Today we had a meeting with the doctor in charge of transplant. She gave us some extra informations, like the name of the drugs to be used during the “conditioning period” (translation: the period during which chemotherapy and immunotherapy will be used to clean up all my hematopoietic stem cells plus some other things like immune system). 3 “drugs” will be used : fludarabine, busulfan and rabbit antilymphocyte serum… The duration is 6 days. At the end, I will be in myelosuppression (aplasie médullaire in french)…I will be ready for the hematopoietic stem cells transplant given by the donor..
Before leaving, she told us to enjoy life during this waiting period!
ppmhk 
So what’s the plan for the waiting period: cooking bread, discovering a new garden, singing under the rain and ? 🙂
LikeLike
I cooked bread tonight! Maybe some carrot cake and cookies for my lovely daughter ;-)!
LikeLike
What is the molecular structure of antilymphocyte serum?
LikeLike
Hi Hong! Well, you know it is “a biological ” stuff…so no well define structure! 😉
To learn more, have a look to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-lymphocyte_globulin
Are you OK?
take care!
LikeLike
I just found this blog!
I hope that everything goes smoothly. If nothing else, I hope Jacquie and I can come to visit next summer! It’s been too long since we had a chance to talk and have coffee. Maybe make fun of Marie again. 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Ethan:
Nice to know that you are still thinking of coming to our dangerous country ;-)!
Marie was at home last week-end, to see me before I enter the hospital next week…well just one week from today. I am scarred, but everything should be OK.
It is a long process to recover completely (months…). I will need to be patient!
Anyway it is the only way to go back to an healthy state!
My regards to you and Jacquie.
Patrick
LikeLike
I hope everything goes well, if only for the selfish reason that Jacquie and I want to come visit when we are in Europe to visit many of our close friends (including you guys!) in the late spring/early summer. It would be great to be able to sit down and chat over coffee again. Things have been so hectic and crazy that I’m sure we could spend hours and a lot of coffee (wine?) talking about things. 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Ethan
Looking forward to meeting you in Europe next summer to enjoy a new cake as I’ll have a brillant super hero story on my dad… who will have won the battle against MDS!!! 🙂
LikeLike
That will definitely be an awesome story, but if I recall, you were supposed to have a story involving your dad beating up Asian people in black clothes (read: ninjas). I bought a creme brûlée in exchange for that story!
LikeLike
Hi Ethan:
I am so happy to be home! It was so fast! Now I need to be patient…
I need to be extra careful regarding foods and cleaningness. It will last for up to 3 months. Then I think I will be fully back in a year or earlier.
So I will be ready to meet you I hope next spring/summer!!!
Have a great summer!
Best regards to you and Jacquie!
Patrick
LikeLike
I like your blog, Patrick. I am happy to be updated on the plan. Jim and I expect to see you and Jacqueline as soon as you can come to stay with us in Corvallis, Oregon, where we will show you our Rhodies (Rhododendrums) and our poison oak!
LikeLike
Thank you for the invitation! I guess I will need some time before being able to travel again….
Do you have “wild” rhodies, like in Sweden or Wales?
Take care!
Bien amicalement!
LikeLike