Stem Cell Transplant Update...

I haven't posted an update on Reid in a while because things have been uneventful.  That's good!  He continues to regain stamina and has learned how to pace himself so he doesn't get too exhausted.  He has had absolutely no complications and no longer takes the anti-rejection medication.

I have a tendency to compare him to Robin Roberts of Good Morning America.  She received her sister's stem cells in a bone marrow transplant which is very similar to a stem cell transplant.  I know she's been hospitalized twice since she was discharged, so I consider Reid very fortunate.  He's had no signs of rejection or infection.

On June 21st it will be six months since he received Keith's stem cells.  It's hard to believe that much time has gone by already.  He will soon begin receiving all his childhood immunizations again.  He had them all after the first stem cell transplant and now they must be repeated again.  He's a real trooper.  The last time they would give him four or five at a time!  I'd be heading for the hills, but needles don't seem to bother him.  I guess he's used to it by now.

In July he will have all the scans again and waiting for results is always a stressful time.  I have to remind myself to live in the moment and not to let my mind rush too far ahead.  That's much easier said than done.

We've been working on a puzzle that Troy gave me for Christmas. (If you remember, we only celebrated Christmas the Saturday before Easter, so it hasn't been sitting on the kitchen table for six months!)  It's a 4-D puzzle of New York City and has really been a lot of fun.  First you put together the Island of Manhattan in the 1700's.

Then you start adding the next level.  That's when you see things like Central Park, Little Italy, China Town, etc.  Here's Reid working on it.  The Island actually becomes a little larger.  I remember hearing that Ellis Island was enlarged when they dug out for the subway system and maybe that's what happened with Manhattan too.  They had to dump all that dirt somewhere.

Next we'll be putting the skyscrapers up and that will be the 4th level.  I'll have to remember to take a picture when we get it done.  It's a great way to get to know the layout of the city.

I caught Reid as he was leaving for the store this morning and asked him to pose for a picture.  Doesn't he look healthy?  He's starting to gain some of the weight back.  I think he lost 30 pounds.

Keith is coming from Austin this weekend.  His birthday is May 31st, but he's coming on June 1st.  It will be good to see "the donor" again!