Week 4 update

I’ve had several platelet and red blood cell transfusions this past week as my levels hit rock bottom after transplant. But we were excited to finally see my levels shoot up the past few days esp. my white blood cell and neutrophil count, which means that Bo’s stem cells are hopefully engrafting! 💪🙏 I’ll be doing an engraftment level blood test at the end of this week to see how much are from Bo’s stem cells vs. mine. This hopeful and encouraging news has been tempered though with fever-like discomfort and continued throbbing bony pain in my legs and feet this past week.

It appears that this throbbing bony pain may actually be due to an immunosuppressive anti-rejection medicine I’m taking, a condition known as calcineurin inhibitor-induced pain syndrome (CIPS), not from cells proliferating in my bone marrow from Neupogen as we had originally thought unfortunately. So, I’m treating this pain with a topical gel, a medicine for neuropathic pain, and also a medicine actually used for high blood pressure. Hopefully I can wean taking this latter medicine as the leg pain subsides esp. as I’m already taking another med to manage my blood pressure. Please pray that this leg pain will go away soon. 🙏

As I face yet another obstacle on my road to recovery, I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians 12 which says that God’s power is made perfect in weakness. But I’ve come to realize that this is true not only in my weakness, but also in my strength cause “my strength” is not from myself but from God. It’s His grace that I can do anything. A “good day” free of pain or other side-effects is His grace, something I’ve come to not take for granted. Side-effects and other “setbacks” often come out of nowhere and are like sucker punches. 🥊 So, to make it through a tough day is a demonstration of God’s grace and mercy. I’ve come to humbly accept that any goal I achieve on a given day is His grace, whether it be the ability to go for a walk, eat a meal, or even go to the bathroom! It’s become a hidden blessing to realize that all things that I can do in strength or weakness are all good and perfect gifts from God who is faithful and loving. 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

‭‭(James‬ ‭1:17‬)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9-10‬)

Can’t wait to go home. We’ve been counting down the days in our minds... longing to sleep in my own bed, eat good homemade food, and just be with my family. With the recent positive spike in my blood levels, my doc said that I may be able to go home sometime this week... earlier than expected! 🤗  But, we’re taking it day by day as we’re well aware of how things don’t always happen according to the timeframe we’d like. Discharge will depend on several factors including my blood levels rising esp. my neutrophil count to be consistently over a certain threshold as well as transfusions being not so frequent to safely be at home. Thank you for your continued prayers for God to move in my body and cells! 🙏

On a lighter note, I’m losing the little hair I’ve grown since I came into the hospital. 👨‍🦲 My pillow has been chock full of little pieces of hair every time I lift my head... lots of pillow case changes haha. And most of my hair just fell out in the shower this morning! Oh well, at least the bald head goes well with the weather being so hot these days. 😅