Home Sweet Home!!

Friday night we returned home!!!  It feels like I've been away for months and it has only been a few weeks.  Home is so wonderful. I don't want to see another hotel any time soon. :-)

We have unpacked and are settling back into our more comfortable environs. For at least the next 100 days I can't be in crowds but talking a walk outside is a nice alternative. It's super important that I keep away from germs in efforts to support the transfusion and do what I can to help reduce any chance for rejection.

I will go to Boston one time a week for the next 6 weeks.  Dick continues to be by my side and will be an excellent chauffeur for the weekly trip!

Thank you for the amazing support. I feel all you next to me as we take the journey together.

Day 6 Post Transplant

Sorry for the delay from my last post. The transplant happened right after midnight on August 17th. It was a very emotional event. The hospital chaplin conducted a shirt ceremony and blessed the new stem cells before they were administered. The process took almost two hours. The hospital now consideres August 17th my new birthday! As I mentioned before, Dick and I also celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary on the 17th, and we couldn't ask for a better gift. The nurses continued the celebration by brining us a cake later in the day! A few days later, I learned the stem cells came from somewhere in the United States!

I was discharged from the hospital on Sunday the 18th. Dick and I moved into a nearby hotel as I have many follow-up appotintments during the first two weeks post-transplant. We are spending our days trying to relax and recuperate. Some days/hours have been really good and others have not. I have been assured this is all to be expected. On good days, we are able to get out for walks. There is a lovely park not too far away that we have visited a few times. One day we even escaped all the way to Plymouth to do some laundry! Although I would rather have a 2 week vacation in Boston in good health, it is nice to be back in our home citgy, where I feel Boston Strong!

Thank you for all the continued support, love and prayers, which make this journey easier for me and my family.

Love,

Magali

T -1

My transplant schedule has been adjusted a bit.  The stem cells are scheduled to arrive at the airport sometime today, and have to be procesed, so now my transplant may happen tomorrow, but even as earlier as 1:00 a.m.  This means that August 17th will be my new birthday and my 45th wedding anniversary!  Dick came back to Boston last night and will be with me during the transplant.  These cells are the best anniversary present we could hope for!

T -3

So far so good...the staff at B&W have been wonderful.  They refer to each of my days here as "T" minus the number of days until the transplant.  So, today is T-3!  They also refer to Friday as my new birthday!  As everyone knows, I love celebrations so having two birthdays a year will be great.  I really am feeling well and am staying comfortable in my room.  Catching up on Boston news is a treat too.

There is not a whole lot to report today, so I will say good night, and as always, thanks for the love and prayers!

Part II

I have had a busy few weeks since my last post recuperating at home and preparing for my transplant.  Thank you to my friends and family for your support during that time.

Part II of my treatment has begun.  I visited Brigham and Women's Hospital yesterday to get a new PICC line for my upcoming treatment.  I will be admitted to the hospital later tonight and undergo a few days of chemotherapy before my stem cell transplant on Friday, August 16.  Because we don't have to be to the hospital until 6:00 p.m., Dick and I have enjoyed a wonderful day in Boston.  We have walked around Beacon Hill and the Back Bay and even enjoyed an old favorite- a ride on the Swan Boats!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Dana Farber found a perfect match for me!  I have recently learned that my anonymous donor is a 24 year old man.  That is all that the donor program will tell me, but I was allowed to write him a thank you note, without providing any specifics about my identity.  As one of my children said, I just hope he can read my handwriting!  It is hard to describe the feelings of gratitude toward this unknown person, who is willing to interrupt his life and undergo a medical procedure in the hopes of saving mine.  My family and I are forever grateful.

I will be in the hospital for a week or more and then staying in Boston for another week or more for following up tests.  I will keep you posted!

Days 25 & 26

I am finally home and it feels great! The first leg of my journey is complete. I will be home for a quiet two weeks and then off to Dana Farber on Monday, July 29th.  I will continue to use the blog to communicate.

I thank you all for your love, support and prayers - please keep them coming!

Special thanks and love to my 'ghost writers' for all their hard work.  To Dick for always being by my side every step of the way.  I couldn't have done it without you.  xo

Love to all,
Magali

Day 24

Well, I'm still at UConn and frankly I'm okay with it. It gives me another day to mentally prepare for the transition to home. It also gives Dick another day to pack my clothes and all the wonderful cards of inspiration I received (look tomorrow for a picture of my wall of your cards - simply amazing!!) I had a low-grade fever last night that my doctors want to see come back down before I am discharged. My blood counts held strong another day so that's good sign my body is healing. We will see what tomorrow brings! I couldn't have done all this without your unwavering support and love. xo