This was it, the big day, the day which all other days are counted from. My wayward stem cells were sent home after a brief vacation at the -180 degrees Club Kettering Lab. They arrived in my room in that same little igloo cooler that had transported them during collection. The lab technician warmed them in a bath and then sucked them from the bag up into a giant syringe. The cells were pushed into the port of my catheter just like any other medication I have received.
It wasn't supposed to be a very big deal, but I did feel like I was gagging and having to cough all at once. I thought I would get sick, but it passed. The odor from the preservative is pretty nappy, so the nurse held cut lemons under my nose. I don't think that helped much since I mostly tasted it and not smelled it. But I survived. I rested for a few hours afterwards while some abdominal cramps subsided. They also gave me a blood transfusion since my hemoglobin was low.
I am glad the process is over and I have my little guys back on board. It will take at least 10 days for them to kick into gear. Until then, it is just a matter of managing any issues related to having no immunity.
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2 comments:
Go well, lovely one. Every day from now is a positive integer. Apparently they all add up...
xoxoxox
Go team Go!! They might be .1 mil short in numbers but I am sure that the 5.9 mil are strong enough to get the job done. Love you dad
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