29 more to go

Hospitals are weird. Their starting to turbo load me with drugs.

Yikes!

Bam!

Hello.

I'm in the hospital and full o' ports. If anyone needs to give me liquids- just plug on in! I'm on anti viral anti fungal anti pneumonia drugs.

I'm in a tiny room with no bicycle but the charming Dr. Chung is going to try to move me, This is the first time I've met him and he's great.

James is here with me. We had a little nap together before I got "ported".

So I can have visitors anytime- just check with me please to make sure I'm not feeling crappy. They say the first 4 days of chemo are ok. I still have hair. I'm going to shave in a few days. (it looks really good - winter hair!)

So far so good.

Take care,

Beryl

Lift Off!

Hello,

So the tests are fine and I am going in Thurday morning. At 10am I'll get my ports in (I'll be wifi ready and I can charge all my electronics!!!) and check into my room by 11:00. (hmmm)

My mailing address while I'm in the hospital is

Beryl Solla

MT Unit-North 7
1300 E. Marshall Street
Richmond, VA 23298

I should be there until thanksgivingish. Then our apt. (which is looking pretty great) is

11210 Ashford Lake Place Apt. 222

Richmond, VA 23233.

Our apt phone number is 804-935-1720

my cell is 434-953-7217

James is 434-960-5606

Again, thanks for your help, your prayers and your awesomeness!

xoxox

Tomorrow and tomorrow!

Hi,

I took my cat scans today. The doc said I should have the results by tomorrow (tues) 2:00ish. If I'm infection free, I'm good to go. James and I moved with the help of a lot of friends and our family. Many hands. The apt. look pretty good. It was a great idea to get an unfurnished place. (I am a little crazy about home stuff). We slept there last night- it felt ok. I need to start packing for the hospital. There's so much to do when you leave for so long.

I'll let you know what's up when I hear something.

On saturday we went to a jewish deli right near the apt "Boychicks" It was deli-tastic! I'll post pics of the apt. tomorrow.

In health!

B

So far So good!

Hi,

I finished my last round of chemo (the easy stuff) yesterday. As my future daughter-in-law, Katie says, "Check!". I'm scheduled for a final cat scan on monday. We've set up the electric, water, gas, phone and almost internet at the apartment. We're set with a truck for the big move on saturday thanks to Rob Tarbell and Anna Von Gehr. Ian and Bridget will employ their awesome bus driving skills to get our stuff to the apt. My brother, Joe, is organizing the "FOB's". (this reminds me of my friend Marla who coined the phrase "FOM" I'm feeling nervous but I also think this is going to be a mix of dreadful and wonderful. I think there will be a whole lot of wonderful. I've been hearing from friends and really feel the substance of their good wishes and very, very real help.

okay......

Okay, so as of today I am set to go in on Oct 21st (thursday) and will have a week of chemo then the transplant. We're planning on moving into the apt on oct 16th. so James will have a place close by to sleep. I started on the anti-viral drugs and anti-monkey drugs so i should be safe from viral monkeys or Monkey Viruses (virusi?). Either way....safe!

It's All On! (I hope)

Hello,
So the donor cleared today and I think it's proceeding. I haven't talked with the big doc yet- we're playing phone tag. I'll share as the drama unfolds.
Yikes,
Beryl

Hellooooooo

Hi,

So the latest is that the donor needs to have some tests updated (maybe because it has taken the Bone Marrow Center so long to do it's paperwork??). This will happen on fri and theoretically the results will be sent to Richmond on monday. In the meantime I'm not taking anymore meds or taking any more tests until I have a confirmed date. My Richmond doc hasn't commented on this yet. I'm on chemo for the next week so I'm hydrating like a fish!

Argh,

Beryl

The latest

Hi,
The Drs. say some of the paperwork has come in but not all. They want me to take another cycle of chemo and have another CT scan. They have a TENTATIVE admission date of oct. 18th. They are stressing the tentative.
So, who the heck knows.
Take care,
Beryl

The mystery is so mysterious!

Hi,
I know nothing!!!!!Nothing!!!!!! That's fine- I'm going to take up drinkin and gamblin. These life lessons can bite me!

Crickets Chirping......

Hi,
So the Bone Marrow center has not given the final clearance for my donor. The reasons are unknown at this point. It may be a paperwork glitch or it may be a problem. My back up donor also has some problems .........
so I am not shaving my head tonite (actually Bridget is not shaving...) I am not going into the hospital tomorrow and I am on hold for maybe a short time, maybe a long time. It is a big mystery.
I hope you all are enjoying the suspense as much as I am!
In the meantime my Dean (awesome Cliff Haury) and my colleagues and family are just rolling with it.
Stay tuned!!!

so pretty!

It's like a dream come true...

Hi,
Still no confirmation on the approval from the Bone Marrow Center. I'm not shaving my head till I see a signature! So it's still a big maybe for sure perhaps possible looks good kinda deal.

It's a go...maybe??

Hi,
According to my pre-transplant coordinator we have an e-mail stating donor approval but the big Bone Marrow Transplant Center has not signed off on it yet. This is as far as I got last time. I'll share when I know more. I'm proceeding "as if" everything is on.....maybe.
My test at VCU was quick! No math, no science!!!

No News

Hi,
I just heard from my Pre-transplant coordinator that I won't hear today about the donor. They would like me to come in tomorrow for more tests. I just hope they aren't math tests!!

Thanks to my Buds

Hi,
I'm still waiting on the final word re my donor. I told my drawing class good bye tonight. It was hard- it makes it more real. I'll meet my other classes one more time. I've been getting copies of notes you all have sent to my brother and I feel very, very grateful for your friendship and support. You've shown me amazing kindness and I'm thankful for it.
xoB

Getting Ready

Hi,
I'm packing clothes and scrubbing out my vases to take to Richmond with me, working in the garden, potting stuff to send away, doing laundry, returning library books, finishing things.
James is in florida seeing his Mom before the transplant.
I'm loving my IPAD. I'm all apple all the time now. I told my bone marrow doc about it and he was jazzed.
I'm on 4 new meds- anti viral ant fungal. One of them was giving me hallucinations when I closed my eyes. They were beautiful but kept me awake and apparently hallucinations aren't a good thing (who knew?) so I'm off that (VFEND) and will try something else on monday.
I worked this week with Bridget on her and Ian's porch. We tiled her design and it is gorgeous.
Take care,
B

Donor Tested

The donor had blood tests this week. the results will be in by Sept. 23rd (hopefully). If all goes well I'll enter the hospital on Sept. 29th, have a madcap week of xtreme chemo and then transplant on Oct 7th.
I had a bunch of tests in Richmond yesterday- always a treat!

Things Are Still On track

Hi,
So far things are still moving towards the Sept 29th Hospital date. I start a new round of Chemo on tuesday and go to Richmond for pre-transplant bloodwork on Sept. 16th. Yikes to the fifth power!

Donor resurfaces

Hi,
I received this message today:
"The POTENTIAL donor has agreed to donate!
This 39 yo Male is in the process of having labwork and his history and physical scheduled and done.
We have been told to expect Donor Clearance 9/23.
The tentative time frame, pending FINAL DONOR CLEARANCE is:
Admit 9/29
Transplant 10/7 "
So IF the tests are all ok I have a date. My last two donors didn't make it past the final testing so it's still a possible date- not cast in stone.
oy.