Back home for a little while.

Our visit to MDA was exhausting. We didnt get back to writing the blog the next night like I had promised because we had so much going on. We were handed a schedule for the day and it was very full. We met so many people, filled out so much paper work, and were shuffled from one department to another. Don had blood work done, we met with our doctor (who we were surprised to find out was Italian...who would think with a name like Nieto! We thought he was oriental..hehe) Then after a few more meetings with various departments, he had an ecco. He passed all his test.
When meeting with our doctor, he explained the entire process of a stem cell transplant. It will be much more complicated than we had thought. Our stay will be two months!! We didnt like that too much, but we understand the time frame now that we know the entire process. Don will be on chemo for an entire week, followed by a week to do the process, then a week to ten days for engraftment to take place. So he will be in the hospital for three weeks. Afterwards we will be outpatient for a few weeks until they feel all is well and we can return home. Then visits to Houston for checkups every three months for awhile.
It is gonna be hard being away from family and friends for that length of time. But very much a must to do this process. The doctor explained that, just as Dr. Wold had said to us, the cancer will return without it.
We saw so many bald heads at MDA, it is so heartbreaking. Some very young patients, cancer doesn't discriminate. Many people from all nationalities. But we also saw how different that hospital is from most. It wasn't uncommon to see people walking all over the entire hospital with I.V. poles, taking chemo while shopping in gift shops, having coffee at one of the coffee shops, or just sitting around looking out the windows at one of the many sitting areas. They have a comfort place to go and just sit in recliners and relax...it was so different.
People with carts come around all the waiting rooms and ask if you would like a snack or coffee. They cater to all the people there. Here doctor's offices have signs that say "no food or drinks allowed" There they have vending machines for snacks and drinks right in the waiting rooms, or come and offer you a drink!!
In the back lobby there is a man who is playing piano, and it was so relaxing and beautiful. The entire atmoshpere is different than anything we have ever seen. It is amazing!!
We were told to come back home and wait on our phone call to return. Our doctor told Don he was a prime candidate for the transplant right now! Don told him, "o.k...lets do it!" The doctor said next week!! But then the financial/insurance councelor laughted and said..."He can't do that!" We have to wait until the approval of insurance goes though. So the doctor put "Urgent" on our file to try and speed up the process. Now the ball is in their court. We wait until hearing from them. But we are glad to be home now for awhile. We will write more when we get that call....
Blessings,
Don and Kathi