Day + 54

I had my first Rituximab infusion this morning. It  went well with no reactions like I experienced with the first larger dose I received before leaving Mexico. The infusion took about 2 1/2 hours. Next time, it will take about half that time. Since I had no problems with the smaller dose, they can speed up the drip next time. I will need four more infusions to complete my treatment... one every other month. Insurance refused to pay (not a surprise), and the out of pocket cost for the drug is $2,500 per infusion. Genetech, the maker of Rituximab, has a program to supply the medication for free if insurance refuses to pay. We qualified for the program! What an enormous Blessing!

I've been working hard with my exercising, and I walk a little bit with the rollator every day. I also stand on a vibration plate. I'm up to 7 minutes per session now. Before HSCT, my record was 3 minutes on a good day. I'm definitely gaining strength. The most profound improvement is with my bladder, I used to get up 5 to 7 times per night. Now I only get up 1 to 2 times. So I'm getting better quality sleep. And fewer bathrooms trips during the day is nice, too. I no longer need a nap every day... only on days when I'm extra active.

My blood work is back to normal, so I can start getting out and about more. I just need to use common sense and stay away from sick people. I will be cleared to swim after June 13th in our own pool... no public pools for a year. I'm excited to exercise in the pool, because I can work on balance without the fear of falling. I hope to see more improvements in the future. That's all for now.

Thank you again for all the support and prayers that got me to Mexico. Dave and I will be eternally grateful. 

Day + 25

It's been 25 days since my stem cells were transplanted. I've been home from Mexico 2 weeks. I caught a cold, possibly at the airport on our way home, even though I wore my heavy duty mask. I ended up sharing my cold with Dave a couple of days later. I'm finally over the cold and feeling a little stronger. Dave is feeling better too. I was exhausted my first week home. I slept a lot. I have a little more energy now, but I still need naps. I've been doing some exercises every day. I'm a little weaker than I was before going to Mexico. Chemo was hard on my body, and it will take time to recover. I miss seeing the friends we made in Mexico. And I miss hearing British and Mexican accents. We're keeping in touch through phone calls, Facebook messages and we hope to Skype soon too. 

I had an appointment with a hematologist in Effingham today to see about getting my retuximab infusions. I was so happy that he agreed to work with me. I had my first blood draw today, and scheduled another in 2 weeks. He also took care of my Bactrim and Acyclovir prescriptions. I feel very fortunate to be able to do this within 10 miles from home. What a Blessing! 

Day + 10

I have officially completed my HSCT treatment!!! Yay!!! The last couple of days have been rough. I started getting sick with all the signs of a UTI on Tuesday night,,, fever, chills, nausea, couldn't pee. We called the clinic staff to see what meds to start on to get through the night.  Wednesday morning, I was admitted to Hospital Angeles to receive IV antibiotics. It's a beautiful hospital with outstanding care. Having a catheter for the duration of my stay at the hospital gave me a rest from frequent bathroom trips, but insertion was a nightmare. It seems that a bladder sling that I received at the same time I had a hysterectomy altered my anatomy making insertion very difficult. After several attempts, lots of tears and various doctors called in to try, a urologist finally succeeded. I didn't get much sleep that night. because I was pretty sick. A translator provided by the clinic was with us off and on, but for the most part, we communicated through "google translate". Most of the hospital staff spoke little to no English. But everyone was so compassionate. I was released last night about 7 PM. This morning, I slept in till 7:30, because I didn't need to be at the  clinic till 10:00 for my retuximab infusion. I sat in the comfy recliner for 3 hours with only Dave and nurse Paco to keep me company. My daughter, Lindsay, messaged me through the Marco Polo app, showing me our dogs returning home from boarding. When the infusion was completed, and paperwork done, Dave put a pin in the world map showing where all the patients live. It's a fun little ceremony to mark the end of this journey. We are back at the apartment now doing a little bit of packing. We will meet the van at 3 AM to drive to Mexico City. Our flight to Atlanta leaves at 7:55 AM. From there, we arrive in St. Louis at 4:08 PM. I can't wait to be home. This was a phenomenal experience, and I'm so Blessed to have the opportunity to come here for treatment. Thank you to everyone who helped me get here and all who prayed for me and encouraged me through the difficult moments. Love to you all! Adios for now...

Taking a snooze during my infusion.

Day T + 8

Not the news I wanted to hear today... I'm still in neuropenia. Three out of five of our group had counts above 4000, the needed number to be considered "recovered". Karen was at 2000, and I had 2600. The recovered three will have their retuximab infusions tomorrow. It's another filgrastim and blood draw for the American girls. We'll have another hematologist consult to check our numbers in the afternoon. I'm unsure if we get to join the others for our infusions (if we pass) or wait until Thursday. I guess we'll find out tomorrow. I'm a little bummed. Dr. Ruiz assured us that this is not unusual. He said he felt sure we would see the results we want tomorrow. It would be very unusual to stay under 4000 for a longer period of time. We returned to the apartment, and I took a long nap. I woke with a headache, back and leg pain. That's actually a good sign that my body is working hard to produce more cells. I'm sure everything will be resolved before we are due to fly home on Saturday. Four more "sleeps", and we'll be on our way HOME! Adios Amigos...

Day + 7

Yesterday was  shot, blood draw, hematologist consult day. My white cell count continues to go down. Wednesday, it was 1300. Friday, it was 1100. Yesterday, it was 500. The doc says it should start rising by the next blood draw tomorrow. All in our group are feeling tired and weaker. We should bounce back after our counts rise. Once the count gets to a certain level, Filgrastim  shots will end and the rituximaub infusion can be scheduled. That could be as soon as Wednesday. That will be the final medical step in this HSCT journey. Then we will all be released to fly home on Saturday! 

I have been lightly shedding my hair for several days. This morning, I found quite a bit of hair on my pillow. Then after breakfast, a lot fell out when I tugged at it. Dave and I decided it was time for the clippers. He buzzed me with the number 1 guard. I was the last of Group 3 to lose my hair. We all match now. 

Every morning, a man in a pickup truck stops in front of the little gated housing complex across the street. He blows a high pitched horn to signal his arrival. He is delivering fresh milk in metal milk cans! The women come out of the houses to meet him at the truck, and the milkman ladles the milk into their pitchers or buckets. We look forward to watching this scene from our little balcony each day. 

We are planning to meet our group for a visit this afternoon in the apartment courtyard. We are allowed 20 minutes daily in open air, in the shade, wearing our masks. Kind of sounds like prison, huh? Lots of restrictions about food, contact with others, cleanliness... all for the purpose of keeping us safe while we grow our baby immune systems. 

The milkman is here!

This afternoon, we willgo down to the 

Day + 5

Today is another quiet day. I received my daily shot and am enjoying the rest. Dave and I visited with Lorraine and Ian in their apartment earlier. We returned their Marmite. We tried a little bit on toast at breakfast. We are not fans. I am glad we had the opportunity to try it, though. I've always wondered what it was like. Now, I know. "Ewww." We're told, "it's an acquired taste". I would describe the taste as very salty, liquid beef with a syrupy texture. Although the Marmite wasn't enjoyable, our visit with Lorraine and Ian was very much so.

I want to talk about carers now. Dave is a great carer, husband, friend, etc... We muddle through life dealing with this disease as best we can. I am grateful to have him as my partner, and I try very hard to make sure he knows how much I appreciate all he does. This experience here in Mexico has allowed me to see others in our similar situation as an outsider looking in. I've learned that we are extremely Blessed to have carer/partners who truly love us and do their best to make our lives as normal as possible. The carers in our group are all phenomenal! Observing the struggles of these couples makes me even more grateful and appreciative of my Dave. None of us signed up for this. I know of several relationships that didn't survive the stresses that this disease brings. This is serious stuff! In many cases, there is much role reversal. Dave has taken on lots of things I can no longer do. I used to enjoy mowing the lawn wearing earphones, blasting my music while singing along. It was relaxation for me. Now it's become Dave's job... a chore he has to do after a long day at work, or on a weekend when he should be relaxing from his paying job. That's just one example of how life has flipped. We used to garden together... planting, weeding, harvesting. Now, he gardens on his own, plus he's learned how to pressure can all the produce! He does nearly all the cooking, the grocery shopping, vacuuming, etc.. He tolerates the addition of new family members (pets) because he knows how much I love them (he's grown to love them too), even though it adds to his work load. I have observed great love between the partners in our group, but I know they also suffer the horrible inconvenience that disease brings into our lives. It's made me see (by observing the other carers) how Dave also works hard to preserve my dignity in some very undignified situations. When I was diagnosed with MS seventeen years ago, I tried to push Dave away. I gave him every opportunity to run. He was even encouraged by some to run. I knew exactly how tough our future could be, because my sister had already been in a wheelchair for many years suffering from MS. But Dave didn't run. He's stuck by me every step of the way. We're not perfect. We have our cranky moments and can get "ugly" with each other, but we both appreciate that stress takes over if we allow it, and breaks are a necessity. It's helpful that he has a great sense of humor and doesn't allow me to take life too seriously. We also rely heavily on our Faith. It's been wonderful this month for Dave to be able to share with the other carers here in Mexico. They have bonded quickly and have become a support system for each other in a club no one would choose to join... and they'll be life long friends, I'm sure. So I want to take this opportunity to thank Dave for all he does, and to thank God for bringing us together and sustaining us. I love you, Dave! And I salute all the carers who give so much of themselves to make our lives as easy and enjoyable as possible. Thank you!!!

Day + 4

Yesterday was another rest day where nothing was required except for the once now daily shot and always some pills. I had a very restful day... Netflix and naps (and frappes, of course.) This morning, I got another shot plus a blood draw. Group 3 met again this afternoon for our hematologist consult. We are all in neutropenia now. I think all of the girls' counts were lower today. That will probably be the trend through Sunday. Hopefully, counts will be on the rise by Tuesday. We've been assured that this is normal. I am the only one in our group with no hair loss. I could be one of the lucky ones who get to keep their hair. It's early yet. Some don't lose their hair until they return home. 

Dave went for a visit with Mr. Diaz at his shop. I think a couple other carers from our group and a carer from group 2 are meeting too. I'm glad that Dave has made friends here. He's never met a stranger. While he's out, I'll get a nap after I post this entry.
We've tried a few more packets of the dried food the clinic has provided. So far, everything has been quite edible. Dave adds a few enhancements, such as bullion cubes and spices to help it along a bit.  

I've seen some tiny improvements in the last couple of days. Firstly, my legs are not cold to the touch anymore. I never knew they were cold, but Dave assures me that they were. Also, my feet have gone from a purplish tint to normal color. My circulation must be improving. Every day further away from chemo, I feel a little stronger. I was able to get into the van easier today. I'm doing more exercising in the apartment too. By the time we come home March 25th, I hope to be as strong or stronger even than when we arrived. I've been told to expect a roller coaster ride in terms of my recovery. It could take many months to see big improvements. The most important thing is that progression is stopped, but I intend to do everything in my power to give this body a chance for some recovery and reversal... a healthy diet, lots of exercise, positive attitude, and Prayer. 
Nap time! Adios...

This is our bucket of dried survival food and a jar of Marmite that our UK friends, Lorraine and Ian sent over for us to try. We'll spread some on a cracker, and report what we think about it. We're told we'll either love it or hate it. 

Day + 2

Yesterday was a kick back, do nothing day. No shots! I was extremely tired and took 3 naps. Thankfully, I had no nausea, however I did spend my time in the "loo" between naps. I was one of the fortunate ones, though. Some where dealing with ALL the common chemo reactions. 

Today, the filgrastim shots resumed, but only in the mornings. I also had my blood drawn. At noon, we loaded up the van and headed to the clinic for a hematologist consult. I enjoyed seeing my buddies again. We learned about our blood counts today. All of the women are "neutropenic", but the men are not yet. That could change for them quickly, so we all must wear masks when we leave our apartments. Dave went on a masked grocery run this morning. Between the high altitude and the mask, he couldn't walk as fast as he'd like. Later this afternoon, while I napped, Dave and some of the "wolf pack" met with Mr. Diaz, a very interesting shop keeper in the little mall. He speaks some English, and with the help of an app called Google Translate, they can communicate pretty well. 

A bucket of dried "survival food" arrived at the apartment today. It's an option for safe meals during the neutropenic period. Otherwise, all food has to well cooked here in the apartment with lots of restrictions, so that we can avoid infection. We tried "Chili Mac" for supper tonight. Not bad, really! A maid comes in daily to clean all surfaces, and Dave will periodically clean any surface I touch throughout the day, such as my cell phone, computer, wheelchair, grab bars... This will be our basic routine for the remainder of our time here: one daily shot, a blood draw and hematologist consult every other day. In between there will be naps and Netflix. Buenos Noches...

                              A Celebratory "Birthday Kiss"

 

~~~~~ Day 0 - Happy Stem Cell Birthday to Me! ~~~~~

What an emotional day this has been! We (Group 3) arrived this morning at Clinica Ruiz to begin our lives moving forward without MS progression. We were called into the procedure room by 2's to receive our stem cells back. Karen from Georgia, and Lorraine from the UK were first. After about 25 minutes, they returned triumphantly with their carers, Yankee Pete and Ian, to cheers, tears, hugs and kisses, and a birthday song. Next, it was my turn along with UK Steve. When we arrived in the procedure room, we were shown our labeled bag of stem cells and asked to identify our names to insure we were receiving our own. I said to my stemmies, "Hello again! Did you miss me? Get ready to go back to work." As they were were being returned through the picc line, the tears began to roll. As I lay on the bed, I thought about the love of friends and family who had brought me to this moment. I said a prayer of Thanksgiving and Blessing for each of you... too many to mention by name here, but you know who you are. Then, in my mind, I pictured everyone around the table where my fundraising team sat, planning ways to get me to Mexico. I am so thankful for you and the work you put in to make our fundraising a huge success! I am Blessed beyond measure!!! 

When my stem cell bag was empty, it was time to remove the picc line. That was a bit painful, but fairly quick, I was so happy to get rid of that thing. Then Dave and UK Janet came in to retrieve us. We received the same rousing applause and love on our return to the group. Tears flowed freely once again. UK Peter was the last to receive his stem cells, and we celebrated once more as Angie, his girlfriend, brought him back to us, After some birthday pics, we loaded onto the vans and were whisked away to a Luncheon Birthday Party at one of our favorite outdoor restaurants we had visited earlier on our sight seeing trip to Chalula. We thought that our meal sharing had come to an end yesterday, but our carers had conspired to give us one last surprise before our isolation, (after getting permission from the medical staff, of course). We still had a few hours left before neutropenia became official, We had a delicious lunch followed by a beautiful Birthday cake that our carers had purchased earlier in secret. They are a sneaky bunch. They, along with our drivers, Tony and Lorenzo, have nicknamed themselves, "The Wolf Pack". After a wonderful, exhausting day that I will forever cherish, we headed back to the apartments and sadly parted ways. We will see each other periodically when we travel back to the clinic for brief hematology consults every other day. The carers will still get together for grocery runs and visits. For the patients, we have messaging and Skype. 

I've had a good nap this afternoon, but after after catching up on the blog and finishing my water quota for the day, I'm ready for bed again. Dave conked out a couple of hours ago. It's been a long, emotional day for him, as well. Goodnight, All! Sweet dreams of a healthier future...

T Minus 1

I'm sitting in my recliner receiving my LAST chemo! I've got about 2 hours to go, then I'm free for the day. I'm really tired today. Last night I had stomach cramps and diarrhea. Sorry... TMI. I'll be taking a nap this afternoon for sure. The carers all just left the room for a "secret carer meeting". I suspect it has something to do with tomorrow's stem cell return. The groups usually have a little birthday celebration for the new immune systems. I'm sure whatever they plan will be lots of fun. This is such a special group of people. I think God must have hand picked us to be together. 

Dr. Ruiz just popped in to check on us. He went around the room shaking hands and asking how we're doing. I think it's rare for a man of his importance, who heads the entire program, to make personal contact with his patients nearly every day. I'm very impressed with the health care system here... every surface is spotless and shiny, everyone is prompt and polite. All of the staff are genuinely caring and compassionate. It's everything that health care should be, but is sadly disappearing in the U.S.  Buenos tardes, amigos.


Dave and I with my hero, the famous Dr. Ruiz.

T Minus 2...

Yesterday we had our picc lines inserted at the hospital. The actual surgery took only 20 minutes. Recovery took about an hour. I felt fine until it was time to go back to the apartment. Then the nausea hit. Some ginger ale and a nap made it all better. By evening, when we got our filgrastim shots, the doctor offered a pain shot as well. I gladly accepted it, because I'd heard that sleep was difficult after the picc line. I didn't get much sleep the previous night, so I really needed some solid rest before going into the next phase. I slept very well and dreamed that I walked on my own to the bathroom. 
Today is stem cell harvest day! I just got hooked up to a machine that will separate my stem cells and return the rest of my blood back to me. The process takes up to 5 hours. We cannot leave our comfy recliners during this time, so we were instructed to wear a diaper. I prefer the Brit's word, "nappy". It doesn't sound quite so degrading. I will need to harvest about 63 million stem cells which will be stored and returned to me on Monday. Following the stem cell harvest, we'll have a short break followed by a round of chemo. More chemo tomorrow as well.
  
I've finished stem cell harvest. I produced 636 million stem cells! Everyone in our group had enough to proceed. One man had just over a billion! We left the clinic for lunch and returned for our chemo. We won't get back to the apartment till about 10:00 tonight. This will be a LONG day! Thank you all for the prayers and encouragement.

My happy little stem cells waiting to re-boot my immune system.

T Minus 4...

Yesterday was a rough one, even though we were able to be out and about sight seeing. One couple chose to stay in and rest. Puebla is not wheelchair friendly or very handicapped accessible at all. While in Old Puebla, we bounced around on the broken cobbled sidewalks and streets, which was difficult for Dave as wheelchair driver and sometimes painful for me as rider. Finding an accessible restroom proved to be impossible. We paid 50 pesos to use a very clean restroom with stall doors too narrow for my chair, low toilet with no grab bars and no toilet seat (ouch). Dave deserves a medal for helping me through that ordeal! Other than the restroom issues, we were able to  enjoy a tour of some beautiful old churches and lunch at an authentic Mexican restaurant. Puebla is so rich in history. The battle victory that is celebrated as "Cinco De Mayo" was fought in Puebla. An early surprise birthday dinner was planned, for the evening, so I chose creme brulee as my meal. It was amazing! After another harrowing restroom experience, (not quite as bad as the first) we headed back to the apartment. I was exhausted, so I took a nap and sadly decided not to attend the birthday party. Dave went by himself, and I went back to bed. 
This morning, after my shot, I stayed in the apartment while Dave did an early grocery run. He brought me several bottles of Starbucks cold coffee drinks. They cost less than 50% of what we pay in the states. That will be a nice treat when in isolation. This evening, our group is getting together on the rooftop terrace  for a cookout. We will have steak and salmon, and each couple is bringing a side dish to share. This will be our last opportunity to be together for a meal before life gets serious. Dave just went out again with his new British buddy, Ian. They are in charge of getting he meat for tonight at Sam's. Some of the group went wig shopping, but I'm saving my energy for later. I don't think I will mind being bald. It's only temporary and I think Snapchat filters will be hilarious with a bald head. Adios for today...

Pics from inside the church. Lots of gold everywhere. This room's walls and ceiling were completely covered in gold! 

This is the dessert I shared with Dave after our dinner at the Italian restaurant. Tiramisu!

T Minus 6

After our morning injection, we had a meeting with the hematologist. He explained all the details about the pic line we will be receiving on Friday. Sounds like the actual placement will be painless, but it will cause some discomfort after the pain meds wear off. He said that our bone pain will probably increase by the weekend. If it becomes unbearable with the oral pain meds, the doctors/nurses who give the filgrastim shots also carry injectable pain relief. He said not to try to brave thru it...ask for it if we need it... there's no need to suffer. The doctors do their best to keep us comfortable. 

Our original plan was to visit Old Puebla after the clinic visit, but some weren't feeling up to it. Two couples went to a large shopping mall and the other 3 couples were dropped off at the apartments. Dave and I had lunch at a little coffee shop we like, then went home for a rest. Everyone met together at 4:00 to go to a wonderful Italian restaurant for dinner. The food was SO good! We all discussed how we were nearing the end of our freedom. We headed back to the apartments for our evening shot. Isolation will begin on Monday and last till we fly home. "Home". What a lovely word, as our new Brit friends would say. I will miss these precious people terribly. Dave and I have made some strong bonds which will only grow stronger as we approach the most grueling part of the process. 

Tomorrow is the rescheduled Old Puebla visit. I'm so looking forward to it. I hope we are all well enough to participate. Thankfully, I've had some very good days. Hasta manana... ( I can't figure out how to get the ~ thingy above the first "n".)

Our group of 5 patients and  5 carers along with our divers. Lorenzo and Tony

  

T Minus 7

Today, 3 out of the four couples in our group felt well enough for some sightseeing. After our morning shots, we loaded onto the van, and today's driver, Lorenzo along with Tony took us to the Great Pyramid of Cholula, also known as Tlachihualtepel. It's the largest pyramid in the world measuring 1,480 ft x 1,480 feet at the base and 217 ft tall. At a distance, the pyramid looks like a natural hill. In 1594, the Spanish built a church on top of the pyramid, "Church of our Lady of Remedies". The pyramid, which is actually a temple, was built in 4 stages, starting in the 3rd century BC through the 9th Century AD and dedicated to the deity, Quetzalcoatl. If you want more info, Google "Chalula pyramid". Only part of the temple has been excavated. 
The carers (walkies) climbed the hill and visited the church. Photos are prohibited inside, but Dave took some pics outside and of the view from the top. We "rollies" enjoyed drinks in the cool of a cafe'. Lorenzo bought some fried crickets from a street vendor. Dave tried one. He said it was "just ok". I was willing to try one, but they were all gone, by the time we all met together at thecafe'. Maybe I'll get a chance later. After the pyramid visit, we went to a really nice restaurant in Chalula for an early supper. We ate outdoors under the shade of large umbrellas. I wish I had pics from there. It was a beautifully landscaped courtyard with a lovely breeze. 
After our meal, we headed back to the apartments to arrive in time for our evening injection. We are planning another outing for tomorrow in "Old Puebla". There is a flea market there and lots of little shops. I may even get the chance to try a fried cricket. Buenos Noches!

T Minus 8

Yesterday was a quiet day... no van trips to the clinic until Teusday for a consult with a hematologist. It was the first day of twice a day injections at the apartment. The filgrastim injections cause bone pain, but so far I'm just a little achy, and pain meds make it manageable. We had an early lunch at the apartment, then met Tony for a grocery run to Walmart. The rest of our group chose to stay in, because they were feeling sick. The Walmart is located in a large nice mall with lots of interesting shops and restaurants. After shopping for groceries, we went to a cafe for Tony's lunch and coffees for us. I convinced Dave to try a mocha cappuchino and I had a cookies and cream frappe. Both were delicious... I'm getting spoiled! Then we went back to the apartment where I took a nice long nap. We went to a small mall within walking distance for a dinner of Tacos. We got back to the apartment to get my evening shot. We have to be in the apartments between 7 and 9 AM and 7 and 9 PM for injections. We spent the rest of the evening watching
American Netflix. We downloaded a program called ExpressVPN which allows our computer's IP address to appear to be in the US. Then we connect the laptop to the smart TV.  Otherwise, we would only get Netflix content from Mexico. The only English speaking channel we've found on our TV is FoxNews. That's good to have.
We're going to venture out to our little mall for lunch soon. Restaurant food is very reasonable here and so far, we've enjoyed all of our meals. At some point (I think maybe after March 13) we will be restricted to the apartments. The patients cannot leave, and the carers may go out wearing a mask, and must change clothes and wash well after returning. My immune system will be wiped out and rebuilding, so I have to be super careful about germs and possible infections. So for now, I'm going to enjoy my freedom. Tony will take us for a day of sightseeing before restrictions begin and when everyone is feeling well. Adios for now.




















 

Sorry... I miscalculated. TODAY is T Minus 10...

This was Day 2 of chemo. I felt fine after my first chemo yesterday until this morning at 3:00. I woke up with terrible nausea and a headache. I couldn't get back to sleep, and I had to meet the transport van at 7:30. Poor Dave stayed up with me bringing me Sprite and helping me to the bathroom several times. This apartment is very accessible for me in normal circumstances, and I can be independent here for the most part, but I needed extra help this morning. Hence... Dave to the rescue. I had an episode of dry heaves at the apartment and another in the van. I was mortified and embarrassed, but everyone tried to make me feel better. They are a fantastic bunch. After I got hooked up to the chemo, I was given anti-nausea meds in the I.V.. It took affect immediately and all was right with the world. I have some pills to take at the apartment now in case I get sick again. 

Starting tomorrow through Day T Minus 2, a nurse will come to the apartment every morning and evening to give me an injection of Filgrastim which will mobilize my stem cells and bring them out of the bone marrow and into the blood stream where they can be collected and stored until they are returned to me after my final chemo. I'll also start taking several pills each day following the instructions in the treatment plan. Dave will keep me in line with the pills, so I won't have to think too hard (chemo brain, ya know). 

I'm not sure what's happening tonight for dinner (or Tea as the Brits say). We are waiting for reports on how the rest of our group is feeling after chemo. One of the women wasn't feeling very well earlier. So far, I'm feeling alright. Until tomorrow... Adios.

T Minus 10

We had our first day of chemo this afternoon. It took about 5 hours. We all got through it fine. We made it back to the apartments around 8:00. Dave got me settled in, then he ran out for some Mexican food. Don't know what it was exactly, but it was great! This will be a short post, because tomorrow is another chemo day. We have to meet the van at 7:30 AM. I still have to finish drinking my required 3 liters before heading off to bed. Thankfully, I'm nearly finished.

This is "Group 3". The guy standing beside Dave is our driver, Tony. The guy in the center in the yellow shirt is Lorenzo. Since we 5 patients are all "wheelies", Lorenzo drives the wheelchairs in a separate van. Both of these guys assist with loading us on and off. They are so kind and compassionate. They are also quite witty which makes the process as fun as possible.   

The count down begins! '"T Minus 11"

We're counting down the days till "Day 0" when my stem cells will be re-introduced to my body giving me a new birthday for my immune system. Today we met with Dr. Ruiz, the head of the Mexico HSCT program. He went over the results of all the tests and let us know if we were healthy enough to start the process. Everyone in our group of 5 passed! So tomorrow we will start chemotherapy.

There's a total of 20 MS patients and 20 carers here from various places around the globe. In my patient group of 5, there are 2 from the US (myself and a woman from Georgia) and a woman and 2 men from the UK. We have gone through the testing days together and will receive our chemo together in the chemo room. We're told it will be a 3 - 4 hour process. We've already become friends, and by the time we fly home, we'll feel like family. We went out to supper last night with the group. We had a blast! I laughed till I cried! We're having a pizza party tonight before the serious stuff gets underway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We just returned from the pizza party on the rooftop terrace of the apartment building next door where more of the patients are staying. It was a lovely evening spent getting to know more about each other, and of course, more laughing. I think we're all feeling a bit nervous about tomorrow's chemo. Before leaving the building for our own apartments, our group stopped in for a visit with another partying group starting chemo in the morning. A young woman from New Mexico, who had her first  day of chemo this afternoon, came in for awhile to share her experience. It was reassuring to hear that no one in her group had any problems. Hopefully, our group will have smooth sailing as well. 

I'm heading off to bed. Dave (aka Steve) is already asleep. 

Big day tomorrow... Goodnight.

                        The view from the rooftop terrace.

part 2

This morning, we met all 40 people in this months group - 20 MS patients and 20 carers plus all of the medical staff.  We had a video presentation and time for questions. It was all very reassuring. It's a very efficiently run organization. I had MRI's this afternoon. what should have taken 1 1/2 hours ended up with me in the tube for 2 1/2 hours! My leg kept spasming causing the technician to keep repeating in order to get clear pictures. He finally pulled me out and put weights on my leg to hold me still. I absolutely hate MRI's! I was so glad to get out of that tube. The technician was great though, because he let me listen to my choice of music thru headphones... James Taylor and Rich Mullins. We were done for the day and back at the apartment by 3:40. I had a short nap, and Steve made supper. Time for Netflix. Here is a view from our apartment shortly after sunset. It's the Popocatepetl, an active volcano and South America's tallest Ferris Wheel. Goodnight from Mexico!

Mexico City and on to Puebla... part 1

Our daughter, Lindsay got us to the airport in St. Louis by 5 AM. My brother, Edwin and his wife Joanne were there to see us off. We had an hour + delay because the pilot's tablet which he uses to chart the course wouldn't boot up. After he fixed that, he announced that we were ready for take off. A few minutes later, he announced that the left engine wouldn't fire up! Not very comforting for someone with a fear of flying! We finally took off and landed in Atlanta with only 20 minutes to make our connecting flight to Mexico City. We took a taxi to our hotel, checked in, ate supper and crashed. 

The next morning while waiting to be picked up and driven to Puebla, we met a lovely couple from Norway. The husband had just finished his stem cell transplant and was flying back to Norway later that evening. They had nothing but positive things to say about their experience. We felt very encouraged.

We were taken to our apartment (pictures tomorrow hopefully) where we unpacked and rested for a few hours. Then our driver, Tony took a group of us grocery shopping. That was a fun yet frustrating experience. Thank goodness for smart phones that convert pesos to dollars!

Serious packing under way...

In approximately 28 hours, we will depart for the airport in St. Louis. From here, we fly to Atlanta, then to Mexico City where we'll spend the night in a hotel. The following afternoon (Sunday), the clinic will send a van to pick us up along with other patients to take us to our apartment in Puebla, our new home for the next month. We are probably 80% packed. The horses left to be boarded yesterday. Our inside dogs leave for their boarding tomorrow. Arrangements are made for the house to be watched and the inside cats, outside dogs and cats, and chickens to be cared for. It's all coming together.