Today we met Joanne, Dr. Porter’s coordinator of non-related matches, who has been working on selecting the best donor out of the four potential ones. She alone knows the identity of Jeff’s donor. We were allowed to learn only two things about the donor: it is a 35-year-old female. I haven’t been crying excessively lately but somehow hearing even those two minimal details about the donor brought tears instantly, joyfully to my eyes. We can write to her anonymously – and she to us - through Joanne during the first year after which we can know her identity, if she agrees.
Dr. Porter once again outlined the steps toward transplant and the transplant itself. Jeff expressed his concern that the chemo and radiation would be as bad as what he experienced in March. Dr. Porter candidly said, “It’s worse.” He encouraged Jeff to put on weight and build his activity level. Basically, it’s as if he’s in training.
We also met Jackie, the nurse who schedules the patient care classes. She treated us a little like VIPs, giving us tips and telling us what we will be learning in class. The class is mandatory prior to transplant.
Jeff asked Joanne whether we could have requested to know two different details about the donor like 1) age and 2) can he/she dance? Joanne doesn’t know whether the donor is a dancer. Perhaps we can ask that in our first letter to her.
Typhlitis Belly Report: down to 40” from 44”, normally 38”
Weight: lost 25 pounds during hospital stay, 5 pounds gained back so far
Prayer request: for our lovely 35-year-old female donor
2 comments:
Hip Hip Hooray!!!!
Woo hoo! My advice: Remember that after the transplant you'll have to fight the urge to buy a mini van and drive carpools (isn't that what 35-year-old women do?). Just saying.
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