Bone Marrow Transplant: Day -4 and Day -3

Well, I’ve felt better.  Right now, I am lying in bed trying not to throw up for the fifth time this morning.  I can only hope and pray the chemicals I have been given to prepare my body are doing what they’re supposed to do.  As I write this entry I am actually on day Day -2, which means the only thing I have left is radiation tomorrow.

Day -4 was generally ok in the earlier part of the day.  I tolerated Fludarabine really well, and had no side effects from it.  In the afternoon I began ATG, which made me more than a little nervous considering my last experience with it.  My nurse and pharmacist made sure to keep me on the best drugs to try and ward off the rigors, fever, and bone pain I experienced the first time, and for the most part it worked.  However, just like last time, about two hours before the end of the ATG infusion, my fever creeped up.  I hit 103.5 and it didn’t break until the early afternoon on Day -3.  Boy did that feel terrible.

Day -3 gave me the full cocktail of Fludarabine, ATG, and Cytoxan.  Once the fever subsided, I had to begin to deal with the fallout from the chemotherapy.  I’ve been pretty stable all in all, but it’s finally beginning to catch up with me.  I am thankful I’m very nearly done.  This too, shall pass.

I knew what I was getting into with the Bone Marrow Transplant, so I have no regrets.  This pain and sickness is a necessary step to make me well again.  I will make it through.  And soon!