BLOG 46
22 September 2014
Hello Everyone and Thanks for visiting my blog,
(My Stem Cell Transplant has been booked for October, 2014)
My latest medical news is that I have now completed round one of an injection chemotherapy x seven days (Vidaza), by day five - (and as previously mentioned) my bone pain (in my thighs and hips) had stopped. To keep you all updated in a less confusing way, I have now changed my blog pages in a dated format with my latest news clearly at the top of my blog pages. This is where all my very latest information and medical journey will be located and blogged as I can. We were going to start my new round of injection chemotherapy Tuesday, 16th September and we were hoping for much less accute side effects.
However, we hit a little bump in the road on Tuesday and worse on Wednesday, 17th September. I came in for my regular injection chemotherapy on Tuesday, but told my doctor that I was having a racing heart - I needed blood as my heart was struggling to pump oxygen around my body and needed more red blood cells to do that. My blood counts revealed that my red blood counts were only 78 - after 2 bags, they eventually went up to 138!! Amazing what a couple of healthy blood donors can do, no more racing heart or fatigue. After the blood transfusions, I went home with some anti-biotics as I had told the doctor about a sore throat (it felt like Pharyngitis) - it was basically a nasty virus having a party in my mouth and throat.
I came back the next day with Neutrophils (infection/virus fighting white blood cells) of only 0.02 and a raging temp of up to 39.2c. Doctors started me on antibiotics immediately and transferred me to the ward. My whole mouth and throat had swollen to point where I could hardly talk and could not eat or swallow much. The doctors started injecting me with a special white cell growth factor called GCSF (Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor), which stimulates my stem cells to produce more white blood cells into my blood stream and fight off the virus attacking my body. This move worked. The following day, my Neutrophils rose to 0.3 and again the next day, they were 0.4. My four hospital nights were filled with fevers and a lot of mouth pain that was been difficult to control - however, as the days progressed, my mouth and throat pain greatly improved, due to the GCSF, climbing white blood cells and lots of prayer :) I am still on pain relief and my Neutrophils should have reached 0.5 for me to be able to safely leave hospital, but with supporting medicine (GCSF) - I was released @ a count of 2.7. I also got another bag of blood before I left, as my red blood cell counts had taken a nose dive again. Had I known that my white cells were so low, I would have left home immediately, as both my girls have had a cold virus.
My delayed next course of chemotherapy is scheduled soon (late September).
We also now have the first dash of donor news, providing a possible positive rescue for me - my Bone Marrow Transplant Team have now located two possible donors, according to compatible tissue typing. This is great news!! These two donors are still in the testing phase. Depending on this testing, the donor pool may change. Currently, one is a 30 year old male and the other is a 21 year old male, both located overseas. Due to strict privacy laws, we cannot know any further details, including the country or residency. This may change after transplant. Transplant has been booked for October. Once the donor has been chosen, transplant conditioning of my bone marrow will begin, after seven days of large quantities of chemotherapy & possible full body radiation, a nurse or specialist courier will personally and urgently transport the cells, via overseas flights & transport, in co-ordination with my transplant progress.
The cells must reach my hospital within 72 hours, otherwise they may not be useable. Conditioning will continue whilst the cells are in transit. A reverse countdown begins from 10 day of conditioning, until the cells have arrived at my hospital. Once transplant occurs (and possibly before), I may not be able to speak/eat without assistance, etc due to mucositis and/or various complications and/or GVHD (Graft Versus Host Disease). Accute recovery can take 4-8 weeks in hospital and long-term recovery can take up to 2 years.
In the meantime, If you would like to help Jodie and her family in practical ways,
Please fill out the following form which contains practical suggestions, as to preferred assistance:
https://jodiesteam.typeform.com/to/DzscAL
Our family would also love your assistance to complete our very needed Hydrotherapy project for a variety of medical reasons, so far, almost $3,000AUD has been raised. Companies or organisations are particularly encouraged to consider assisting in completing this project, via various means: donations, fundraising dinners or events, etc.
For prayer & specific practical assistance for the Guerrero Family, please contact Mrs. Liz Parish & Ms.Jessica Parish (limaje62@gmail.com) - prayer and practical assistance is being provided from the Living Faith Lutheran Primary School/OSHC and Living Faith Church (Murrumba Downs). Liz & Jessica have (very kindly) set up the practical assistance form for Jodie and her family, as listed above. Additionally, The Guerrero family also have prayer and visitation from their Baptist church @ Bridgeman Downs - Bridgeman Downs Baptist Church. For more information on continued prayer via Bridgey Baptist, please contact Mrs. Jennifer Campbell at the church (office@bridgeman.org.au).
EVERY PRAYER, EVERY MEAL, EVERY WELL WISH, EVERY DROP OF LOVE IS ALL VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
Thank you all for your continued interest and support,
PRAYER POINTS:
Survival of treatment with little side-effects
Successful engrafting of stem cells and very little side-effects and GVHD Survival of any infection and no long-term side effects of the transplant chemo/protocol and/or rejection of the donor's stem cells.
No distress for Jodie's family, as they see this important process take place.
Thank you for reading,
Much Love,
Jodie & The Guerrero Family xx
