Stop & Go Traffic

 As I wrote in my previous post, various elements seemed to be falling into place. I was anticipating a meeting at Cleveland Clinic that would set the transplant in motion and begin the process of insurance approval followed by various appointments, scans and interviews for me and for my donor. There is a long checklist of traffic signals - lights that need to turn green before I can proceed with the transplant.

The first was the appointment scheduled for 12/18. But then, on the afternoon of 12/11 I received a call saying that the 12/18 meeting needed to be rescheduled and the earliest possible time was 1/15! Surprised? Disappointed? Discouraged? I was all of those things. It seemed like it would be Spring before I made it into the hospital!

There was nothing that I could do about it. If the doctor cannot be there, then you cannot have the appointment. I reminded myself that God is ultimately in control and that his timing is perfect. If God wants me to start the transplant later - then he has a good reason for it. I need to defer to God's goodness and wisdom and rejoice that he is keeping me from going too soon or too late. God's will be done.

This Tuesday I called my Transplant Coordinator and left a message asking for some clarification and information about where I stood. Since I will need a small army of volunteers to help me, I need to have some idea when I will need their help. On Wednesday she called me back and said that she had reminded my specialist that he had said he wanted to move ahead with my transplant sooner, rather than later. Since we could not have our meeting on Friday, he would call me on Wednesday (between his other appointments) and we would have our initial transplant meeting that way.

Sure enough, Dr. Gerds called me that afternoon. He reviewed the fact that they had a good 10/10 matched donor for me and that he wanted to do a reduced intensity transplant. The reduced intensity chemo is designed to be easier on my organs and also promotes the Graft versus Leukemia response that will help make sure the myelofibrosis is really defeated. He also said that they will be trying to reduce my T cells so that the transplant (Graft) can get to my bone marrow space without being attacked by my own immune system. (What a delicate balancing act - all with the goal of achieving a safe chimera.)

So, when I thought that the "go ahead" meeting would be delayed by a month it was actually advanced by two days. My emotions soar back from overcast ground level into the sunshine above the clouds!

Now we have many more traffic signals to navigate. If all the lights are green for me and my donor, then I might enter the hospital as soon as the middle of February.

Will the insurance approve the transplant without throwing up roadblocks? Will the medical evaluations be clear for me and my donor? Stay tuned!! The journey has just begun!