Day -1

Wow, wow, wow! All of you did an amazing job making Joe's day today. The hospital delivered 28 cards to his room today! This makes a total of 30 cards that he has received from the WPAH site, not to mention the ones he's received by snail mail. The lady who delivered the cards said that if he received a dozen more, he may break a record! Joe was so thrilled to read all of the sweet and thoughtful messages. He received cards from three different countries. After every few cards, Joe would look down and exclaim, "Wow! There are still so many cards left!" Thank you so much for the outpouring of love. The smiles on Joe's face were priceless. If you haven't already, you can still join in the fun! Just click here. Follow the directions and choose "West Penn Hospital." The best part is that it is free. :)

Last night Joe finished all of his chemotherapy. He was SO happy! Joe took it like a man, and that part is finally over.

Joe started his second dose of Thymoglobulin today. The wonderful part is that so far he is tolerating it extremely well. He has had no major side effects from it. Let's pray this continues to hold true! Apparently two other patients on the floor are receiving Thymoglobulin, and unfortunately they are not tolerating it so well. We don't know who they are, but we can surely say a prayer for them as well. It isn't easy for them, and it surely isn't easy for their families either.

Today, Joe also started taking two different anti-rejection drugs in pill form: FK5O6 and Cellcept. He will have to continue taking them for a year. Among other things he is also taking acylclovir, which he'll be on for at least 180 days. Also, avelox and diflucan which Joe will take until his neutrophil count rises again.

Tomorrow is the day! Day 0 (Zero) - Joe's new birthday. There will be no fireworks or fanfare. Just a bag of stem cells that he'll receive the same way he has received blood transfusions. That means today is Joe's last day being 100% Joe, 100% of the xy species, and 100%O+ blood type (His donor has A-type blood). This also means we need to be praying for his donor right now!!!!! This is her crazy day. After getting filgrastim injections for several days, she likely started the harvesting process this morning. The place where she is having her stem cells harvested is having her do a double donation. So she was hooked up for four or five hours this morning. She had, or will have a short break. Then this afternoon she'll be hooked up for another four or five hours. We are so incredibly thankful to this stranger for giving so much of herself so that Joe has a chance to be cured. How amazing is it that a girl of only 21 has been chosen to do something so noble, and has accepted the challenge. I imagine she has gone through so many emotions herself. She doesn't even know Joe! She is a very brave young lady. Hopefully one day, we will have the opportunity to meet her and thank her in person.

Shortly after Joe's transplant, either Tuesday or Wednesday and assuming all goes well, Joe will be able to go home. However, he'll have to return to the hospital every day for at least thirty days. Each day he'll have his blood drawn to see if he'll need any transfusions and to monitor his progress. We'll probably stay with his family initially so that we can all be together.

That's it for today's update. Thank you again so very, very much for all of the love you have sent Joe's way. It has really lifted his spirits to know that so many people are rooting for him.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
~Isaiah 43:2

Day -2

Joe is currently bonding with Jay over football! Joe is still in good spirits, although he has decided that being drugged up is not at all fun. Tonight will be his last night of the fludarabine and busulfan. This morning, Joe was started on the first of three rounds of Thymoglobulin, an immunosuppressant that seems to be quite unpleasant. There seems to be a whole host of other drugs Joe has to take along with the Thymoglobulin to ward off its potential evilness! The same goes with the chemotherapies. Poor boy. I'm sure he is taking more than 10 different drugs a day now.

Joe has pretty much lost all desire to eat. His meals now consist of a can of creamy milk chocolate Ensure Plus, and little else. He keeps saying that all of this is still better than his first hospital admission when he had the awful rash and constant fever.

Joe's preparing himself for what's to come, but hoping it won't be too bad. The nurses have warned him that post-transplant is when things get rough. That is when he'll start losing his hair. That is when he might develop rashes or infections. That is when the mouth sores may come back. Of course everyone is different. Everybody gets hit with some unpleasantries, but there is a spectrum. Joe is being a real trooper, he's still smiling and he's still being his sweet self. I'm sure that he'll be able to handle whatever comes his way. In his own words, "This ain't no thang." But I'm still going to pray like crazy that all goes smoother than possible. It warms my heart to see him being so strong, but it breaks my heart to see him go from bouncing around to being bedridden in a matter of days. I love that boy.

Thank you to everyone for your continued prayers and support.
Thank you to Jay for visiting and entertaining us with your stories, and for the collection of books!
Thank you to Julie and Gordon for stopping by and bringing chocolates!
Thank you to first-day-on-call-Paulette for stopping by to bring Joe every flavor of gum on the planet!