Thursday, November 17, 2016

November 17, 2016: Day -2

Clinical Ruiz, Puebla Mexico
The LONG day.  Today is the day that we start the day at Clinical Ruiz at 9:00 a.m. in the morning and end the day at Clinical Ruiz at 9:00 p.m.  There are two really big days through the course of this treatment, today and Saturday.  Today Group 1 spent 4 hours hooked up to machines attached to their PICC lines to have their stem cells harvested.  The goal was to have 1 million  stem cells per kilogram.  If the patient did not harvest enough stems cells this morning they have to go back on the machine this afternoon.  If they harvest enough stem cells then the patients continue with chemotherapy this afternoon.  Now, I know that this does not sound great, but I can tell you that all of the patients preferred chemotherapy to being hooked up to the machine to harvest their stem cells.

During the stem cell harvesting none of the carers were allowed in the room.  They all shared a room, with recliners and dimmed lights.  Meanwhile us carers, went over to the mall and had a long cup of coffee.  I had probably the best iced coffee I have ever had at Italian coffee shop in the mall.  It was also a nice time for our group to talk about our loved ones and share our journeys that brought us to come to Mexico.  The group of carers this morning  included one son, one sister, two friends, one mom and me, a spouse. There were 2 husbands here, but they went home and traded out for friends. Our perspectives and experiences were different and similar.  None of us wanted to see the ones we love suffer so much.  Few people really know this journey and so it was also very nice to be able to talk freely with people with similar experiences.

About 1:30 p.m. one by one the patients were released.  None of them looked very good at all. They were pale, tired looking and so ready to be done.  Some of them were light headed and some nauseous. The women were suffering more than the two males.  When they called me to get Doug, his color looked pretty good and he looked pretty chipper.  His only request was to pee.  Throughout the whole process they were not allowed to go to the bathroom because it would interfere with the procedure, causing a less sterile environment  because they would need to unhook them, and other reasons that I am not sure of. All had to wear a diaper just in case they had to go.  It did make it a little easier since they all had been fasting again today since midnight.
I picked up take-out for Doug and another, but here is the
rest of the group.  They look much better than an hour earlier!

Everyone had a little lunch and rested.  We now had to wait to see if everyone had harvested enough stem cells.  Sometime after 4:00 p.m. Dr. Ruiz came in and announced the number of cells harvested for each person.  Can you imagine this happening in the US? I am sure it would be against our privacy rights! :)  But for us, it was a celebration.  As he announced the patient he would announce the number of stem cells harvested.  We all clapped and applauded. Doug harvested 545 million, more than enough!!!  And wonderfully,  all the patients harvested all the stem cells they needed.  Everyone moved on to chemotherapy.  The patients were all so relieved.  The harvesting of the stem cells was difficult.

We had all gathered in the chemotherapy room to await chemotherapy and it is the most comfortable place in the clinic.  There are recliners for all the patients and cushioned chairs for the carers.  The atmosphere was much more relaxed than last week.  Partly because we all know what to expect, partly because we have all been through so much together now, and partly we were all glad to be together and not separated.  I think the patients feel much more supported having all of the carers around.

And so everyone settled in for another 5 hours of chemotherapy.  Everyone has their own way of coping, like watching movies on their laptops, listening to music, conversation, reading books and sometimes a bit of joking and teasing, keeping the atmosphere light. By the time we get home tonight I am sure everyone will be more than tired.  But it does feel like we have crossed the Rubicon.  We are now on the downhill path toward the end of the chemotherapy and the engraphment of the new stem cells.

Angel, helping Doug.  Not sure I can go home without him!
And so we pray:

Holy One, we give you praise and thanks for scientific skills to create procedures that have life saving value. Your image is manifested to us in the tender care of your people for others.  We thank you for listening to your peoples prayers for healing, for strength and for courage in the face of pain and fear. And most especially we thank you this day for the stems cells harvested that will bring new life to those we love and the chemotherapy that will kill this unwanted disease. And now as the darkness covers us give us peace so that we might rest and awake refreshed to start a new day.  Amen

7 comments:

  1. Amen! Congratulations on making it thus far. Our prayers and hopes are with you both. All our love, Carol and Leon Collins

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  2. What a great outcome to have the cell numbers for all in your group. And especially for our Doug. Blessings again follow each step. We continue in the "journey" each step, each day and thank you Eileen for your truly blessed writings. A pen which shares so much in every writing....between the lines as well. Onward....dear ones. We are all here but with you every breath. Sherry

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  3. Wow, I was holding my breath as I read this account of your day. So glad it ended with such a success!

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  4. What an amazing experience of building community in the midst of hardship - take care of each other.

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  5. I can feel the relief and celebration when the doctor announced rack patient harvested enough or more stem cells. Thank you for your time in sharing your adventure.

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