The battle is not over

Sorry there has been such a lag in our last blog update. This is Alex, updating on behalf of Andy. Andy has been out living life since the announcement that he was in remission....which is a planned part of the treatment process. You must first get the cancer in remission before you can have a stem cell transplant. Since then Andy has traveled up to western MD to visit his best friends, played both good and bad golf, finished a patio remodel at the house, broken a few odds and ends around the house due to chemo brain and clumsy Andy brain and also had a "F" You Cancer party attended by his friends and family last weekend. All in all a pretty good life!

The Transplant process officially started yesterday with Andy's first neupogen shot. For those unaware of what that is, typically neupogen is given to boost your neutrophils, a type of blood cell needed to fight infection. In the case of a stem cell transplant the neupogen shots are given at 3-4 times their normal dosage which is intended to cause Andy's body to produce cells, most notably stem cells, at rapid rates. This is important as the physician will be harvesting Andy's stem cells beginning MOnday of next week in order to store them for the transplant. The plan is to use Andy's own stem cells for the transplant but we did receive great news that his sister Sarah is a complete match should we require a donor's cells.

So with the start of these neupogen shots, which will be given every day in the hospital till Monday, also comes severe "flu like symptoms" such as high fevers, chills, severe body and bone aches. All of these symptoms started last night so out warrior is battling with that as we speak. For many who has asked "when is the transplant" it is not like a liver transplant that  you just go into the hospital and have a surgery. This is a long process which includes: 4-5 days of high dose neupogen shots, followed by 1 week of stem cell harvesting or apherisis where Andy is hooked up to a machine for 4 hours a day in the hospital, then he has a week of inpatient HIGH DOSE chemo to wipe out his entire immune system followed by one day of rest then then give him his stemcells back to replace his crushed immune system/bone marrow. Then we wait and watch for 1-4 wee   ks potentially all inpatient days to see if the stem cells take, reproduce and fight off any secondary infections that arise as a result of the chemo and compromised immune system. After release from the hospital Andy will need Daily, weekly and eventually monthly monitoring, testing etc which could last for an entire year. Basically the moral of the story is this is a long, hard process, unlike any other treatments he has ever had.

All that being said Andy has remained positive. We continue to laugh when we can and lean on each other for support. I will update the blog with information about where he will be getting his treatment and where things can be sent while he is in the hospital and what can and cannot be sent. I will not be staying at the house during treatment but instead making the hospital my home away from home to be closer to Andy as we live about 50 miles from the treatment hospital. In the meantime please continue to send your positive thoughts and words and prayers! They are needed and appreciated.

Below are a few a pictures of photo shoot for a project I am working on to document Andy's battle(s) in contrast to his strength. I think these pics sum it all up as you can see his scars, his chemo port and his strength!

Cheers,
Alex