Today is stem cell collection day!
Yesterday my mom got the catheter (port/pick line) in her neck. She said it felt like she hurt her neck and couldn't move it real well. I fully expected her to have a restless night's sleep, but she proved me wrong again.
It was a long day yesterday. My parents had to check in at 10 and wait for her scheduled catheter placement at 1, but it was between 2 and 3 when she finally went in. Placement took about an hour and then she had to go back to clinic for her Neupogen shot. All in all it was about 7.5 hours in the hospital/clinic yesterday. That, of course, doesn't include the drive up to and back from SF.
Yesterday I made stew for my family and had plenty to share, for which I was so grateful. I was able to send a pot home with my dad after their long day. I think it was about 7:30 when they finally made it home.
When I am home, working and being a mom, it's hard on me. I'm constantly wondering what is going on with my parents. I wonder how she feels, what she needs, etc. So making sure they had dinner alleviated some of my anxiety, knowing that they had one less thing to worry about.
Today they were off again, extra early, to check in. Unfortunately, the collection area is set up much like an outpatient recover room, so my dad couldn't stay there, but he could come and visit for short periods. Apherisis is only about 3-3.5 hours, so they were done around lunch. Then came the waiting . . . a few hours to determine if they had enough cells. My mom gave 4.5 MILLION cells today! Unfortunately, it wasn't quite enough and she has to go back and do it again tomorrow. One more day . . .
She had to have a blood transfusion today to help her make the remainder of the stem cell count for tomorrow. She'll have to get the catheter out and then she'll be done for a while. The nurses were so nice--they could tell my dad was exhausted (and he's the one who drives home) so they set up a private room so he could nap.
It's been a very long day and tomorrow will be just as long. I wish I could take away the wait, the worry, the exhaustion . . . But she's almost there.
Showing posts with label apheresis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apheresis. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
January 8--day 7 (last day out)
Today is the last day my mom will be able to eat out, go to the store, generally be in public for the next few months. Tomorrow her counts should drop too low to provide much protection.
Today is the second Neupogen shot. She learned last night that she may not need all 6 or 7 shots. It depends on how her blood work looks on Friday. If the counts are unstable, meaning too many white blood cells, then they'd stop because it could be risky to the patient. That doesn't mean she would get the catheter and apheresis earlier. She'd just get to stay home for a couple of days.
If I didn't mention it before, the catheter or pick line, is direct access to her blood. Last time she had one in her chest for several months. They used it for chemotherapy, apheresis, and any other drip/infusion she had to have. This time they'll put the catheter in her neck. Highly uncomfortable, but only required for apheresis this time.
Yesterday she spoke to a man who had had his catheter in only one day. UCSF was able to collect all the stem cells needed for his transplant in one day. Amazing!
The reason UCSF uses the neck is so that they have access to the jugular vein--the big one. This makes it easier to extract the blood. However, the patient cannot shower while the catheter is in. The patient is highly susceptible to infection, unlike with the catheter in the chest. Considering that the neck catheter is only in for a few days this should be manageable.
Sometime this weekend I'll give my dad a break and drive my mom up to UCSF so that I can see where she will be, meet the nurses, etc. I was so much more involved last time, but then again I didn't have two little girls.
I am so grateful to all the scientists, medical personnel, doctors, and brilliant people who discovered stem cell transplantation and those who work in the field today. My mom would not be alive today had this not been an option. And she would not have met my two beautiful girls who love their Gammy more than words can say. She's taught them so much as I'm sure they've taught her. So . . . THANK YOU!
Today is the second Neupogen shot. She learned last night that she may not need all 6 or 7 shots. It depends on how her blood work looks on Friday. If the counts are unstable, meaning too many white blood cells, then they'd stop because it could be risky to the patient. That doesn't mean she would get the catheter and apheresis earlier. She'd just get to stay home for a couple of days.
If I didn't mention it before, the catheter or pick line, is direct access to her blood. Last time she had one in her chest for several months. They used it for chemotherapy, apheresis, and any other drip/infusion she had to have. This time they'll put the catheter in her neck. Highly uncomfortable, but only required for apheresis this time.
Yesterday she spoke to a man who had had his catheter in only one day. UCSF was able to collect all the stem cells needed for his transplant in one day. Amazing!
The reason UCSF uses the neck is so that they have access to the jugular vein--the big one. This makes it easier to extract the blood. However, the patient cannot shower while the catheter is in. The patient is highly susceptible to infection, unlike with the catheter in the chest. Considering that the neck catheter is only in for a few days this should be manageable.
Sometime this weekend I'll give my dad a break and drive my mom up to UCSF so that I can see where she will be, meet the nurses, etc. I was so much more involved last time, but then again I didn't have two little girls.
* * *
I am so grateful to all the scientists, medical personnel, doctors, and brilliant people who discovered stem cell transplantation and those who work in the field today. My mom would not be alive today had this not been an option. And she would not have met my two beautiful girls who love their Gammy more than words can say. She's taught them so much as I'm sure they've taught her. So . . . THANK YOU!
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