The next several weeks are starting to take shape and our plan for transplant is coming together. We received word that the intake process will start next Wednesday and run over a two week period. It will involve blood work, a physical, an EKG, another bone marrow aspirate, chest x-ray.. we will meet with the attending transplant doctor, dental and nutritional specialists all in an effort to basically prove that Georgia is ready for transplant. Once all the test results are in we will review them with the doctors right around the end of December. The plan is to have us check back into the hospital on January 1st, start seven days of conditioning (chemotherapy) to rid Georgia of her current bone marrow and any cancer cells that are still present, she'll have a day of rest and if all goes accordingly she will receive her new bone marrow on January 10th.
In going over the schedule with our SCCA coordinator I asked about the donor. She told me that Georgia actually has FOUR 10/10 donor matches but they have selected one based on some additional information. She said this person knows they have been identified as a match for a baby and this week will be told that they have indeed been selected as the donor of choice. She was able to tell me that the donor is a 25 year old male who has the same blood type.. this news was encouraging as the doctors had told us early on young men were typically the best candidates. Nothing is set in stone, he will still have to have a physical and ultimately agree to be the donor but I have faith that this is all going to come together.
When I was reading over the material we just received regarding the transplant process I flipped to one sheet that read in bold print.. Welcome to the Pediatric Transplant Program at the SCCA! I am wondering if the exclamation point is supposed to get us psyched up.. the pep rally approach isn't really working for me but I know we are in the best hands, people literally come here from around the world. I guess I will try and think of it as.. Good Riddance JMML, We're Moving On!