3rd day of chemo also known as Day -6

This is Bill's mother and assigned caregiver. Each patient must have a pre-assigned caregiver with them at all times during the 100 days of transplant. I will be updating the blog together with Katherine from time to time, as I am on the ground here and know first hand how things are progressing

We arrived in Houston on April 25th. During the past four weeks, Bill has been undergoing testing and radiation treatments. This was all done as an outpatient. We stayed at The Rotary House, which is a hotel attached and owned by M.D.Anderson Hospital. It is a very nice hotel run by The Marriot chain and very convenient for early and late evening appointments. Unfortunately, it is also a very sad place,as every room has a cancer sufferer.It is impossible to get away from the sadness. One is constantly reminded of it in the dining room, bar, corridors, entry hallway and outdoor garden area. I never would have believed so many young and not so young lives are stopped short in their tracks by this dreadful disease. I have called it "Hotel California" after the song by the Eagles,as there is the pervasive feeling of "will we ever get out of here"? That said, we have had a very lovely stay and feel grateful for the convenience of being so close to hospital and doctors,and for the staff who go out of their way to help everyone.

M.D. Anderson is an amazing and intimidating place. It is huge!!!!People come here from all over the world to be treated for cancer.I dare not guess the size,but it must be in the miles and miles of hospital space and treatment areas. For one with a sense of direction like mine, it has been a challenge!

Bill's brother and twin came down last week and donated his stem cells for Bill's transplant. We will never be able to thank Frank enough for the selfless way he has supported his brother. It is at times like this one realizes the true value of a loving and devoted family. Donating stem cells is not without pain. Frank had to take shots to help promote growth of his stem cells. This causes alot of pain to his entire body as his stem cells multiply. Thank you Frank, and thank you Karen and Liam and Sophie for sharing him. I know you missed him. Thanks also to Leerink Swann for being so generous in allowing Frank ttime off to come down .

As the title suggests, this is day-6. This is the language of bone marrow transplants!!!!! The days are counted down from the day you become an inpatient until the day you leave. Day-9 being admission day and so on until day 0 which is transplant day, followed by day 1etc. Day 0 for Bill is June 2nd. He has been having chemotherapy since day-9 and will continue until day-3 which is sat. May30th. Day -2 and -1 will be rest days as his body prepares for the transplant on June 2nd. He has completed three days of chemo and so far has had no side effects except tiredness, which may be caused by the constant interruptions of hospital life as much as it is by the chemo.The effects of chemo generally start a few days after the transplant. He will also have to be concerned about ''Graft Versus Host Disease " as Frank's stem cells establish themselves in Bill's body. Of course the dreaded infections are always a loomimg threat as his own bone marrow is wiped out and leave him with no protection to fight off bugs, even the naturally occurring ones in his own body.

Each day bring us closer to going home to Indianapolis,with a completely cured Bill. I know Frank Sr. and Katherine and Ryan and baby Kaitlyn miss us, as we miss them also. Frank is coming to Houston this Friday for 2 weeks, to be here during the important day of the transplant and the potential side effects that follow. Tess also plans to come down on Friday and will stay until after the transplant. Ryan and Katherine and Kaitlyn plan to visit when Bill gets out of the hospital (about 3-4 weeks) and Frank and Karen and Liam and Sophie are coming in August. Ryan and Katherine and Kaitlyn are also coming in August. So we will have alot to look forward to once Bill get's out of the hospital.


Words can never express our gratitude to you for your constant prayers and concern for Bill and our family. It is this that has carried us through these tough few months.Your prayers and words of encouragement have been life giving to all of us. Please continue to keep Bill in your prayers as he approaches D-day. The first 100 days after the transplant are the most critical, please keep him in your prayers. A million thanks to you all. We will keep you posted on his progress.