This is similar to how I wake up every day, only I'm not tying one on every night. I slowly open my eyes, assess my situation and thank God for another day. Most of which have been smooth sailing. I'm working through some stomach kinks and other minor bumps, but, overall, my Dr says I'm quite boring and he LOVES boring patients. Physically, I'm feeling good. Numbers are reflecting that too. 🙏🏻
Get this... since my donor is male (my brother)... it's easy for them to test my DNA makeup right now. Easy for them to count XX chromosomes vs XY chromosomes. See where I'm going with this?! I am currently 92% male! The goal is to become 100% male... This is where my poor husband had questions. Bahahahahaha!!!! 😂😂 (cracking myself up tonight) No, for real. Get serious, Rhonda. 100% male would mean ALL of my disgusting, sick, lame, diseased, shit show cells are GONE and I am 100% donor engrafted cells. I will get there. 💪🏻 And lucky for Jason (me too for that matter), the human body is genius and I will somehow/someday turn back to female. Incredible.
Oh, and remember all those gene studies (% percent of leukemia cells in my blood) my life revolved around since day 1? Initial testing came back NEGATIVE. 🙌🏻 I blew through 4 oral chemos and not one got me there. Close! But, that's not good enough in the oncology world. We are praying for my bone marrow biopsy to confirm this finding and also show no sign of MDS monosomy 7. Next bone drilling in a month and I'm kinda sorta in a weird way looking forward to it. It's my tell all.
I'll be vulnerable here. After all, this is not all sunshine and rainbows and I try to keep it very real. Like I said, physically I'm feeling good. Mentally/emotionally? Eh. Could be better. Truth is, I HATE being bald, I'm so over these tubes hanging out of my chest, haven't worn a regular bra in 8 weeks, can't wear deodorant because of the chemo chemical burn in my armpits, my skin is so dry I have to lather up with Eucerine creme or Aquaphor leaving me to feel like a grease pit, a couple female issues I'll spare y'all the details, etc. You catch my drift. In the grand scheme of things, these are all minor issues to pay the price to hopefully becoming disease free. But, for now, just let me be salty. The little things add up.
Our pediatrician came to visit me shortly after I got home. My Earth angel. The woman who took one look at me nearly 2 years ago and insisted I get blood work done that day. Resulting in a late night phone call ordering me to get to the ER because they discovered I had leukemia. We were sitting on the deck chit chatting and I just kinda laughed and said, "Look what you did!!!" We thank God she did otherwise I would not be here today writing this post. 💗
But, ENOUGH ABOUT ME!!! 😜🙄
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| HAHAHA!!! |
Let's turn the spotlight over to my brother. The one who harvested and donated 15 million of his stem cells because we happened to share the exact same DNA makeup, even down to the same blood type. 8 million of those precious cells are running rampad through my body. The other 7 million are still frozen in a freezer where, God willing, they will remain, not needing to be touched. Here's to never needing them! I asked him to write about his experience being a bone marrow/stem cell donor and here's what he had to say:
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| Loving his new shirt!! 😉 |
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| Holding my potential cure |
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| 15 million stem cells |
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| Sibling bonding taken to a whole new level |
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| Sleeping on the job 😜 |
***I will never be able to write like Rhonda so sorry in
advance... J When Rhonda called me that evening I was at
the fire house for training. Phone rings, I look down and its Rhonda. Talk
about a lump in my throat. Rhonda rarely calls. Usually a text.. I get the "hello brother, whatcha
doin". The beat around the bush conversation... "just at
the station, same old stuff.." Well, I just talked to Lucy and I have some
good news. You are my donor!!! You're a 6/6 match." I really didn't know
what to say.. "Jerry is a 4/6 which is still good but your the 100%
sibling, male match" Some other stuff was said and "the transplant
team will be calling to move forward."
WOW!! Like Rhonda says, This shit just got real..
I go in for a day of tests with Mom and Dad by my side. Like
Rhonda said prior, blood work, EKG's, X-rays, and consultations of the process
and what to expect.. I like to think I am a little level headed from years on
the fire department seeing bad things and good, but, man, this is for Rhonda.. I
started to play the "what if" game in my head. What if we go this far
and they find something that doesn't allow me to help and I let everyone down...
That was MY greatest fear!!!!
Everything else, like Jerry and I have said and been saying,
"whatever it takes."
All was good with tests, and we moved forward. 5 nights of shots.
Ugh... Again, no problem with needles but a "self stick" was
different. "Simple, Greg," they said. "Pinch
an inch and inject." The inch, unfortunately, was not a problem ;) Most were
good, but there were 2 that almost brought me to the ground. I must have done them wrong. Hahahaha! I even offered Dad, Jason, Mary Jo and Rhonda
to help on my last set but had no takers. They had their chance! Oh, well. Thank goodness Jerry wasn't there, he probably would have thrown it like a
dart :)
The best way to describe the feeling from the effects of the shots, is like
they said. Super achy and a massive headache but knowing what it is for... all is
good.
Yes, 7 hours in the not most comfortable of chairs. Tubes
coming out of you, not being able to get up, use the washroom, nothing. I made sure not to eat or drink much the
whole time. Dumb I know, but I did not want that hurdle to work through. I was
offered a Depends prior to starting... Hahaha NOPE!!!
The machine started, you feel nothing really. It is not the
quietest machine ever. You can tell when it is moving blood and when its moving stem
cells (by the sound). I said at one time
to my posse (Rhonda, MJ, Jason, Dad), "Buckle your seat belts, we're taking off again!" Like an engine revving up. Trying to nap, watch TV, (OJ parole trial on every
freaking channel except the weather channel). But so glad I had everyone around me!!!! The staff comes in every 15-30
minutes. Charting the numbers, saying how good it looks and saying how much more time. It kept moving out
further and further.
Finally, the machine beeps and shuts down 7 hours later. The
collection bag was pretty full and they start flushing and disconnecting. It was too late in the evening to get it to the lab
for a count. Which means inject yourself again and come back tomorrow. Physically and mentally exhausted we go back to the hotel. Inject, dinner and
bed. At 8:30 Dad and I go back in the
morning for blood work so they can check if I am able to “go again” if needed.
By 10:00 they come out and say, "Just under 15 million!! You blew the predictions
out of the water!" What a Relief!!!
Done!!! Rhonda will have at least double for what she will need!! Now
lets take that line out of your chest…”
Like Rhonda has been saying, “It takes a village.” From all of the prayers, the Dixon family meals program, watching Blake and
Kendall, to being a donor… We are all doing what we can to make the Sh** shows go away!!! I am thankful to be able to do this for her
like anyone else would have done.***
September is National Blood Cancer Awareness Month. Every 3 minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer. My story has inspired many people to register to become a bone marrow donor. In fact, while I was in the hospital I learned my blog and my story was shared on all the organization's (DKMS.org - the one I refer you all to sign up to be a donor) social media outlets. That brightened my day!!! I am still so proud of that. Once life settles back into some sort of normalcy, I hope I can be involved way more actively in this whole process.
30 second cheek swab with a Q-tip. That's it. Your 30 seconds could be the lifesaving action for someone needing a second chance at life!! A potential CURE to their shit show. Be a hero. Click HERE!!!! to register!!! And please (!!!), share away so people can hear a donor's perspective. There are SO many people out there still waiting for their perfect match for days, months, and even years.
For my new followers, my dad hilariously stated, "When you start enjoying Captain n' Cokes, we'll know it worked!" I have yet to try a Captain 'n Coke, but, considering how things have been progressing after just 48 days, I'm scared to. That bottle may not stand a chance.
Send those prayers up. I'm nearing the halfway mark of my first 100 day crucial period. And for the love of all things Holy, stop the school germs!!! I'm about to kick my kindergartner out of the house!! Ain't nobody got time for this, and I certainly can't afford to catch his crap.
Be well and get swabbed.
Love,
Rhonda Kay
