Ken had his Stem Cell Transplant. This is it. This is where we need positive thoughts and prayers more than ever. We need those tiny cells (actually the biggest cells in the body!) to do their thing, find their way into Ken's bone marrow, and take root, setting up his new, healthy immune system.
You'd think something as major as a Stem Cell transplant would be super complicated and a major event. But really, it's not. For all the miracle that it is, it's as simple as hanging another IV bag on Ken's IV 'tree', and running those little miracles through a line and into the port in his Hickman line.
Ken is on a whole pile of new medications now - anti-rejection drugs on top of the previous score of anti-biotics, anti-virals, anti-fungals, and anti-emetics. He's got a few new ones of those too. Far too may to keep track of.
Ken is strong, and I know he'll get through this. The wear and tear on his body right now is immense, but he's staying positive. The little things help... right now, we're reading a really awesome book together. Well, when I was with him after the transplant, I was reading it to him, because he was too ill and his head hurt too badly to be able to read it himself. We're less than half way through, and I'll continue to read it to him over Skype, until we finish it. Then we'll have to find another one!
I hate that I was only able to spend 4 days with Ken on this trip, but I know I will be with him again soon when it's confirmed that the Stem Cells are doing their thing, and he get's discharged from the hospital and back in the Cancer Lodge. I have to be there for up to 2 weeks to make sure there are no complications.
The donations we've received toward his medical care had lifted a huge weight off my shoulders - I can not express that strongly enough. Thank you, each and every one for you, for making this challenge all that much easier.
You have our thoughts & prayers!!
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