Well fellas. Just felt like venting. I don't do social media...I do Boomboxery.
So just over a year ago my pops was diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma. Its an aggressive son of a bitch.
Through some sort of miracle we were able to get him into the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Zion, IL. Holy shite. If any of you or anyone you know have to fight the bastard, I hope you find your way there. CTCA is absolutely amazing.
So after a year of chemo and a whole bunch of shite I won't get into, he was finally cancer free. Undetectable at least. But like I said...its a bastard. This one always comes back...faster and stronger.
After several setbacks we're finally ready for his last part of fighting the bastard. Stem cell transplant.
I took him in on Friday to UW Madison Health Bone Marrow/Stem Cell to begin his five days of chemo to destroy his immune system...so that it may be replaced by mine. I'm a 50% match. But UW Health is doing a trial to prevent the complications that arise from the donor not being a 100% match.
Basically they pull blood from my left arm...it goes through some magic box that separates my stem cells from my blood....then the remaining blood goes back into my right arm. A continuous loop....for 4-5 hours until all my blood is cycled twice. Then those stem cells go into another magic box and certain proteins are removed in order to (hopefully) prevent rejection and/or Graph vs Host Disease...that's the trial part.
So once that's done...they give it to my pops by IV...then we wait. 30 days in the hospital...minimum. Then he needs a 24 hour babysitter for a few months or up to a year. Who knows. Its all play it by ear. The new immune system is what will fight the cancer.
So Friday I started giving myself injections twice a day of a white blood cell stimulator called Neupogen. Holy fark. This shite is kicking my ass. Main side effect is bone pain. Holy farking bone pain. It feels like I have 20 pinched nerves all at once. In my spine, my hips, my pelvis, sternum, thighs...it sucks. Saturday night the pain was unbearable and the Tylenol wasn't doing shite. Low and behold there's something out there can help manage the pain for this sort of thing....Claritin....yeah the allergy shite. One of those drugs that helps something that it had no intention for when created. At about 12:30am Sunday morning while in excruciating pain I drove to a 24 hour grocery store and picked some up. Within 30 minutes of taking it my pain levels dropped considerably and was able to sleep. Tried whiskey...didn't work.
So Sunday wasn't as bad but the pain is still there. Trying to sleep but it just ain't happenin. The Claritin isn't working as well as it did the first time...but it helps.
So Tuesday morning I go in for the 5 hour donation and hopefully Wednesday my pops will get his transplant. If they don't get enough from me the first time I'll have to go in for a second round on Wednesday. Then transplant on Thursday. Let's hope they get what they need the first time.
So basically my pops has like 2-10 years left with the transplant....with 2-6 being the most likely. I've gotten to spend a lot of time with him in the last year...its been fun and its been hell. For a multitude of reasons....just like any relationship...or medical situation.
So hug your kids...call your folks....help a stranger....do something you've always wanted to do....make someone's day anyway you can. Life is short and you only get one chance at it.
So just over a year ago my pops was diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma. Its an aggressive son of a bitch.
Through some sort of miracle we were able to get him into the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Zion, IL. Holy shite. If any of you or anyone you know have to fight the bastard, I hope you find your way there. CTCA is absolutely amazing.
So after a year of chemo and a whole bunch of shite I won't get into, he was finally cancer free. Undetectable at least. But like I said...its a bastard. This one always comes back...faster and stronger.
After several setbacks we're finally ready for his last part of fighting the bastard. Stem cell transplant.
I took him in on Friday to UW Madison Health Bone Marrow/Stem Cell to begin his five days of chemo to destroy his immune system...so that it may be replaced by mine. I'm a 50% match. But UW Health is doing a trial to prevent the complications that arise from the donor not being a 100% match.
Basically they pull blood from my left arm...it goes through some magic box that separates my stem cells from my blood....then the remaining blood goes back into my right arm. A continuous loop....for 4-5 hours until all my blood is cycled twice. Then those stem cells go into another magic box and certain proteins are removed in order to (hopefully) prevent rejection and/or Graph vs Host Disease...that's the trial part.
So once that's done...they give it to my pops by IV...then we wait. 30 days in the hospital...minimum. Then he needs a 24 hour babysitter for a few months or up to a year. Who knows. Its all play it by ear. The new immune system is what will fight the cancer.
So Friday I started giving myself injections twice a day of a white blood cell stimulator called Neupogen. Holy fark. This shite is kicking my ass. Main side effect is bone pain. Holy farking bone pain. It feels like I have 20 pinched nerves all at once. In my spine, my hips, my pelvis, sternum, thighs...it sucks. Saturday night the pain was unbearable and the Tylenol wasn't doing shite. Low and behold there's something out there can help manage the pain for this sort of thing....Claritin....yeah the allergy shite. One of those drugs that helps something that it had no intention for when created. At about 12:30am Sunday morning while in excruciating pain I drove to a 24 hour grocery store and picked some up. Within 30 minutes of taking it my pain levels dropped considerably and was able to sleep. Tried whiskey...didn't work.
So Sunday wasn't as bad but the pain is still there. Trying to sleep but it just ain't happenin. The Claritin isn't working as well as it did the first time...but it helps.
So Tuesday morning I go in for the 5 hour donation and hopefully Wednesday my pops will get his transplant. If they don't get enough from me the first time I'll have to go in for a second round on Wednesday. Then transplant on Thursday. Let's hope they get what they need the first time.
So basically my pops has like 2-10 years left with the transplant....with 2-6 being the most likely. I've gotten to spend a lot of time with him in the last year...its been fun and its been hell. For a multitude of reasons....just like any relationship...or medical situation.
So hug your kids...call your folks....help a stranger....do something you've always wanted to do....make someone's day anyway you can. Life is short and you only get one chance at it.