January 21, 2009

Happy REBIRTH DAY!!

There they are 7 million of my stem cells.
Checking twice to make sure these stem cells belong to me.
Tuesday was a day of celebration. Our country was getting a new President. Many said it was a rebirth of our nation. And I was getting new stem cells to rebuild my body. As we watched the inauguration news on TV, I was hooked up to an IV. Several bags of Saline and my own stem cells were transfused back into my body. The process took several hours. After the stem cells are infused, the bloodstream carries them to the blood and marrow. The body's own chemical signals direct the stem cells to say there, where they start to produce new stem cells and blood cells. About a week after the transplant engraftment occurs. This is when the bone marrow makes new blood cells. Pretty amazing stuff. It is great to live in a time of such modern medicine and technology. I am told this next week will be one of the roughest as my body deals with the side effects of the chemo and begins to engraft the stem cells. I am already feeling pretty wiped out. But this was a day for celebration. As our new administration begins to rebuild our nation my body will be rebuilding too.
Celebrating the big Day.

3 comments:

Kristine (the Killer Rabbit) Koncher said...

I just wanted to say I am thinking of you every day!

THIS JOYFUL LIFE said...

Happy REBIRTH DAY to you!!! hope you are doing well and feeling well we think about you daily, and pray for you always. Hang in there it will all be over soon!

carolyn owens said...

Kristine,
Just thinking of you and hoping all is well.

Carolyn

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