Home Sweet Apartment!!

Hi Everyone.....This is Tammy.  It is with much gratitute to let all of of you know that we are back in our Seattle apartment!!  My hospital stay consisted of  44 nights and I was SO ready to get back to our little place even though it isn't home!!!  It's much more like an apt that a hospitial room!!   We got back on Friday night.

Although I was very eager to get out of the hospital, there was a part of me that was really kind of scared.  For the past 6 weeks,  if I someone, there was always someone watching over me 24 hrs a day in case I felt sick or needed medicine for some reason. 

I don't think I can put into words how I've felt this past month & a half.  Obviously I've done a lot of praying, asking God to give me the strength to make it through the transplant.  He has been by side helping me through!  My time spent in the hospital was not without complications!!  The doctors first found the wire in my heart which turned out to be a bigger deal than I originally thought.  After visiting with several cardiologists and radiologists , they suggessted I continue ahead with the originial trasnplant decision to continue the transplant without having to perform surgery first.  I still need  followup on my heart wire issue but that will come after need to followup on the wire issue after I have Thank the Lord!!!  

Here is what m schedule has looked like so far; this is the beast I remember >>>>

Feb 8 -- Hickman Line Placement (Outpatient)
Feb 9 -- Checked into hospital  on Thursday night
Feb 10-- Because of a threat of a blood clot, I had the port that was put in my chest in May 2011 removed on Feb, 2011.
Feb 11-- Started chemo
Feb 12--2nd day of chemo
Feb 13--3rd day of chemo
Feb 14--4th day of chemo
Feb 15--5th day of chemo
Feb 16-- Total body irradiation
Feb 17-- "DAY 0' My rebirth day!!  Day of transplant!!!
Mar 23-- Last day spent in hospital

I was required to have the port removed and the wound was left open to heal.  This is a slow going process but according to all of the health care professionals, it is healing nicely. It is considered a "wet to dry" wound cover and therefore should heal sooner.  That's another one of my prayers.

Jeff and I met a couple out here that are from Omaha, NE.  (Dick & Sharon....great people).  They actually attend the same clinic (Cancer Center of Omaha at Immunuel) that I do Omaha What's funny is that that they were there on a day were we were taping that they rembember that~~

Easter is right around the corner and the kids are coming back out!  Yea!!  Alecia  & Tony will be here for a few days and Ashley is actually moving out here to spend the duration of the the time I will spend here with me. 

God has blessed me!!  I have received so many nice cards and messages from many of you.  Last Thursday, my cousin Lisa(Jim Bryan't wfie)  is a flight atendent for Delta.  She arraranged her scheduled so that she could fly to Seattle and spend 2 - 3 hours with us.  What a treat!!!   It is very true .... that during difficult times, the good comes out in people!  I've had several good cries because I had the opportunity to  see the good that so many people have within them and I'm so thankful that God was carrying me through this so that  I could enjoy all of this! 

If you could see all of my nice cards and wishes I've received since being sick, you would know exactly what i mean!!  The niceness that has been pouring out has been phenomnal! 

That's all 'm writing for now .... will write more to you later!!!

Love to you all.  Tammy

Day 11

Hi everyone ...... this is Tammy.  I just wanted  to send a message to say hi and let you know that things are going fine, I guess!!  My doctor keeps telling me I look great.    I've never been more exhausted in my entire life! Everything difficult thing you've ever heard about a transplant ......it's true!!  I have NO energy .... not even enough to talk!  That says a lots!

I have a great support team and want to thank all of you.  I love hearing from all of you whether it is an email, text or a card, I look forward to getting them all!!  I read the cards and then we hang them in my room to brighten it.

Last night I was up all night "self diuresing" (urinating)??  The doctor was shocked this morning, my output last night was over 7 liters. He said he's seen that only one time before since being at this hospital.   Supposedly that's a good sign, my body does not feel the need to hold on to the extra fluid.   Needless to say we didn't get much sleep last night and it has put a damper on making any progress today.  Jeff has been great about doing everything!!  He had plans to go do laundry but chose to stay here with me since I feel poopy today.

I can't explain how important the role of a caregiver is.  I know I have many and am thankful for each of you.  My main caregiver right now is Jeff who has spent many of his nights standing in the the bathroom with me.  However Alecia & Ashley know exactly what that's like too.  My platelets are so low that an alarm has to be set on my bed so I don't get up alone and take the chance of falling. Tony got out of "bathroom duty" but has been very helpful with my with phys therapy, everyone is so wonderful!!
I've never been a huge fan for the Bet Midler song  "Wind Beneath my Wings" but it keeps coming to my mind everytime I REALIZE what a caregiver has to do do!! EVERYTHING!! Some of those things aren't that pleasant!!

Did you ever know that you're my hero?
You're everything I wish I could be
I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings

A caregiver is literally my legs, arms, everything to me right now. 

Just wanted to say hi ..... love you all!!  Please remember me in your prayers that engraftment will start soon and my numbers will start coming back!!  With an umbilical cord transplant, it takes longer for my numbers to start recovery so WE (me AND my caregivers) need prayer that God will give us strength to get through this.

God bless you all!!

Update from 2/21/12, from Ash

Hey guys, it's Ashley. We just wanted to give you all a quick update. It's four days post transplant and overall she is doing pretty good--although, she's been in a fair amount of pain (in her legs and arms) and the doctors are still trying to figure out the right pain med combo to help minimize this. Hopefully they will find the right concoction soon!!

Right now, it's a bit difficult for her to eat because her saliva production is down making it hard for her to break down solid foods and she's also fairly nauseous at times. Also, absolutely nothing sounds good to her...especially not hospital food! However, we've figured out some "go-to" items that she is able to tolerate, but the nutritionist would still like her to be consuming a bit more. She also has a rash on the trunk of her body (most likely a drug reaction) that's being treated with steroid creams. Overall though, her doctors seem pleased with her progress!

Thanks for all your prayers, please keep them up and pray the cells engraft as she continues down the road to recovery!!