need BMT-help..

[Momhope]

My Mom needs a BMT, she is 67 and she is diabetic, what should I expect during transplant and after transplant.?
should I let her go thru Transplant?

[Neil Cuadra]

Momhope,

Has she been on Vidaza? How has she done? That's usually the first treatment choice, with another drug or a transplant as backup plans. So in order to have an opinion about the transplant choice you need to know whether there are other alternatives (staying with Vidaza or switching drugs).

If she's out of other treatment choices and doesn't have stable (livable) blood counts then a transplant does seem to be necessary. The questions for her doctor would then be whether it should be a mini-transplant (one with reduced pre-transplant conditioning) or a full transplant, and how to handle the increased risk from her diabetes, because diabetes can affect a patient's ability to tolerate some treatments.

I suggest that you prepare a list of questions for her next doctor's appointment. I think you need answers like these in order to help guide her, and her doctor is the one who has the facts at hand.

[Darice]

Momhelp:
My husband went through his stem cell transplant (full) when he was 67. This was for his NHL, prior to his getting tMDS. He is diabetic, has A-fib and Hep B, and various other ailments of aging. This was not easy for him by any means, but it was quite do-able. Good team of doctors and care-givers is critical, and with a lot of support she should do well with it, if this turns out to be the best choice for her treatment.

[Momhope]

thank you for the responds, My mom has not been on any treatments here Blood counts has been stable. Dr. are saying that because of her condition 18% blast the only choice right now is to have a BMT. I really hope I made the right decision with here.

Neil, I will ask those question as well , thank you for the help , I'm so worry. we will be seing a transplant Dr on Wed. in Miami Sylvester center (university of MIAMI) this will be for a second opinion.
she wants transplant to be done in NY , where she live but I live in FL and I'm here only child and because work and my kids (2-kids 9years and 6months) I cannot stay with her long enough but she does not want to do it here..

I really don't know what to do, with this situation , I want to be with here to take care of here but, she is not making it easy for me.

[Neil Cuadra]

I think that having someone else (a friend or family member) at the transplant hospital is an important factor in transplant success, no matter how great the doctors and hospital are.

Is there anyone else who could help care for her during a transplant in New York? If so, you could check if that person is willing to make himself/herself available. But if you're the only caretaker who could help your mom during a transplant then I think you have good reason to suggest more strongly that she come to Florida.

Transplant patients can use the help because it's hard to be your own advocate, express your needs, or understand the doctors when you are alone in a hospital and on medications that may make you loopy or confused. Some patients have gone through transplants without a caregiver but I think it's less than ideal.