Well, here we are. This is just all SO surreal. Who wakes up and says they're going to be admitted tomorrow for a stem cell transplant?! Several times a day I get asked, "how are you?" Or "How are you feeling?" I'm fricken great! I feel normal. I'm good! I certainly don't feel like 85% of my blood and bone marrow is diseased... I am very sick... these horrific diseases are so silent.
So many have asked how they will be updated with my shit show ass kicking... Right here on this blog, friends. I have every intention of letting you ride this out with me. We've come this far, right?! If I'm not feeling up to it, Jason or my Mom and Dad will step in. We will treat it like a CaringBridge site. Feel free to add your email directly under "The Dixon Family Blog" header. You must be on a computer or "view in web version" from a phone to see that. You will be notified when a new post posts.
I've been keeping myself more than busy. I've had to. Otherwise, my mind wanders and that's when I get scared, angry, anxious, doubtful, or just down right pissed off. There's been a few instances where I've had some alone time. That's when the brave face comes off and I lose it. But, a good cry every now and then feels so good too. Two weekends ago I found myself kid and husband free Sunday morning. I started my day off at church and did really well up until the communion song... How Great Thou Art. Uffda. Cue the water works. Beautiful hymn. Luckily, two of my high school teachers caught me walking out, offered a few hugs, chit chatted and got me laughing again. I went straight over to Starbucks and grabbed myself a Venti soy chai and lemon loaf. Lemon loaf = Rhonda's weakness.
Soaking up every ray of summer sunshine and breathing in that hot, humid, summer air has been a priority since I'll be watching the end of summer go by from a hospital room. Lame. We've crammed a lot into the last few weeks: A night away in Galena, Cubs game, pool parties, strolling Lake Geneva after a delicious Bloody Mary, Country Donut dates, play dates, mowing the lawn, comedy show, favorite restaurants and obviously spending every possible minute with my babies.
Last Friday we had the dreaded talk with Blake (5) and Kendall (3). It went better than anticipated. Kendall led the conversation with her 693 questions. Blake was quiet and took it all in, but, has since asked several questions and talks freely about it. They saw pictures of Uncle Greggie hooked up to a big machine and know some special blood was collected in a bag. And mommy will take some very special medicine to make all of her blood go away in the garbage and then get that new special blood put back in me! Kids are not ignorant. We were amazed at the questions coming from the 3 year old.
This stuff is so hard. Every aspect of it. Jason and I have learned we have more than a village behind us. We have an army. If we took everyone who's offered to help up on their offer, we would have childcare, meals, lawn service, cleaning service and who knows what else for a year. It's overwhelming at times and hard to ask for help. But, when people just step up and do it, it's a huge weight lifted. So, thank you. Seriously. Thank you!
I'm so lucky to be able to be home with my babies everyday, but, I'm being forced to take my mom hat off for a bit. Now THAT is hard!! I'm not good at taking a backseat, right Jase?! Lol! I know everyone and everything is going to be well taken care of thanks to my lengthy notes and detailed calendar. 😜 The hundreds of errands have been run and now it's time to focus on me. Get in. Get out. And get on with life.
Well, what do ya say?! Let's do this. I've got a goal here... a realistic one at that! A lot will happen between now and then... but, September 4th I will turn 36 and damnit!!!!!! *slams hand on the table* I WILL BE HOME BY THEN!!!!! Send those prayers up! I've got some ass kicking to do!
Be well.
Love,
Rhonda Kay
xoxo
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Friday, July 21, 2017
The Selfless Act of a Brother
I'm sitting here across the room from my brother who so graciously agreed to donate his stem cells to me. Everyone here in the room is probably thinking I have my head buried in Facebook - lol! But, here I sit hammering out this blog post. He had a port "installed" this morning and is now hooked up to a harvest machine. His blood comes out one tube, into a cylinder in the machine, stem cells are separated out, the blood bypasses that cylinder and circulates back in him. When the cylinder is full of stem cells it pauses the process and sucks it up into the bag that will be placed up on my IV pole in two weeks and trickled down into me. I mean, seriously... Amazing.
This whole process went on for 7 hours. While he didn't have much pain (so he says) during the actual harvest, the injections made him sore, achy, and gave him an intense headache. All "good" things. It means they were working. They were boosting his stem cell production in the bone marrow so much that the bones "expanded" and the stem cells were forced out into the blood stream, hence why he was able to harvest intravenously.
He was asked to come down a couple weeks ago for a day of extensive testing and meetings about the whole process of being a donor. 16 vials of blood, chest x-ray, EKG and a few consultations later he got the go ahead to get the harvest scheduled.
While he was chained to that less than comfortable chair for all of this, I had to pop in and out for a couple appointments for the last of my prep work. And yes, that included another bone marrow biopsy. Let's just say it was rough. I'm not going to dwell on it... but, I will say this is the first one I've cried through, the first one I've demanded someone new step up to that drill, and the first time I've ever had to express how I never want to see that driller Dr. again. Jason, shhhh... please don't tell anyone my sailor mouth came out... When the lab tech asked me for a finger after the chaos concluded for my finger prick, you better believe I handed over the middle finger. Can we all please pray my next biopsy in 100 days is my LAST?!?! FOREVER!!!!
We just got word about the final count of stem cells that were harvested. The goal was 10-12 million and Greg's came in just under 15 million!!! It took a full day to collect those cells... and will just take a short 15 minutes to transplant them into me... I really wanted to celebrate with a cart wheel round off back flip but I'm a little sore. So a loud cheer had to do.
How do you even thank someone for this selfless gift of life? Because that's exactly what it is. Without these new stem cells these awful, horrific, silent diseases that are running through me will take over. "Thank You" just doesn't seem adequate. I mean, I understand I didn't even really give him an option, but... haha! No, seriously. The time off of work, the shots, the hoops, the actual harvest. Greg, you will never know what this means to me. This is what family is all about and how lucky am I to call my clan mine. During my phone call to my brothers telling them they will be tested to see if they're a match, they both absolutely, positively agreed without a doubt. "Whatever it's going to take." Love you big, brother!!!!! I apologize for all those times I was that little sister and caused you shenanigans. Here I am, still causing shenanigans!
He doesn't know this yet, but, I will be asking him to be a guest blogger and write about his whole experience. I'm going to give him a while to bounce back and let his blood and stem cells return to their assigned seats first. I just want everyone to hear from personal experience.
If you are not yet registered to be a hero, please click HERE!!! It's literally a 30 second cheek swab. So simple. And SO priceless.
T - 7 days until I'm admitted for my 4-6 week all inclusive stay. Week 1 is chemo and conditioning. Week 2 is transplant. Week 3 - FOREVER is living my new life SHIT SHOW FREE!!!!!
Be well. Please pray. Send your positive ju-ju. Cross your fingers and toes. The beginning of this journey is off to a fabulous start.
Love,
Rhonda Kay
xoxo
This whole process went on for 7 hours. While he didn't have much pain (so he says) during the actual harvest, the injections made him sore, achy, and gave him an intense headache. All "good" things. It means they were working. They were boosting his stem cell production in the bone marrow so much that the bones "expanded" and the stem cells were forced out into the blood stream, hence why he was able to harvest intravenously.
He was asked to come down a couple weeks ago for a day of extensive testing and meetings about the whole process of being a donor. 16 vials of blood, chest x-ray, EKG and a few consultations later he got the go ahead to get the harvest scheduled.
While he was chained to that less than comfortable chair for all of this, I had to pop in and out for a couple appointments for the last of my prep work. And yes, that included another bone marrow biopsy. Let's just say it was rough. I'm not going to dwell on it... but, I will say this is the first one I've cried through, the first one I've demanded someone new step up to that drill, and the first time I've ever had to express how I never want to see that driller Dr. again. Jason, shhhh... please don't tell anyone my sailor mouth came out... When the lab tech asked me for a finger after the chaos concluded for my finger prick, you better believe I handed over the middle finger. Can we all please pray my next biopsy in 100 days is my LAST?!?! FOREVER!!!!
We just got word about the final count of stem cells that were harvested. The goal was 10-12 million and Greg's came in just under 15 million!!! It took a full day to collect those cells... and will just take a short 15 minutes to transplant them into me... I really wanted to celebrate with a cart wheel round off back flip but I'm a little sore. So a loud cheer had to do.
How do you even thank someone for this selfless gift of life? Because that's exactly what it is. Without these new stem cells these awful, horrific, silent diseases that are running through me will take over. "Thank You" just doesn't seem adequate. I mean, I understand I didn't even really give him an option, but... haha! No, seriously. The time off of work, the shots, the hoops, the actual harvest. Greg, you will never know what this means to me. This is what family is all about and how lucky am I to call my clan mine. During my phone call to my brothers telling them they will be tested to see if they're a match, they both absolutely, positively agreed without a doubt. "Whatever it's going to take." Love you big, brother!!!!! I apologize for all those times I was that little sister and caused you shenanigans. Here I am, still causing shenanigans!
He doesn't know this yet, but, I will be asking him to be a guest blogger and write about his whole experience. I'm going to give him a while to bounce back and let his blood and stem cells return to their assigned seats first. I just want everyone to hear from personal experience.
If you are not yet registered to be a hero, please click HERE!!! It's literally a 30 second cheek swab. So simple. And SO priceless.
T - 7 days until I'm admitted for my 4-6 week all inclusive stay. Week 1 is chemo and conditioning. Week 2 is transplant. Week 3 - FOREVER is living my new life SHIT SHOW FREE!!!!!
Be well. Please pray. Send your positive ju-ju. Cross your fingers and toes. The beginning of this journey is off to a fabulous start.
Love,
Rhonda Kay
xoxo
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| Patient. Donor. 💓 |
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| If only I had the patent on this machine... |
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| Sleeping on the job 😉 |
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| 15 Million Stem Cells |
 |
| All DONE! |
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| Core Bone of my Bone Marrow 😜 |
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