Well my stem cells have been returned to my body. I would like to think they were happy to come back and are finding their way quickly and productively into my bone marrow as we speak. The transplant process was fairly uneventful, though as you would expect, I had a little bit more reaction to it than most people. There is a preservative used to store your cells and any reaction during the process is to that preservative and not to your cells themselves. They had given me IV Benedryl and hyrdracortizone as a pre-med, but the preservative was giving me a strong tickle in my throat and mouth that was a little unsettling at first. They ended up giving me double doses of both meds and it helped to relieve those symptoms. I had also been warned about an awkward taste that comes from the preservative. For the first 20 seconds or so I got the distinct taste of tomato soup in my mouth but it quickly went away. Unfortunately, the smell that I tasted lingers in your body for around 24 hours and although I can’t smell it, every single person that walks in the room can apparently. The nurses say this is completely normal. Every time someone on the floor has a transplant, you know it. So for anyone that comes to visit me tomorrow, be prepared. There’s nothing like being the source of an off putting-odor and not being able to do anything about it!

I had a small audience for the transplant including my very first nurse who began this whole process with me, Trish. Brian came and then several of the transplant nurses. Below is a picture of Trish and I.

When the transplant was finished, I had a great visit with Brian from the Ulman Fund. He is running in the Baltimore Marathon with around 50 other cancer survivors and supporters on Saturday. I wish all of them the best of luck!

I actually got a nap in today thanks to all that Benedryl. Other than that, I still feel pretty good. My counts are still normal which the doctor keeps reassuring me is a good thing. They also started neupogen shots again tonight but I think it’s a smaller dose than I had last time and it didn’t seem to bother me as much. Though I know my belly will look like a pin cushion again in a couple of days. I’m off to read my cooking magazines and fantasize about pumpkin pie. Week 1 is officially complete – hopefully not too much longer to go. Good night.