The Evaluation

As everyone knows, last Tuesday (Feb 16), I flew to Salt Lake to undergo an evaluation in anticipation of donating bone marrow stem cells to Jim to help him fight lymphoma. The gist of the evaluation was to make sure I wasn't carrying anything that could be transmitted to Jim via the transplant. I think the doctors also wanted to make sure I could tolerate the procedure.

I arrived at LDS Hospital around 11 o'clock, Wednesday morning. Jim met me there and stayed with me the whole time I was at the hospital.

The first stop was the x-ray department on the 2nd floor. I had a chest x-ray, and after the technician developed the films, he came back to the x-ray room and informed me my lungs were too long and he would have to do it over. The second set of x-rays was fine.

After the x-rays, we went to the 8th floor, where the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) department is. A nurse drew 12 vials of blood, then we met with a PA to go over my medical history. After the medical history, I had an EKG, then Jim and I went to lunch (Chuck-A-Rama on 4th South).

When we returned, we met with Doctor Asch, Rachel Beers, and a nurse, for a consultation. I learned I have blood type A positive and Jim has blood type B positive. Dr Asch also explained the collection procedure and the possible risks. I will probably suffer some bone pain, and the doctor gave me a prescription for 10 pills of Oxycodone. I'm hoping I don't have to use it, that I can take care of any pain with Tylenol. The doctor doesn't want me to use aspirin or ibuprofen.

Because I am A positive, when my stem cells grow marrow in Jim, that marrow will begin producing A red blood cells, and eventually, Jim's blood type will become A positive. His body will try to reject the A cells, and Jim will have to battle "graft-host" disease, which can be controlled with medication, but Jim will also have to change his life style (as if it hasn't changed enough). The good news is, there is a possibility this procedure could eradicate the lymphoma.

I had to return to the hospital the next day, and I was there from 11 AM to almost 2 PM. They drew more blood for more testing, I had a CT scan of my lungs, and Dr. Asch talked to me again. The testing the second day was the result of my having been in places where I could pick up infectious things, even though I was asymptomatic. I was tested for tuberculosis, hepatitis (which I contracted in Korea), and valley fever (the doctor spat out some medical sequipedalianism for it). All the tests were negative, although the blood work showed the hepatitis I had in Korea was type A.

I received a telephone call from Rachel today, and she informed me everything was fine; we were good to go for the transplant. We will travel to Utah on March 6, and I will begin receiving injections of a stem cell growth stimulator on the 7th. The stem cells will have to be harvested from my neck as the veins in my arms did not pass as being suitable. The harvest should begin on the 10th.