Donor update and other news

Update on my donor status. The original donor was supposed to go in for his info session last Thursday. This is when he would have set up appointments for a physical and bone marrow biopsy. Late Thursday Vanderbilt found out that he had not come in, but his donor centre was hoping he would come on Friday. No word on that yet.

Because this was causing a delay, Vandy decided to activate my second donor. Then on Monday, they found out he will not be available for an info session until 7 July. And they don't know if he will be fully available then or not. The transplant doctor looked at my #3 donor and decided to activate him instead. #2 will stay on hold as a backup. The doc says he is good with transplanting me with stem cells from any of these three guys. They are all extremely similar and are exact matches for me. Donor #1 who used to be 22yo is now 23yo. #2 and #3 are both 22yo. Vanderbilt says we will use stem cells from whichever donor can get them to me first. I am so incredibly lucky to have several people who match me!

Originally when they activated my first donor 2 weeks ago, they were shooting for a Day 0 between 25 June and 9 July. All the donor centres have been told it is urgent. However, since apparently little has been accomplished, Day 0 must be moved out and I don't know what dates they are anticipating now. I know I have to have 10 days of chemo before Day 0, and it's a balancing act to coordinate everything. I also know Vandy's transplant coordinator will call me as soon as she hears anything. She's very good about that. For now I am in a holding pattern.

On Monday the 22nd, there is a Photoshop class in Nashville in which my sister, Sally, and I have enrolled. It's from 10:00a-5:00p. And we have reservations to spend Monday night in Nashville. I'm fairly certain I will be getting platelets on Friday of this week. That means I will likely need them again on Monday. I have a call in to my CRNP at Vanderbilt to see if I can come over there after the class and get platelets and am waiting to hear back from her. Sally and I will be spending the night and the hematology clinic is open 24/7.

I am hoping that will work out. Mike is not at all enamoured of me going to this class. But I feel that I can't just stay in bed and do nothing when I am feeling a bit better. As long as I take the necessary precautions there really isn't any reason I shouldn't go to the class. But he worries.

The 22nd is the day that DD#2 leaves to go to International Thespians. She has to be at the airport by 5:15a. We're planning on taking her there and then Mike dropping me off at Sally's for us to head to Nashville. Sally likes to drive my car, too. I am hoping my daughters will get my car over to Sally's on Sunday afternoon so that we can go in it on Monday.

In the meanwhile, I am feeling a bit better and got platelets yesterday, so am going to go cook something. I think I'll make Coined Potatoes from the first Mezza Luna class. And maybe some sort of roasted chicken thighs to go with them. Not sure about a green veggie. Perhaps a salad.

Thank you once again to everyone who donates blood and platelets. You really are heroes as you save lives every day!