I’m feeling giddy as I write this post! Today (Wednesday) the docs said that Tyler will be sent home either Friday or Saturday. Next Tuesday, he will spend the day in the Outpatient Clinic getting labs drawn, having a bone marrow aspirate and a lumbar puncture, as well as an echocardiogram. I figured he’d have to return the day after that, but, they’re saying they will definitely allow him to remain home for Thanksgiving! Assuming his counts are high enough the day after Thanksgiving, he’ll be readmitted and immediately start his third course of chemo. Rejoicing in this wonderful news!
Some folks have been asking why Ty needs the third course of chemo instead of going straight into the pre-transplant chemo. It’s because the whole process of further testing and then collecting the bone marrow from the donor will take more time. If Tyler doesn’t have this third course while waiting for the donor to be ready, the leukemia will come back and he will no longer qualify as a bone marrow recipient. I have to admit we’re real nervous about this one given how tough course two was. But for now, we’ll put all worries aside and focus on going home in two days!