Monday, December 14, 2015

Week 7, the itchathon continues

So I knew I recognized the name of my new Doctor, Rainer Storb.  When I was in the hospital one of the Physician Assistants was giving me the history of bone / stem cell transplants.  These transplants were invented in by a Seattle Fred Hutch / SCCA Doctor named E. Donnall Thomas.  There was a statue in the hall way of him, as well as various pictures and plaques because he received a Nobel Peace Prize for his work.  Then the PA started talking about the dude that took what E. Donnall had done and helped shape what transplants are today.  This dude he was talking about is a man who lives on Mercer Island, is 80 years old and rows his rowing shells from Mercer Island all the way into Lake Union to SCCA, every day.  4.5 miles this row is.   This Dr. made the rule that the maximum age for a transplant was his age plus 5 years, as if he ever needed a transplant,then he could get one.  And this guys name is Dr. Rainer Storb.  
A nurse reminded me of this man while I was getting a bandage changed.  When I heard her say that he was one of the most important men in transplants, I was like HOLY SHIT this is my new doctor.  He now does research on getting rid of GVHD 10 months a year and only deals with patients 2 months a year.  THIS is my lucky month.  I'm kinda fanning out on this him and can't wait to have my get together with him tomorrow.  As well as meet with my nutritionist and hopefully weigh in the mid 160's.  
Last week was killer.  My platelets are now 79,000 down from the 124,000 the were on the first of the month.  These fuckers have held strong for 13 days now.  No platelet transfusions since Dec 1st.  And I only had one blood transfusion last week, which was the first one in 10 days.   They also cut me down to 3 visits a week to get blood work instead of the normal 7 days a week that I've been doing.  Monday, Wednesday and Saturday are my visit days.  I'll most likely do two weeks of this routine before going to twice a week and then I'll get handed over to my Oncologist.  Tomorrow I'm gonna ask about going back in the office twice a week for a couple of hours each day.
The only shit I've got going on right now is the constant itching.  Two nights ago I stayed up the whole God damn night itching.  7AM awake and scratching myself like a crack head.  Real impressive.  THIS is gonna make me go crazy.  

Looking less like a crack head, even though I'm scratching myself like one. 
Lil guy won a pretty big event this weekend in Bend.  Super pumped for him.  Older bro did pretty damn good himself.

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