We Have A Plan...

I've fired up the laptop a few times before now to write this post.  Stared at the blank white typing space and closed it back up.  I guess I wasn't sure how to approach this one...

I'm still not sure how to approach this one...

There's no sugar coating it.  There's no beating around the bush.  There usually isn't when it comes to me anyways.  I'm a straight shooter.  So here goes...

I will be having a stem cell transplant.

Last week we learned that I do not, in fact, just have CML.  In addition to CML which has mutated and decided to be extra lame, I also have MDS which stands for More Dumb Shitshow (smile. laugh. it's okay).  MDS = Myelodysplastic Syndrome = blood forming cells in the bone marrow are damaged and are often responsible for low blood counts.  Can be a "watch and monitor" thing or can escalate and turn into Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  I have two shit shows.  Double lame.

Right now the MDS is in the "watch and monitor" stage but there's really no question as to what the "plan" we've been waiting on has come to.  So here we are.  The whole transplant process has been expedited as we don't want to risk anything turning into anything else and giving me another hurdle to jump.

Bring it on.  The sooner we get on this, the sooner I can begin to engraft, begin to bounce back, begin to heal, begin my new life free of cancer.  These oral chemos I've been on for 20 months are treatments.  A stem cell transplant is a potential cure.  And because those words were muttered to me I am at total peace with this.  I have to be.  It took a week of major freaking out, reaching out to a stem cell transplant support group on Facebook, talking with a few respected, qualified individuals, and lots of prayers.  But, I got there.

And I need you to get there too.  I will have no part of poor me why me pity parties.  Positive energy ONLY!!!  Am I scared?  Obviously!   Cancer, leukemia, MDS, chemotherapy, stem cell transplant...  them are fightin' words.  They are big, scary, intimidating words.

I highly encourage y'all to educate yourselves on the process if you so desire.  The whole process totally blows my mind.  Here's a quick run down: be matched to a donor, donor does conditioning injections to boost their stem cell production, stem cells are harvested out intravenously and collected in a bag.  I will be admitted into hospital, 5-7 days of traditional high dose chemo, transplant day (day 0) stem cells injected into me.  The actual transplant itself is anti-climatic.  Then it's recovery.  The first 100 days are crucial.  The first year is full of caution and one day at a time.  Boy, did I just make that sound easy or what?!

This is the stuff you read about it.  The stuff where you hear of somebody that knows somebody.  The stuff you never think will happen to you.  Well, congrats!  You all are now that "somebody."  And I am that "you".

All those times I've posted and shared about becoming a donor.  Just a simple swab of your cheek can be someone's lifeline.  I hope I have now convinced you to request a kit.  You could be my lifesaver.   Simply click HERE if you so wish to get on the registry. I thank you in advance. Truly.

I've never shared this before but I have a distant cousin, who's much younger, who I've never even met.  We were diagnosed with two different leukemia's on the same day.  I can't wait to meet this sweet 8 year old someday.  Little does he know, he's my hero!  He, himself, had a stem cell transplant earlier this year.  What a warrior.

So where do we stand???  I am being closely monitored through blood work and weekly EKG's as I did change oral chemo meds to fight off the mutated CML while we wait for a donor.  That's mainly what's happening right now.  The search for a donor is on and expedited.  My parents and brothers are being tested this week.  If not matched they move on to the registry.  That's right!  Jerry has to get poked!!! BAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!  He asked if he could be put under for it.  BAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!  If only Greg could do his poke!!!!  Now THAT would be a fun blog post to write about.  But, seriously, thank you brothers.  Love ya dearly and here's to hoping we share the same DNA!  Cheers!

Life goes on.  I'm just carrying on with my life and trying to keep things calm and normal until the show begins.  My motto is usually "go big or go home" but, I certainly didn't mean for that to happen for this shit show.  That's for sure.  Time to put the dukes up and BEAT THIS CRAP!!!

Thanks for praying and the positive energy.

Be well,

Rhonda Kay
XOXO