Bring on the BMT

What the heck is a BMT (Bone Marrow Transplant) anyway?  It has been a common question lately.  I will do my best to explain what is about to happen.  On Wednesday, August 8th, I will head down to the UW Hospital.  That will begin six days of high dose chemotherapy.  The treatment regimen is called BEAM.  The drugs will wipe out everything, including the good cells that make up my immune system.  The Bone marrow transplant otherwise known as stem cell transplant becomes necessary because I need a way to rebuild what the chemo knocks out.  That is where my frozen stem cells come in.  They will give them back to me via an IV infusion the day after chemo or day zero as they refer to it.  From there, the cells know where to go and what to do once they get back inside my blood stream.

They (the stem cells) know that they live in the bone marrow so somehow they make their way back inside and begin making more new healthy cells.  This process will take up to fourteen days.  During that time the effects of the chemo will be felt pretty strongly, so I am told.  Fevers, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue are symptoms I can expect.  I will get other blood transfusions to help my body get back up and running.  Even after that time, I will be very susceptible to infections so that is the reason for the long hospital stay.  I am planning to be at the UW for a month.  If I get out earlier, I will be pleasantly surprised.  

More info can be found at http://www.uwhealth.org/blood-and-bone-marrow-transplant/stem-cell-transplant/28879

Sorry for the dry, no nonsense post. I just wanted to lay things out there and quite honestly, I am feeling pretty tuckered out and there is not too much additional energy to create...Thanks everyone for following along.