Kathy and I will head down to the Medical Center next Sunday, November 19. We will stay overnight at the Med Center Marriott since I have an early morning appointment at the Transplant Center at Methodist Hospital to begin the Stem Cell Transplant Process on the 20th.
Kathy and I met with my doctor team last Monday, November 6, for final labs and to sign my life away with all the paperwork required for the transplant. Today, we teleconferenced with the pharmacist at the Transplant Center to get all my meds in place. On Friday, my hair will be shorn as I will lose it anyway. That way I will not have to deal with it falling out when I am sick during the transplant process.
Here is a brief outline of what I can expect to experience:
Day -2 (Monday): Surgery to remove my current implanted port (not large enough for the many different medications to which I will be connected). Surgery to put in a new external port. Short break to test new port during which time I will begin eating ice to ward off, as best as possible, ulcers that develop in the mouth and esophagus as a result of chemo. Then, heavy dose of Melphalan, a potent chemo that will destroy all the stem cells in my body resulting in no immunity by the next morning.
Day -1 (Tuesday): A rest day. I could be weak and sick. They promise they will stay on top of my body’s reaction with medications.
Day 1 (Wednesday)- My previously collected stem cells which were as cancer free as possible after my immunomonoclonal targeted therapy over almost seven months will be infused back into my body. My body will not like this.
Days 2-9: My body will be reacting to the new stem cells and could be doing cart wheels. I will be on various medications as the doctors monitor my body.
Days 10-14: The infused stem cells will replant and begin to reproduce. (It is tremendously rare for the stem cells to not reproduce.)
Days 15-21: I should be feeling stronger. I will be monitored for the stem cell reproduction rate as the protein levels in my blood will indicate when I can be released from the transplant center.
Kathy will stay with me in the hospital. The rooms in the transplant center are large and quite nice. The entire floor of the transplant center is an isolation ward, not just my room, so as I feel better and stronger I can walk the area. I asked for a gosling down pillow for my bed and a meal of King Crab, and the doctors just laughed with me. Turns out I really am being incarcerated for at least three weeks.
As Kathy and I are together in the hospital room, we recognize it’s not just the two of us, but the Lord will be with us to bless us, not only through His guiding of medical wonders, but also in His Word and promise. May God make us a blessing to all who gather around us in this time.
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think—according to the power at work within us—to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen! (Ephesians 3:20-21)”
Prayer Request: Smooth processes. Limited side effects from the transplant process. Blessings on my doctors and staff who attend to me. A spirit of thanksgiving in my heart, no matter the outcome.
kgraumann
wgraumann
gofarther.me 
Oh I am crying as I read this.
I will pray that the Lord will be ever so close to you both. He will! I will pray for your team. I will pray for minimal side effects. My love goes with you both. 💕 Paula
I can’t help but think of Paul in his incarceration and how God used him mightily during that time. My prayers for you and Kathy, not only for the process and the outcome we all desire, but for the influence your life has and will have on others. Prayers you emerge victorious!
P.S. I have a dear friend, Jerry, who will be doing a stem cell transplant at just about the same time frame you are.
God’s blessings and peace for you, your family and your medical staff.
This sounds all too familiar, I’ll be praying for you Wayne.
May God be with you and Kathy. May He bless and keep you and give you His peace.
May God be with you and Kathy. May He bless and keep you and give you His peace.
Wayne and Kathy,
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div>Thank you so much for blessing us with your journey, not only travel but your health journey as well. I pray for Gods healing and comfort. He is surely with you! I pray for Kathy and her stamina and strength as she is caring for you. Much love for you both! I know you two will be a blessing to all
God be with you and Kathy. As he has been on your recent wonderful trip may he be through this next chapter of treatment.
Praying for you and Kathy and your medical team. God will do great through this.
If anyone can come through this, it will be you. With your faith and that smile, you will be blessed. I know with all my cancers, I don’t see how I have survived. But with our spouses help and faith we have done it.
And remember, you visited the the most beautiful place in the world with Kathy by your side and you two will see this through.
Praying Hard,
Mary Lou
Prayers upon prayers upon prayers Wayne and Kathy as you travel this new journey together. He is enough!❤️🙏🏻
Lorna
You and Kathy are and will be in my prayers. Stay strong!
Prayers being sent up now for your procedure to be a complete success and all to go smoothly. Praying for peace and comfort and for you, and Kathy as she attends , and your medical team.
Philippians 4:6
Thank you for keeping us in the loop to join in prayer and loving support. Yes, the Lord is with you in each and every moment. Add to that much love from us all!
Praying for you and all those who will be caring for you. May you have good results from this procedure and God’s peace be with you and Kathy
Thanks for the info, Wayne. I am sure the process was not easy to hear, easy to think about or easy to write. But isn’t it amazing what doctors and science can do???? And what your own body can do. When I worked in the PT dept at Houston Methodist Willowbrook, I used to tell my patients, that if you ever needed a FACT to prove the existence of God, just look at the human body. It has all the elements needed for healing (think wound or surgical site) before there is even an issue. It has all the right proteins and can create more when needed. The body can fix itself. And it also creates pain and swelling to make you stop doing whatever caused the problem. God also provides the right treatment. My computer can’t fix itself~!! Tommy and I will continue to pray for you and Kathy and your medical team. (I mean, working with you, Wayne, they will need prayer! LOL) God has you in His hand and that is a powerful place to be!Hugs,P
We are keeping you and Kathy in our prayers daily! May God hold you both in the palm of His hand as you take this journey and grant wisdom to the medical staff caring for you.
Joy in Jesus🙏 Love Y’all, Brad and Joni
I will be covering you and Kathy and your medical team in my prayers in the coming weeks. Thankful you have been able to be in this program and that Kathy is able to be with you throughout the process. Thankful for your grace-filled gratitude and faith. Most of all, just thankful for you and Kathy. May Godbrichly bless, guide and protect you in the coming days. Much love to both of you.❤️❤️
Michele
May the Lord watch over both of you through this unplanned journey. Sending love and prayers for successful treatment and am so glad you are able to stay together through this.
God bless you as you travel this journey together. God’s grace and mercy unto you. Love in Christ, Priscilla Ogg
We will be praying for you Wayne as you go through this stage of your journey. May the Lord continue to bless you.
Steve and Irene
Prayers for all of you. Our God of all peace & comfort will be with you all. God is in control & has you both in HIS hands.
Love & praises to God for a complete recovery.
Linda