Day +14 Follow Up Appointment Day

Today is day +14. That means it's been 14 days since I had my stem cell transplant. This morning we drove out to Stanford for my follow-up appointment to see how I am doing. We gave us well over enough time to get there since we didn't want to feel rushed. So, since we were there about an hour and a half early, we went over to the main University campus, waked around and went to the Bookstore to look around also. It was kind of a dream since growing up and swimming I always wanted to go to Stanford. It was really neat to walk around the small part we did and just be on the campus. I felt really good walking around also, which is really good for my healing/recovery.

After about 45 minutes, we drove back over to the hospital to go to my appointment. Unfortunately, we didn't have any help with Brandon, so Eric couldn't go back with me, but that was okay. I wasn't back there too long. Just long enough to have labs drawn, see the nurse practitioner make my next appointment. In all, about an hour. But, when I got back there, a lot of the nurses remembered me and they all said how amazing and great I was looking.

About 30 minutes into my appointment, my labs started to come back. Really about the time I started talking to the nurse practitioner who had been there since transplant day. She was in the room doing the checkoff when I had my transplant. She came over with a HUGE smile on her face. Not knowing if it was because she was happy to see me looking good like the rest of the nurses or because of the lab results, I smiled back with a big smile also. Come to find out, it was because of both. She was so happy to see me looking so good and back to my "normal" self and because of my labs. My labs were REALLY good for day +14. As in, my numbers have grown so much since Friday and I don't have to wear the Darth Vader mask anymore. Well, except for going in and out of the Cancer Center. That's two the only time I need to wear it. I still have to be on the low microbial diet, so no restaurants or fast food, for another two weeks. But, I can do that.

Now, for the best part. This Friday we go back to Stanford. Yes, twice in one week, but this is good. We go back for the LAST time. Yep! You read right, the LAST time. On Friday I go in, have labs drawn, have my catheter taken out (WOOHOO THANK YOU!!!!!) and then see my doctor, Dr. W. It's going to be a long day/week, but so worth it in the end when we don't have to come back for a very long time. As in, probably when my cancer comes back. But, now we know what to expect.

I know I say is almost every post, but thank you everybody who has supported us through all of this. Never doubted us, helped us and everything else. It really means a lot. We don't need money, we just need physical help. Especially home cooked meals. Those are very much appreciated too!