Good Luck Marathon Friends

I should be running the 1/2 marathon tomorrow. Instead, I will be the bald girl hanging out at the 5 mile mark holding up this ugly sign. I got bored after coloring a couple of the letters and tried to bribe Brian (for a dollar) to finish coloring it for me. He didn't take the bait--probably because he thought I wouldn't pay up. I wouldn't have.

"I can. I will!"

Can I Skydive with a PICC Line?

So, I want to plummet out of an airplane before I have to do my sentence in Omaha. I forgot I have this IV line in my arm. Do you think it will get in the way of the harness? I ask the strangest questions when I go to the doctor.

The last two days I feel like I have been playing hooky from work. Other than getting winded after climbing up the steps at Seacrest, I'm feeling pretty darn good (for the next few days anyway).

Sunday is the Lincoln Marathon. I'll be holding up an "I can. I will!" sign. I can't wait to see how many people are sporting the "I can. I will!" t-shirts...

I Have Become

a person who sits around waiting for the mail to arrive.

UNMC Debrief

Brian, my mom, and I went up to UNMC today to learn more about the stem cell transplant.

Here is what I learned today:

1.) I will continue to get chemo at St. E's for two more 21-day cycles. I will celebrate Cinco de Mayo en la hospital.

2.) My sister will be tested as a possible match, and we should know the results by next week. If she doesn't match me, they will start looking for an unrelated donor. We are hoping that Jill is a match because we can get started faster and a related match helps to reduce the chances of rejection (do not Google graft vs host disease unless you like nightmares).

3.) If Jill's a match, we can get the stem cell transplant rolling by the end of June (no pressure, Jill's marrow). Prior to the transplant, I would be given two days of chemo and three days of full body radiation.

4.) I will then spend 2-4 weeks in the hospital, and then will be required to stay in the Omaha area (within 30 minutes of the hospital) for the next 100 days. I will need a "caregiver" with me for the 100 days, so we're hoping that this process can happen during part of the summer.

Obviously, Brian and my parents will get to do the brunt of the "caregiving"; however, they are going to be looking for relief. So, I'll be looking for friends and family who are willing to have a "slumber party" or pull a day shift.

My GOAL is to be back to school by second semester.

We're heading back up to UNMC to do some more tests on Monday.

While the plan sucks, quite frankly, it's nice to have one. Now send out some good vibes that my sister and I are matches...

The Happy Easter Video

Bill dropped off the Happy Easter video today while I was incarcerated. Thanks Jules, Jane, and Bill for getting (or attempting) staff and students to wish me a "Happy Easter." Or in some random cases, a "Happy Birthday." I enjoyed watching all of my colleagues exhibit stage fright when being recorded. The outtakes were hilarious. I appreciated seeing the kids (although they really looked less than thrilled to be out of bed, let alone at school).

Ahh, the dinging of the IV...last bag of platelets...I can finally go find my Easter eggs.

The Easter Bunny Brought Me Blood

So, in for a quick round of antibiotics this morning... I should learn never to assume anything is quick. I showed up here with a bloody nose which spurred a blood test...and the verdict is that I have to get both platelets and blood today. I guess I'm missing Easter lunch. They are sending me down to room 500, where I hope to break out by dinnertime. This is just as disappointing as the year I thought the Easter bunny was going to bring me a real rabbit.
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