Sorry for the long lapse since the last post. Chemo kicked the $#%& out of me (and only me). Two days ago, on Day Zero, when we had our new “birthday,” everyone else was chipper and excited. We all got our stem cells back and had the catheter removed. There’s big a Happy Birthday sign in the room for that.Sorry for the long lapse since the last post. Chemo kicked the $#%& out of me (and only me). Two days ago, on Day Zero, when we had our new “birthday,” everyone else was chipper and excited. We all got our stem cells back and had the catheter removed. There’s big a Happy Birthday sign in the room for that.

Out of eight of us who were there to get our stem cells back, I only heard one other person say they had any problems from the second round of chemo, but I was nauseous and hungover for three days. I’ve always had sensitivities to a wide variety of medications, so I guess this is one more to add to the list. Most people had no ill sensation, whatsoever.

This morning, I finally started eating again, which was a catalyst for breaking me out of the nausea slump, and now I feel so much better. Anyway, today my immune system is officially depleted. Technically, there is no more memory of MS in my immune system because there is no more immune system in my body. Yay!

Some people start noticing improvements in their MS symptoms as early as today, and I must say that I am one of them. The stabbing pain that normally plagues me whenever my shoulder and neck become animated (i.e., while engaged in a conversation or when driving, etc.), well, it’s now just a nervous discomfort. It’s like I can feel the trigger activate, but the resultant excruciating pain is absent. Holy Cow! That was the single most important thing on my list of improvements that I was hoping to address. ???? Even if nothing else improves, and assuming this change is permanent, this transplant is now a smashing success!

Of course, there’s typically still two full years left of damage recovery, so we’ve only just begun to heal!! Add to that the idea that I could eventually be able to stop taking all MS and pain medication. I’m happy ????

The journey is worth it.