things have been closer to normal considering that this is a break before the bone morrow transplant.
Her blood counts from a test done this past Monday showed that they were moving in the right direction. She is even starting to produce some of her own platelets, which her oncologist described as “remarkable”. He also commented that Carol did “unusually well” while at Moffitt, maintaining her sanity and body strength with some of her exercise routines and walking escapades. Also important was avoiding any infections while having low white blood counts during and after the chemo.

Now, while being home, Carol is getting back to her “new normal” life. Walks, yoga, cooking, you name it. Maybe doing all these things at a slower pace, but she just doesn’t stop.

Tomorrow (5/27) Carol will again have a bone morrow biopsy at Moffitt to make sure her Leukemia blast cells are kept at the lowest levels (below 5%) to avoid having to go through another round of chemotherapy. This treatment would help maintain blast cells from propagating.

The fun begins Saturday!
Trevor, Alexia and Isabella will be visiting us for 4 days. Needless to say Carol already plans not to sleep (just kidding) to make these days feel the longest possible. We will probably need to give her some sleeping pills hidden in a smoothie so she gets her needed beauty rest (kidding again).

For the friends and family that inquired about volunteering as bone morrow donors, there is some clarification about what the requirements are for someone interested in becoming a bone morrow donor. Please continue reading below for more detailed information from Carol's sister.
Thank you again.
Jaime


All -

A few clarifications from Moffitt Cancer Center (Christina who works with Anita Davis in the Bone Marrow Transplant Team):

When a sibling is tested, and are not found to be match, they do NOT automatically go into the bank, and must start the registration process on their own !


• When you register online @ www.marrow.org is, after completing a detailed form, they send you a swab kit. There is no required paymenet for the kit, but a donation is optional.
• This is a preliminary step to a blood test that will be required if your swab passes an initial set of genetic "filters".
• If your swab results in 10 genetic factors that match a patients' who needs stem cells, they then contact you & you are asked to obtain a physical and a blood test.
• The patient's insurance covers the blood test (probably the physical, too, but not sure).
• If you cannot commit to being a donor at that time for whatever reason, you will be asked a few health related questions to be sure you are eligible for a future date.

-Susan