11/27/24 – On
Wednesday, November 27th, 2013, I had my stem cell transplant. It
was a day of where my body was doing all it could to accept my new immune
system. I was exhausted, feeling disoriented and experiencing some riggers/shakes.
The day was a bit of a blur, and I slept most of the day. When I work up the
next day, it was Thanksgiving. My wife and daughters were with me. They had
prepared a Thanksgiving meal for us to share. Yeah, me and my family
celebrating Thanksgiving in a hospital room…. my family dressed in hospital
gowns and masks and me in my pajamas with very little energy. I didn’t have
much of an appetite. I would end up eating just a few nibbles of food, I could
have easily slept the day away… and in truth, it is one of my fondest memories
of Thanksgiving and it was one of the best meals I have ever had. It was a day
of us all truly being thankful… thankful for us, for our family, for the loved
we shared over the years… and thankful for this life saving procedure I had the
day before… and thankful for the many wonderful years we would share in the
future.
It is now 11 years since we shared that memorable
Thanksgiving meal… and life has given us so many blessings.
Coincidentally, the 11th anniversary of my stem
cell transplant falls on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the memory of
the day 11 years ago come rushing back to me. It’s hard to imagine the life my
family would have had if I chose to not have my transplant.
I was first diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma on July 17,
2008… that’s over 16 years ago. It is truly amazing how it has gone from
something that was a death sentence… to something that is now considered a very
treatable disease.
I originally starting writing blog as a way to share my
cancer journey with friends and family. I have thankfully hit a point in my life
where I, quite honestly, don’t have anything to add about my Adventures with
Mantle Cell Lymphoma. With this said, this will be my last posting for a while.
Certainly, I will share any updates about my health if there is anything new to
report.
I would like to close this post with thanking my wife,
daughters, family and friends, doctors, nurses and all the other people who
have been a part of my heath journey, for all the support I have received from
them.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Here is a link to a song called “Tunnel” by Third Day for
those of you who are going through your own health journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7V5t9ECZXo
"Oh give thanks to
the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm
107:1
More to come…
http://mantlecell.blogspot.com
