Donations

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Hard week ......Transplant today

Last week started at 3 am Monday morning. Nathan had to give bone marrow and had a ton of tests. It was a full day. Tuesday started early as well and he received the port in his chest, again a full day of more testing. In those two days we were exhausted and it was hard on Nathan he had to go through a lot. Day three we met with his stem cell doctor, he was supposed to be admitted but it was pushed back a day and we had to come back to the hospital that night for out patient chemotherapy. We spent the next morning together he was pretty sick vomiting at hotel. I had to leave to go home and be with Aedyn and work. It was really hard to leave him knowing how hard going into the hospital was going to be for him. He got sick several times on the way. Thursday night was the first night we ever spent apart. It's hard to be torn in directions of work, a child, a husband. It's hard to watch Nathan suffer so much and I can not be here every second. Friday he started getting his new regimen of chemo. This time around is a combination of several things and combined they are a great deal stronger therefor harder on Nathan. Five straight days. Saturday when I came back to Houston he was pretty sick. He's lost some weight and is pretty much at this point getting fed through his port. He's eaten a little soup and a bite of applesauce. Gatoraid is about all he's taking in and a few Popsicles. Staying up here Saturday and Sunday it's a lot to take in to watch the slow effects of this transplant preparation. I shaved his hair back at home but what's left is slowly beginning to come out. He's pretty thin and they are constantly coming in doing vitals taking blood doing all kinds of tests. He's having to eat buckets of ice so he doesn't get mouth sores from the chemo. He sleeps a lot. So.......the big day. He's supposed to get his transplant around 11:00. To anyone who doesn't know his donor is a 19 year old kid. How amazing is that! He had to go through a bunch of tests and get a port in his chest as well as be in the hospital for awhile to do this for a complete stranger. I have no words for what that does to my heart. If only more people could be so selfless. I will update after transplant and let everyone know what the process was. Yesterday he slept most of day and he's been sick all day today. I know he's scared and nervous so pray for his strength through the day!!! This has been a world wind of emotions. Being at home is hard, leaving Nathan is hard, leaving Aedyn is hard, not being able to ease his pain is hard. It's funny the little things we don't notice until something like this when I went home I could smell him in the house and his stuff is everywhere but he's not there it sucks! We've watched tv on same channel some and text back and forth or talk on phone anything to feel together. We did our first Skype tonight with Aedyn. That gave me so much comfort and Aedyn was so excited to be able to see Nathan. One week down in this long journey. One week and I'm exhausted. Doing financial paperwork, the short sale on his home, being here for him, the back and forth driving, working, running a business, taking care of Aedyn, housework. No sleep! I hope next week is better. When I type these things and share all this it's to not only TELL of his journey it's to show how going through this with him is. This is the reality of cancer it SUCKS!!!!! When he's home and we have our life back I don't know that I can ever complain again. Getting through this has given me even more strength and I was already a tough cookie and my God what Nathan's been through since he was 20......look out world these tough cookies have lots of life to live!
Pray for strength for him today!