100 DAYS!!!!

Today the 7th marks 100 days since my Bone Marrow Transplant. This is a major marker in the transplant world, most complications occur during the first 100 days – however it still doesn’t mean we are totally safe. The doctors still want me coming in twice a week to check blood levels and chemistry. My steroid induced diabetes is starting to get back to a normal level so I should be stopping the insulin soon which is great news. We will be celebrating this 100 day marker by flying down to Southern California to visit with some family and friends and enjoy the warmer non-rainy weather.

Thanks all of you for helping me get to this 100 day mark. 🙂

Craig

So much to be thankful for!

Hi everyone! Not much to talk about in regards to my health – everything is going great. Tests continue to show that I am cancer-free and that the donor cells are working their butts off. I am starting to get out more and more, getting myself back into the “real” world. On January 7th it will be my 100 days since transplant which is the first and major mile marker in the transplant world, we will be home in Dana Point for it, so please have a toast for me on that day!

 
I just want to spend a second and thank everyone for all the thoughts and prayers this past year, your support has not only helped ME get through this but my wife and family as well. I continue to fight and will never give up for myself as well as all of you. I would like to say thanks to Rick (my brother and donor) for stepping up and saving my life – if it wasn’t for him I probably wouldn’t be here today – you are a godsend and I will always owe you my life. My wife for being my rock my air my everything, if it wasn’t for you by my side I am not sure I would of gotten this far – I love you. To gary – you have dropped your life twice for me and Kat and I can’t thank you enough, we have grown so much closer together this last year and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Mike and Michele you both have been there for me and Kat and I love just being able to talk to you guys and see the progress of my niece and nephew. Mom and Dad – You two have been amazing I couldn’t ask for better parents more supportive parents and more loving parents, I can’t thank you enough for everything. Mom and Dad # 2 (kat’s parents) I don’t get to see you enough and that sucks, but you both have been there every step of the way and I love you both so much – thanks for all the love and support. Boonie you are an Angel to our family – thanks thanks thanks.

 
With that said, I want everyone to have a safe and merry Christmas and New Years – may the new year be much better then last.

 
Love you all,

 
Brandmeiers

Day 61

Wow – is all I can say! I am 61 days post-transplant, which means I can now officially eat out! I still have to follow a low bacteria diet for 100 days after transplant, meaning no fresh fruit or vegetables, etc. Time is going pretty fast. We had a great Thanksgiving at home-just Kat Gary and I. Getting ready for a low key Christmas. Gary will be going home to spend the holiday with the family, so it will be just me and Kat up here. My mom and dad will be coming up right after Christmas to spend some time with us. It’s been almost 2 months since I have seen my parents, which is a long time for us- I miss them tons! Kat and I will be making a trip home (OC) January 7-11th. I am looking forward to spending time with my family and having all the brothers together. We also are planning a trip to Kats parents house in January or early February.

 

So far so good… I did have a bone marrow biopsy done two days before Thanksgiving so we should know this week if the marrow is still clear!

 

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving,

 

Craig/Kat

Just enjoying time at home

The last marrow biopsy showed that Rick’s donors cells are now 100% my own cells. This means that out of samples they have taken they see no signs of any of my old cells, and so now the hope is that Rick’s cells are busy killing any remaining Leukemia cells! Next biopsy is scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving.

 

Kats birthday was yesterday and it was one of the only major events I have been not in a hospital for in a year. It was great to spend it with her and Gary! MTV is finishing up my “True-Life : I am having major surgery” on Monday and looks like it may air in December- I will update once I know more. They have been filming my story since the end of July and I hope it will inspire more people to become registered bone marrow donors!

 

I have developed some graft vs host- which looks like a bad fake tan on my face. It’s a reaction of Rick’s cells attacking my own cells. This can be a very serious thing but they are treating it with steroids and so far it is under control. Only problem is the steroids are not very fun to be on- they make me moody and I get random pains in my bones. I can’t sleep and I can’t stop eating! Other than that, not much new – just going to the hospital at least twice a week right now to have blood levels tested and such. We are on day 47 today so that means 53 more days ’til I am offically off of house arrest!

 

We hope you all have a great holiday and will update with some new pics soon!

 
-Brandmeiers

First Bone Marrow Results

Well yesterday, we found out that, so far, my bone marrow is free of any cancerous cells!  This is great news and we are so excited for the future and what is to come. I am still on the 100 day “house arrest” so I have been a little bored but I am taking it very serious so I don’t get sick at all. Over the last couple days I have developed some sort of rash on my face which looks to be signs of graft vs. host disease. The doctors don’t seem to be that concerned so we are treating it with a steroid cream for starters. This is a great breakthrough but always remember that these results are not 100% and it could come back so please keep up the prayers. I am still feeling sick and weak daily but I know in time it will break.  I am hanging in there fighting, not just for me but for EVERYONE. No going home for the holidays- it’s too risky to get on a plane at this time which is a bummer, but it looks like my parents will come up right after Christmas for a few days. Soon we will be planning a big “reception” party at my parents house in celebration of our wedding as well as this year’s battle.  We are looking forward to this!

Hope all is well with everyone- we think about you all every day,

The Brandmeiers

Day 30

Hi friends and family! It’s a month after the transplant and things are looking good still. How I feel is a different story- recovery from this transplant is much slower than anything in the past. I am tired and nauseous for most of my day. I have been too weak to do much of anything- heck, updating this blog has been my big task for today.  I go in to the hospital clinic several times a week to have my blood tested for any issues or signs of graft vs. host.

I will be on what I call ‘house arrest’ for the next 70 days.  I am supposed to avoid crowds and public places, wear a mask if I go outside, and I can’t eat restaurant food or take-out.

Gary went home for a long weekend, so Kat is staying home from work to take care of me.  We are enjoying our time together, even when there isn’t much I can do.  She is an amazing wife and I love her to the moon and back.

Day 18

Image052It’s official!  Rick’s marrow has set up shop in Craig’s bones and has started to produce blood cells.  We can see this in Craig’s white blood cell count, which has been nearly zero but jumped from to .2 to .5  to 1.3 over the last couple of days.  The timing couldn’t have been more perfect, since Judy and Brad and Mike are here to share this great news!

Craig’s hair has started to fall out in clumps, so he shaved it all off yesterday.  He is experiencing some cabin fever; he’s aching to get out of this lonely hospital room and go home.

Unless Craig puts on a disguise and sneaks out of here, Dr G’s plan for Craig’s release may take 3 or 4 days.  He will take Craig off his meds one at a time, including the IV nutrition and fluids.  Craig must eat and drink on his own, and if there are no fevers or nausea, then…he will be free!

In the meantime, I will need to practically sterilize our house (is it ok to bathe the cats in sanitizer?).  Hehe.

Day 15

So we wait, and wait…for Rick’s stem cells to start churning out white blood cells for Craig’s body.  The doctors say this can happen anywhere between day 15 and day 21.  That’s the only news we are waiting to hear right now.  It will mean that soon after that, Craig will be able to go home.

Mike, Judy and Brad are visiting for the weekend.  Not much else to report right now!  Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts, we will write more later.

Day 11

Things are still running pretty smoothly.  Craig’s blood counts are at rock bottom and may stay there for another week or so.  No fevers- which is great!  Just a lot of nausea.  While the inflammation around Craig’s heart has improved, there may be some new irritation in his lungs.  The doctors are not really concerned about it, though.

Judy, Brad and Mike will be coming back up this Wednesday for a long weekend.  Rick has recovered from surgery and has been back at work all week.  His birthday is Monday, the 12th.  Happy Birthday, Rick!  You are an amazing brother.