Day -6

Have managed to stay out of the hospital. Yea. But the chemo is not pleasant . I had forgotten what it is like which is probably a good thing!

Donor Convery arrived yesterday and had his first round of shots to boost his red cell count. No doubt he'll be heading to the gym for vigorous training what with alll that extra energy he has!

We have no wifi in our casitas which is a bigger deal than you might imagine . Frank is currently up in the hospital . Not for medical reasons but in search of wifi 

I go into the hospital tommorw where there IS wifi but I will most likely tethered to various drips

Eoin arrives tomorrow and Nora leaves on Sunday . (Frank is here until feb 3rd)

Xxo

-9 is over

Had my first chemo yesterday and alas was one of the people who had a bad reaction. Fever . But things are better today. Meet dr Nakamura later and he will decide if I should go into the hospital . Which I do not want to do. Nurse Nora is taking very good care of me! Xxo

The transplant adventure begins

A last cuddle with ùna and Kofi before leaving for the airport. Nora is with me for the first week.

Day zero is January 29

Nora and I leave this Sunday and my outpatient chemo begins on Monday Jan 20. I go in to the hospital on January 25 for more chemo ( that's when I will lose my hair and look like my brothers!). The day of the actual transfusion of Frank's stem cells is January 29. Day Zero! Sounds like some kind of movie. 

I will be in the hospital until the end of February and then to a casita on the City of Hope (COH) grounds until mid May

This week has passed in a blur of packing, dr appointments and most importantly ----Úna gazing! Biut if I have not returned your call or email, I am sorry. I am mostly excited about this and very appreciative of DrCecchi and his team for getting me to this point. I am also grateful for the smooth hand off to  Dr Nakamura and his team. I am in excellent hands as Dr Cecchi kept assuring me!

Thank you all for the unbelievable help and support. Honestly I would not be here without you xxo

You asked so here it is. My address until the end of February :

Síle Convery

City of Hope

Helford Hospital 6th Floor

1500 E. Duarte Road

Duarte CA 91010

Donor Convery at work. Consulting  with Jim on wine choices!

I want a sweater like Úna's

1st day of testing: done

Finished a long day of testing at the City of Hope. All went well including the bone marrow biopsy which I was dreading. ( I have had nine in the last 2 years). And this was my first non - Cecchi biopsy. But it turns out that Nakamura too is a pro. Phew.

It is beautiful here in Southern California. We can see the mountains and the weather is balmy. City of Hope is awash in volunteers who accompany you from place to place, bring you coffee, and just in general make you feel better by their kindness and cheerfulness. I feel very comfortable with Dr Nakamura and  am now feeling more grounded about the whole thing. His staff is terrific too.

Poor Frank ( sibling donor) got caught in that mess in JFK. But thanks to Jim's quick thinking he did arrive here--- eventually. Jim got him a flight from  Philadelphia to which he repaired after hours of stress and mayhem. Jet Blue could not find Frank's bag, etc etc. You have heard all the horror stories. And unfortunately they are true.

We are here for a few more days of testing. Then home most likely on Thursday January 8 to return for what is called the conditioning regimen ---aka chemo ---on January 20.

Xxo

Úna doing her exercises. Very puzzling to Lola!