Surgery today

Hi Everyone, This is Sibyl,

Stephi was checked out and ultrasound-ed yesterday
and there was no blood clot. She got her first shots
to stimulate stem cell growth and now we have a supply
of shots at home. This afternoon, she had a surgical
procedure to insert a Hickman triple central venous
catheter into her chest. The catheter is inserted to a
large vein near the carotid artery and snaked down into
her heart. It is through these ports that blood will be
extracted on Monday, and put through a pheresis machine
which will sort out the white cells. The procedure will
take at least 5 hours. Then the white cells go through a
centrifuge which extracts cancer free stem cells. Stephi
may have enough on Monday for the transplant, but if
not the process will be repeated daily until there are
enough. On Monday April 28, if everything goes as planned,
she will enter the hospital and on Monday and Tuesday
receive the strongest doses of Chemotherapy offered
(Through the catheter). Every thing in her bone marrow
will die. On Wednesday, she will rest, with absolutely
no immunity. On Thursday, May 1, healthy stem cells
will be reintroduced through the catheter. At that point
she begins the long road to recovery and will be in both
hospital and later home isolation for a total of about 60 days.
She is resting comfortably at home now.

To all of Stephi's co-workers out at Longview College:
She carries the beautiful pink Vera Bradley bag you gave her
everywhere. It has become something of a talisman.
At home, the shawl so loving made and blessed by our
Friends at the Methodist church in McDonald,PA, is always
on her and/or her bed.

It was quite a day.
and, how was your day?

Love,
Sib