Hi Baile - I go into the hospital tomorrow for placement of the dreaded Hickman Catheter - next day starts chemo - with the actual transplant scheduled for the 26th. They harvested 10 million stem cells from my brother today - which is very exciting - I think they were only able to get 700,000 from my last donor - which contributed to delays in engraftment and my counts rising - I'm hopeful things will go more smoothly - and there is something nice about receiving stem cells from my big brother.

I"ll keep you posted.

Stay well! Best wishes to your daughter too.
Paul

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers today and for the coming days/months!

I didn't have a Hickman. I had a three lumen Neostar, I think about the same thing. One of my surprises was that the procedure didn't seem to be a problem at all. I hope everything goes very well for you. You did so well (compared to my experience) during Day -4 to Day 0, I am hoping this time you will do just as well.

Great news about the abundant harvest of stem cells, Paul. You have everything going for you with your positive attitude. All the very best and I'll be watching for your posts.

Hang in there Paul, been absent for awhile ...
 

from this forum.

My husband's relapse was discovered at his 4 year check up in October 2014. His WBC had dropped almost 3 points in May 2014 from February 2014, but it was still 'within normal range.' Looking back a blood test should have been done between May and October to make sure all was OK.

So always question, be a polite pain in the ass!

WBC in October was in the 2's and they called us back to do a BMB that day. Results showed he was 60% donor and a second transplant was ultimately recommended. Induction in Oct/Nov, admission on Christmas Eve and transplant began on New Year's Eve 2014, it was a fractionated transplant given over 3 days with a couple days in between.

Fast forward to today, things have been relatively smooth, although they did detect a FLT3 mutation this time so he has been on a low dose of Nexavar since March or April of 2015, he is due to discontinue this drug in December at the two year mark.

Second time around is difficult, but possible!

Debbie, I don't want to detract from Paul's thread here (how are you doing Paul I hope well?) but did your husband relapse with the same mutations as prior to his first transplant? When I relapsed about 18 months ago, I had no prior to SCT mutations, but picked up a new one (the "Philadelphia chromosome (9;22) which is very rare for AML). How about blast count? I am really curious if when a person goes to "60 percent donor" is the other 40 percent the original blood type? My blood type changed from A+ to O+ at transplant.
Thank you.

Hi Paul and bailie ...
 

Paul hope you are doing well, a second transplant is difficult, but if you happen to read this just do what is needed to get through this until your counts climb. It took longer for my husband's counts to rise the second time, but in retrospect it was a breeze, although if you told me that almost two years I would say you were delusional.

bailie, I replied in the thread linked below. Feel free to pick my brain and will do my best to respond.

http://forums.marrowforums.org/showt...1420#post41420

Paul, we realize you might not feel like posting but we are continuing to think about your situation and hoping for the best. Right now, as we all know, is a difficult period of time. Stay strong and keep your attitude great as it always has been.