Day minus 2…all systems go! :) (I’m totally stealing that from you, Andrew)
Written by JKM on October 6th, 2008
Two days to go!!! Well, actually, since it’s Sunday night, I guess we technically have a day and a half until Day 0, transplant day. After that, they will start counting Day +1, 2, etc…so each day puts me closer ’til day 100 when, hopefully, I’ll be able to come home!
My mom, Laura and I are sitting here watching some episodes of “The Golden Girls”, one of our favorite shows. Laura has a headache, but she’s hanging in there, my mom is doing well and is chatting with Aunt Bitsy, and I’m feeling well…just a little tired. My counts are pretty much 0 at this point, although I got platelets yesterday so they went all the way up to 40,000! Not normal, but I’m happy with that. I will be getting blood tomorrow because my hemoglobin and hematocrit went down…I want to make sure I’m all pumped up for the transplant!!! I’m getting really excited about Tuesday because that will become like my new birthday (although, as I’ve said before, I’m not giving up Dec. 16th…I’ll just have two birthdays…nothing wrong with that!). October 7th will mark the beginning of my new life, cancer-free, and I am feeling just so positive about everything. I know my feelings change day to day, mostly depending on how I’m feeling physically, but I just feel so lucky.
Lucky to have Laura and her “gift of life”, lucky to have a wonderful family, lucky to have a huge support network, lucky to have the doctors I have, both in Fairfax and out here in Seattle. I still miss everyone I know back in Fairfax–all my nurses and Dr. Kales, but I know I’m getting good treatment here as well. The facility continues to impress us every day, and that’s pretty amazing.
As Kathy pointed out, it seems strange to feel lucky in my situation, but I have so many things to look forward to (visits from friends and family, returning home, finding a career and a date :), starting a family, and traveling all over the world), and I’m just trying to concentrate on the fact that going through all of this now will allow me to live a long, happy life. Plus, it’s not like I have a choice to go through this or not, right? 
Katie had to leave today, and it was hard to see her go, but she’ll be back in about a month, and I’m really looking forward to it. We didn’t get to do lots of fun activities, but we got to spend time together, and that’s obviously what matters.
I guess I don’t have too much to share with you right now. I’m just sitting here, looking out at the beautiful night skyline of Seattle, relaxing on the couch. Things certainly could be a lot worse, and I will always feel lucky and proud to endure what I have within the past 3 and a half years…knock on wood, of course! I don’t want to jinx myself! It’s kind of weird to be proud for just dealing with a life experience, but I do. I will try to keep focusing on the positives through the next 102 days (yup, the countdown begins!), and I will forever carry with me the experiences I’ve had out here.
Enjoy the pictures below. I started my Cyclosporine yesterday (the scary gray drug), so we documented it for you.
P.S. Below, Laura published an entry to include a slide show she put together of our hula hooping this afternoon….we’re pretty awesome hoopers!! I know some may be shocked by the language in the song, but just listen to the beat, and you’ll realize it fits the pics perfectly!!
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- Here they are...the dreaded Cyclosporine, but so far so good!
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- Here we go....all right, I'm gonna take them!!!
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- ...OK, here we go!!!!!
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- ...down the hatch!
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- All gone! I'm such a wonderful patient, don't ya think? :)
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- My mom and I waiting in the clinic before my chemo yesterday
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- Bring on the chemo--I'm all comfy and ready to go!
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- My nurse, Donna, and I
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- This one cracks me up...look at my face! She's attaching the iv with the chemo. It's nice 'cause this chemo only takes a half hour to infuse.
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- Jeff Matthews, this pic's for you...remember when you taught us about some tribe that makes noises and points with their mouths?! Here I'm signaling to Katie that I want some applesauce. :)
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- After chemo, Vera (one of my volunteer buddies), Katie and I went for a walk by the lake, and here we're playing "Bananagrams", a really fun game!!
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- I may be smiling, but I'm certainly not winning the game!!
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- Sisters...I really like this photo.
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- And here we have one of my favorite lunches or snacks...cheddar cheese, pickles and cherry tomatoes!!...looks delish, doesn't it?
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Julie,
You are right to feel proud! You’re embracing somthing hard that most people shrink from! And how often in life do you get to work with people who are undoubtedly the greatest professionals at what they do? And I personally think that having a transplant on your ‘resume’ will get you an upgrade on your husband
The shallow, self-absorbed ones won’t even bother to apply.
OK, to over-do the analogy: you’ve put down the weed killer on the lawn (radiation/Fludarabine) and almost all that nasty crabgrass is dead. Now it’s up to Laura’s fresh seed to grow vigorously and crowd out those last leukemia weeds! Water (good attitude and prayers) and fertilize (pills, pills, pills) daily. Your family and friends will provide the warm sunshine!
Looking back at my blog, I started feeling really bad (”the worst flu you can think of…”) around Day +7 and my counts started coming up at Day +12, then a few days of rash and wretching from the GVHD, then was allowed out of the hospital on Day +19. But I was verrrry weak going in, and you are doing the stinkin’ hula hoop (!!!), so I think you are looking pretty good by comparison.
BTW, October is a better time for a birthday celebration than December. You can have the party on the deck. We have fireworks and parades for my second birthday (July 3).
OK, here you go!! We’re thankful that you have let Susan and I (and wee Charlotte) into this chapter of your life, and it is an honor to be amongst your many, many friends.
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Vamos Julie todavia!!!(argentinian expresion)
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Hi Julie, I’m glad to hear that all as going well and as planned and can’t wait to read your next posting. I meat you once at Ben and Laura’s wedding so you likely don’t know who I am, but we are all waiting to hear when you come back home. My sister had leukemia back in the late nineteen sixties and she is still alive and kicking and has traveled the world several times since then. If you would like a distraction Here’s
the link for my child Alexander’s snapfish photo album.
Peace,
Evan, Lorie and Alex DuBasky
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It isn’t weird to be proud, you SHOULD be proud! You’ve handled everything with humor, grace and strength and set an example for all of us!
I miss you but am SO glad I got to come out there! Love you lots.
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p.s. I love that analogy, Andrew!
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Yay! So close to your new “birthday”… we will all be and praying for and thinking about you and Laura tomorrow!
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Hi Julie,
Steve and I will be praying for you and Laura. Sorry it’s been so long I contacted you but you and your family are always in our thoughts and prayers.
Bayla say hi too!
Love you, Norma and Steve
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I agree with Katie that you should be INCREDIBLY proud of the way that you have handled this. You are an inspiration to sooo many people, and I think that if only everyone could face life with the same determination, humor, positive attitude and love that you do, the world would be a much better place. I wish you tons of luck tomorrow and will be thinking of you every day as you go through this next phase. HAPPY BIRTHDAY EARLY!!!
And Laura…thanks so much for giving Julie the ‘gift of life’!!! I hope that you don’t get any of the stinky side effects or bone pain.
Lots of love and positive energy,
Kristi
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Julie-Have you ever thought about being a writer??? Your blog is amazing, I haven’t said much, but I have been following along and you have made me laugh, and even cry too! On Tues you and all of your family will be in all of our thoughts and prayers at Rogan & O’Brien (and Matthews) Cardiovascular! You are one of the strongest most positive people I know!!! Keep it up!!!!
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I’m not sick and I can’t do the freakin’ hoola hoop. Rub it in, why don’t yah? Ok…so I’ll start practicing and then kick your BUTT by next Thanksgiving. Oh yeah…that’s a big DARE. (I’ll still lose cause I suck.) Keep watching Golden Girls, eating healthy, and taking those lovely gray pills (blech). One day I’ll send your carepackage that’s collecting dust in my living room.