If I wasn't already sober....

I sure would be now! Yesterday's meeting with the transplant doctor was a very informative, yet dispiriting, affair, though my friend Carmella helped keep things as positive as possible, bless her.

It sounds as though an auto-transplant (a bone marrow/stem cell transplant using my very own cells) is my best hope for an extensive remission. It is also remarkably safe--only a 1% mortality rate, per the doc.

The problem for your correspondent, however, is that to qualify for this transplant I not only have to have responded well to the chemo (and therefore have a lot of "good" cells to harvest), but all of my major organs have to be in great working order.

And for some reason, my kidneys don't currently fit that bill. They took quite a beating thanks to the myeloma cells, and so are not working as well as they should.

Whether they can be in peak working order so I can proceed with the transplant is up in the air. My primary doc in Boston said it all depends on how well the chemo works--and my response to it.

And we all know what kind of influence I have over that ! (Rip-roaring rash, anyone?)

But there are a few things I can do to help my kidneys feel better about things, and that means continuing to drink water like it's going out of style (2-3 liters a day) and eating a low, low potassium diet.

In case you're wondering, I did ask my dear doc whether I have options beyond the transplant if I don't qualify, and I do. So all is not lost.

But it seems that from what I've learned, this transplant gives me the best shot at a decent lease on life, so here's hoping we can turn things around.

Also learned yesterday that I need a blood transfusion, which explains why I've been feeling tired on tired of late (it wasn't church, it was my hemoglobin!). Expect a call from my local doc today as to when I can get quite literally hooked up.

Lastly, yesterday our dear Shwea had a rough morning, so I decided she should have the extra tests our vet suggests. She's there now, thanks to Aunt Mary, and I probably won't hear until late this afternoon what, if anything, they've found.

So I'm in a dither, but my dog is in the thick of things right now--any kind and healing thoughts you have, please send them Shwea's way. xo, Ann