Full Circle

On January 11th—Day+14— I was pronounced fit to leave the hospital to continue the progression of the transplant at “home.” Home being the rented apartment we occupy across from the Hospital campus. I will reside here until I have passed the risk period of high fever, infection, etc.—from 15 to 45 days, depending on my progress. One more waiting room.
The transplant process was, for me, virtually event-free. Not to say that it was without its attendant drama. But all aspects were managed quite well by the nursing staff at the Hospital. Which leads me to a deserved complement for the nursing staff: The day-to-day stem cell transplant process is managed almost entirely by the specialized nursing staff at Stanford. I am sure that there are economic considerations at work here, but, to my mind, the factors are more psychic. I imagine that that the work of the nurses allows the practicing oncologists to maintain an appropriate clinical distance as their patients suffer greater and more varied doses of toxic chemicals. (Just as a dentist must endure the continuing suffering of cavity filled patients.) So the system is much better for the competent work of the nurses, who buffer patients and doctors during the worst of the process. With quiet determination, they conduct this near-death process, at an age when many of us were still “finding ourselves.” And they do it 24 hours a day. In fact most of the real action in any day seems to be between the hours of 11:00PM and 6:00 AM. The oncologists are able to do what they do best—maintaining a watch from a more clinical perspective. The system moves forward.
And speaking of buffers, this blog has served its purpose well, allowing me a little perspective on the process as I have moved along. I hope that most of the work, and pithy events, are behind me, but will pass along any more that occur. Thank you all for reading this, and for being there.
January 13, 2010