Today is "Day 40" since the transplant! I feel fine and my Vanderbilt doctors tell me that I am doing Very Good! No signs of Graft Versus Host Disease (rejection). As of now, I'll be here until they "release" me on October 30th. Although, if I continue to improve, I may know by the end of September if they will release me early! But, in any case, I will be brought back to Nashvegas every 4 to 6 weeks for the "next year or two" for check-ups.

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Dora Hates You

Sweet!

Good to hear

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Hi. I'm Mike.

Man ding, that's a serious work in progress!

Great to hear!

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I was right.

Friday was Day 50 since my transplant. My Nurse Practitioner (NP) Donna had a very busy schedule so she handed me off to another NP because I was "easy" (a lot of the other Vets need all the help they can get)!!! I see my regular NP again this coming Tuesday. Got to drop one of my daily meds today, and I had my magnesium pills increased so that I shouldn't need any more infusions of "mag" (I've been "border-line")!!!!!!! Another multi-doses-a-day pill will be reduced next week!!!! While we were there this morning Barney overheard my Doctor ask the NP "how is he doing" and her reply was "Mr. Alward is doing OUTSTANDING"! I know that it is too soon to declare victory but, at least I do know that I am "ahead of the curve"!!!!!

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Dora Hates You

Today is Day 76 since the transplant.

Yesterday, my Vandy Doctor told me that my Bone Marrow is 100% Donor!!!! BIG Milestone!!! But, still need continuous testing and such. "Rejection" is always a concern but, so far, there has been none.

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Dora Hates You

Nice job!

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Hi. I'm Mike.

Great news ding!!!!

Today is Day 84.

Had a good talk with one of my Vanderbilt stem cell doctors yesterday morning. I asked and he told me that I can get the COVID vaccination after day 100! Additionally he made it very clear that I need to get the booster.

As of now, unvaccinated bone marrow/stem cell transplant patients have a 40% chance of death from COVID if not vaccinated!!!!!

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Dora Hates You

I got the flu vaccine about 20 minutes ago. There were several people waiting for boosters. All Pfizer, it seemed. There's reason to believe that last winter's social distancing, banning of activities, and masking nearly eliminated flu. This winter there may be less immunity among the general public and the vaccine may be less good than usual--people who determine which strains will be covered had thin information to rely on. Flu was searched for, as usual, but not much was found.

Fooking Yay, , , , , , , !

Yesterday was Day 90 and my lead Doctor told me that I will "Graduate" next Friday, the 29th! I'll be home Saturday night. !!!! He told me that he is sure that I'll be Okay and not to worry about anything as Vanderbilt/VA has the highest success rate in the USA !!!!!
It has been a long 4 months but, I will miss the fantastic medical folks here at the Vanderbilt VA (I am in love with so many nurses, they are poetry in motion !!!).!

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Dora Hates You

Edited: 10/21/2021 at 10:47 AM by dingpatch

YEA!!!!!!!

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BurrysBreak

Inflation caused The BIG BANG...look it up!

WOOT WOOT WOOT WOOT!

So awesome it deserves four!

WOOT!

Make that five!!

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I was right.

Vanderbilt seems to have a huge medical reputation. On the side, Dolly Parton was treated for something at Vanderbilt's hospital and became a friend of her doc. The doc brought a promising covid vaccine that needed funding to her attention. She provided a million. Moderna, I think. Welcome back.

Today is Day 96.

Had my final EKG and MUGA Scan this morning, saw my Nurse Practitioner (NP) and talked with one of my Vandy doctors.

Tomorrow I have my final Pulmonary Functions Test (PFT) and then go downstairs to have my final PET scan !!!! And, as such, That Is IT !!!!!!

I go in Friday morning to see my NP and then have a sit-down with the lead Vandy Doctor and my new "Long Term Care" NP. Then "GRADUATION" !!!!! I'll be home Saturday afternoon.

I told my nurses that I love them and will surely miss them but that if I never see them again it will be too soon !! LOL. LOL.

I still have to do 2 courses of "light" chemo in Lake Nona; the first course is scheduled for 3 days next week. NO PROBLEMS but, it is Vandy's way of doing things given that I "had" MDS and a donor transplant. It is all good. Again, the lead Vandy Doc told me that I should have nothing to worry about; I'm in very good shape and Vandy knows that they have the highest success rate in the nation !!

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Dora Hates You

Edited: 10/26/2021 at 02:46 PM by dingpatch

The journey continues, but this time it's in a positive direction.

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I was right.

Well done.

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Capitalism is based on the ridiculous notion that you can enjoy limitless growth in a closed, finite system.

In biology, such behavior of cells is called "cancer".

I must offer this "Be The Match" video

Be The Match

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Dora Hates You

Edited: 11/02/2021 at 04:00 PM by dingpatch

Today is Day 185.

I drove to Nashvegas last week for my 6 Month check-up. It was colder than Hell up there. 20 degrees and snow the morning I left.

The first morning there they hooked up my Portacath and drew 20 vials of blood. Went back to the hotel to decompress and then drove to Martin's BBQ Joint and had a Big bowl of their new Brisket chili. It is so, so, Very Good !!!

The next morning it was the obligatory Bone Marrow Biopsy (BMB), my 18th !! Vandy wanted to get a big deep-dive sample so my Nurse Practitioners (NPs) Donna and Amanda got to it. My new "Long Term Care NP", Rachel was there to witness. Again, my NP Donna took charge and asked if I was "ready"; "Yes, I've told you before that I long for your tender touch, , , ,". Lots of laughter in the room. She got very good cores, and the tech from Vandy and Rachel were very impressed with her work. Donna showed me the cores. Then I had a very good talk with Rachel and my lead doctor, Dr. S.

Rachel told me that all of my blood numbers were Very Good !! They are still "low" BUT, they are all now within the "normal range" for "normal" people !!! Fooking Yay !!! Dr. S again told me that I am doing Excellent and that at this point it looks like I have nothing to worry about. The results of the BMB will predicate the "Path Forward" of my treatment. Dr. S told me that he was very confident that I was going to be OK because the VA/Vanderbilt Stem Cell Transplant group "is the best". I asked him what he meant (because it seems pretty over-the-top when a doctor says such a thing). "We know we are the best because we are. Our success rates are The Best in the nation !!! Fooking A Bubba !!! I like to hear that from my doctors.

I will still get the "low dose" chemo of Vidaza for 3 days a month, for the next 6 months (starting next week). I again asked Dr. S if this was because of anything to do with "me" ??? "No, this is just how we roll at Vandy. Our research shows us that this is the best course of action to insure that there are no relapses of MDS." He went on to explain to me about the presentation he just gave to the Stem Cell Transplant group at Vandy. I consider him to be one of the very best, Anywhere!! I go back to Nashvegas in July for my One Year.

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Dora Hates You

Edited: 03/02/2023 at 03:22 PM by dingpatch

Today is Day 262 !!

My January labs and Bone Marrow Biopsy, that were done in Nashville, confirm that my "blood DNA" is 100% Donor and that my blood type has "officially" changed from A+ to the Donor's O+.

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Dora Hates You