Crossing the Rat Maze

Fingers Crossed

Pam has not been feeling well, and I think she is fighting some bug, but her blood counts are all coming up nicely, she is not running a fever, and it looks like she is close to getting out of the woods. If we can keep her out of the hospital after the last round of chemo, it will be a first.

All Systems, uh, Wait a Minute, Go!

As you may know, we had an important early morning appointment with Dr. Holtan at OHSU to learn more about the timing of the next steps and to get the ball rolling on this whole process. We have been looking forward to this appointment for some time now, and neither of us slept well last night.  As luck would have it, our car didn't start this morning of all mornings.  DEAD BATTERY!!  I called our friends and neighbors, Dave and Barb King, and Dave drove us up to OHSU. (I owe Dave a beer, or something.)

It looks like everything is in process for Pam's "double cord stem cell transplant" and it may occur as soon as the first or second week of February.  There are lots of precious umbilical cord blood units that are a good match and Dr. Holtan and her team are analyzing what they have to select the best two matches available.  The timing now is mostly dependent on getting Pam through a series of tests and procedures.

The Rat Maze

Prior to being admitted to OHSU for the transplant, Pam will be scheduled for a chest xray, nuclear medicine consult to prepare for her radition treatment, pulmonary function tests, a social worker consult, EKG, echocardiogram, and placement of a new "Neostar Triple Lumen" central catheter.  She will be busy, and, unfortunately, I will have to be out of town on business next week, so I will probably have to lean on Pam's family for some help in my absence.