Day 87

I met with the local oncologist, Dr. Mariealane Hellner, on Thursday. We went over the numbers, she's very pleased with my progress. We also agreed, since the numbers are still coming down that I would do a 4th month of chemo at home. That will finish up on November 5th and we will aim to move up to Hackensack University Medical Center the week of November 8th. They will do initial testing - heart, lungs, and whatever else followed by high dose mephalan to kill the remaining cancer cells, then high dose drugs to stimulate the growth of new baby stem cells, cell harvest, transplant, isolation, and then hopefully a little rest. Joanie asked the doctor if she could hold off coming up till after the cell harvest, she wants to make sure that she has enough hours to get FMLA, and then join me for the transplant and isolation phase of the treatment. I'll drive up and be able to go to Barbara's until then. The oncologist said maybe, she said that the drugs used to do the stem cell growth stimulation can be quite painful and I might not be able to drive but that everyones reaction is different. We'll see what we shall see and make the call then. I don't want to seem like a woosey but I'm looking forward and not looking forward to this.After I get through this ok I'll start preparing for the second transplant, which will be the donor transplant.