[bailie]

Paul and Carole, I wish you the very best. I went through the transplant process pretty much unscathed until Day 230 when I was given my relapse information. It is pretty much the luck of the draw about the relapse, but I wouldn't have lived that long with out the transplant. My life was almost normal after the transplant and no pain was associated with any part of it. Again, it seems that every person has their own unique experience. You will experience being tired, however. Patience is very important for every aspect of the transplant. I had four days chemo prior to transplant and then 13 days in the hospital following. You might experience similar feelings I had of water and food not tasting the same and loss of appetite. Get plenty of rest before going to the hospital because there are not many long periods of sleep. The nurses and doctors took very good care of me. I had caregivers (daughters and wife) who were great and made a huge difference staying with me in the hospital 24/7 to facilitate many small things that were important. It was a very doable experience. The transplant itself was uneventful and I slept through almost all of it. I wore my "street clothes" while in the hospital.

Be sure to ask questions here on the forum. I think we can cover most of the bases for you.