Day ONE - 59 to go

Monday...August 21st. Seems like three days have passed and we have only been through one day of testing! Started early this morning....we got up and walked to Mayo's clinic...only three blocks from The Gift of Life Transplant House. Nice walk..crisp and cool, but bright and sunny. Arrived first to an array of blood tests and urin tests. They have you on a tread-mill ...one appointment right after the other one. After blood work, we to get the Bone Marrow Test. They put him out for this test and take two samples of bone marrow from his back. Goes quickly and he came out feeling okay. Then they brought him some whole-wheet toast...he was all over that!! Told his nurse she was a great waitress! After he rested a bit, and made sure he was bleeding...went down to cafeteria for a light lunch. Soup was great and Dave had salad and pineapple and a boston-cream pie (some of that ended up on his jacket....not sure how that happened!!). We decided we had time to come back "home" for a little rest. Got back here in 10 minutes ...nice walk back too...and Dave checked at desk about getting his computer hooked up to the DSL. They send someone out from Venture (?) computer and had it hooked up in 10 minutes. Had a little trouble getting it to send e-mails, but "allison" from the front desk came up and between her and the guy from Venture (aren't cell phones great?) they had it printing in no time. So ... now we are hooked up and it is in our room....how cool is that? Since we have no TV in the room, it is great to have the computer.
Got back to Mayo's for chest x-rays at 1:00 and a pulmonary Function test at 2:00. Then on to the CT Scan 3:15. Got "home" around 5:00. I had some meatloaf sandwiches with us so we had them for dinner...along with some yogert, fresh tomatoes, celery and grapes. Little root beer and meal shakes to wash it down with. Visited with several other folks from here. This is a really neat place. Lots of sick folks, but wonderful attitudes and outlooks. They all say it is a life changing experience.....well...of course....some of it NOT so good stuff. We are still praying that this will get Dave "cured" ....well at least many long years of remisssion. No guarantees....no guarantees...yes, they say, no guarantees. Poop. I want a GOLD guarantee - FRAMED!!!
We went out to Wal-Mart tonight to get some supplies. We are both exhausted...obviously, Dave is super exhausted!
Tomorrow we begin at 6:45 ...with a PET scan. and ending up with a Spinal tap.
Dang. What else can they do? Looks like the "growth factor infusion" may begin on Thursday afternoon...Friday, Sat, Sunday and if needed..Monday. Then the Stem Cell collection begins...MOn.Tue.Wed.Th.Friday...That takes us through September 1, 2006. No schedule after that...have to wait and see Doc. Yasenchak on Thursday this week to find out if everything is okay to proceed. But he still has to have surgery to put in another "port"...maybe remove his current one, maybe just put another one in. ouch. Dang...this is awful rough.
Well...enough for today...all the groceries are put away, Dave is reading...and I am signing off for tonight. Tomorrow begins ...day 2.