Onward and Upward!

There are enough stem cells harvested to proceed with a bone marrow transplant!

Actually, because stem cells were harvested twice, Dennis will receive two transplants, 24-hours apart.

Thank you for your positive thoughts, support and prayers; they are working!

The next leg of this adventure begins February 2, when Dennis will be admitted to the hospital.

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Apheresis (Stem Cell Harvest)

Spectra Optia Aspheresis System

Dennis advanced to the Apheresis stage this morning. We’re hoping that within the next 6 hours on the machine, enough of his stem cells can be harvested.  We won’t know how successful this procedure will be until the process is over. Unfortunately there is no blood test available that will read the results of the Mozobil injection Dennis received late yesterday afternoon. But, he is connected to the Spectra Optia Aspheresis System (with a catheter in each arm), and our fingers are crossed that his bone marrow woke up last night!

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Evening Update: Good news - Stem cells are being harvested.
                             Bad news - There are not enough.

Another day of Apheresis is scheduled for 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Thursday (tomorrow).

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Mobilizing Stem Cells

In order to be collected in sufficient numbers from the blood, stem cells have to undergo the process of ‘mobilization’ from their usual bone marrow habitat.





After 5 days of Neupogen injections (used to encourage his bone marrow to produce stem cells), Dennis and I were at Spectrum at 7:00 a.m. this morning, anticipating a 6-hour stem cell harvest.  No go. The chemotherapy has suppressed the bone marrow to the extent that the stem cells will be very difficult to produce. Dennis’ bone marrow is tired and is being stubborn.

We will return to Spectrum this afternoon so that Dennis can receive the latest approved drug, an injection of Mozobil. Hopefully his bone marrow will respond to that, and the stem cell harvest can begin on Wednesday, January 14.

Oh! And we found out today that Dennis is the FIRST adult to go through a second stem cell harvest with the Spectrum Blood and Marrow Transplant Program.

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We have a plan

Autologous bone marrow transplant

We met with Dennis' medical team this morning.  Medical research and many advancements have occurred within the past two years with regard to treating Multiple Myeloma (Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma). Enough success with bone marrow transplants has given insurance companies the confidence to fund second stem cell harvests.  SO - it is settled, Dennis will begin the process of having more of his stem cells harvested and available to him for a second transplant. We pray, of course, that his bone marrow will cooperate and produce enough stem cells for Dennis to use, in addition to those which survived the freezing process two years ago.

To assist the production of stem cells from the bone marrow, Dennis will receive 3 injections each day (of drugs which stimulate stem cell growth) over a 5 day period. One of those drugs is new to us, recently approved by the FDA. The goal is to begin the stem cell stimulating injections on Thursday, January 8, giving Dennis a stem cell harvest date of Monday, January 12, assuming the stem cell count is high enough for a harvest.

A nurse from Michigan Blood answered a special call from our medical team, and braved the icy roads to do a "vein assessment" on both of Dennis' arms today. Both arms will be used for the harvest . . . one tube to send his blood through the machine which harvests the stem cells, and the other tube to return all but the stem cells back to his body. Although it certainly isn't ideal that Dennis must again go through a stem cell harvest before a bone marrow transplant can be performed, we are happy that he qualifies and has been approved for one.

Thank you so very much for your prayers for strength.  This is the best news we could have received under the circumstances. We will keep you posted.

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