Modern medicine is so amazing. Two weeks ago I had five million stem cells removed from my body via a central line that was inserted into my chest the previous week. The central line has two IVs attached to it. One was used to have my blood flow from my body into a washing machine-like device that spun my blood. Stem cells are lighter than plasma so the machine is able to recognize the lighter stem cells and separate them from the rest. The blood was then transfered out of the machine and put back into my body through the second IV. All of the blood in my body went through this process three times in a period of about four hours. The five million stem cells collected were then frozen.

Last week I was given a 'tracer dose' of Samarium 153 which is the radioactive drug being used in the clinical trail to hopefully eradicate the bone metastasis. I was injected with 3mCis of Quadramet (the brand name) and then closely monitored by scans for four days. The doctors were making sure the drug went to my skeletal system (it did) and to see if it went to the tumor sites (it did). They then looked at my liver, kidneys and bladder to see how they reacted to the drug. Lastly they tested the radiation levels in my body, which started at .40 immediately after the injection and watched how quickly it went down. Day 2 it was .34, day 3 it was .28, day 4, .13, then .08 until finally I was no longer radioactive. Based on my height, weight and organ response, they were able to calculate the exact dose to give me next week.

So Tuesday I will check into the hospital and on Wednesday, instead of getting the regular therapeutic dose of 1mCi of Samarium 153, I will be getting 2205mCis! In which case I will be highly radioactive and therefore will be in isolation in a special lead room. I will be released when I am at a level of radioactivity that is safe enough to be around other people. But at that point, my red and white blood cells will have been altered, severely compromising my immune system, so I will be forced to don a surgical mask at all times. Looking forward to that one! 

Fifteen days later my stem cells will be thawed and transplanted back into my body. Again through the central line in my chest. Afterward I will be required to stay in Houston 30 more days to be monitored for any infections which could be cause for hospitalization. And then back home!

For now though, I am thoroughly enjoying Houston, especially the weather. And my visitors. And all the packages and mail. Thank you!

Love,

Jen