I'm making my own red cells now!

well that title pretty much says all the news so .......

Just kidding! A couple of weeks ago when we came back from Brisbane my red cells were at 96 (normal is 140 tranfustions usually happen if I get below 100). Doc Schoozenbootz said i wasn't getting a transfusion as we were close to the time when my red cells are supposed to kick in. I did a blood test a week ago last thrusday but didn't hear from him and then last Thursday and talked to him on Friday. He says the previous week I was at 102 and this week at 113 so I'm seriously on my way. He says my kidneys are okay as well.

Day 129 now, and the the red cells kick in at day 120 ,we were told, so I'm right on schedule. The red cells are the last to kick in so this is a pretty big milestone. The doc still hasn't seen the DNA results to make sure that it the new cells are doing the work now, but he's pretty confident. I have a more sceptical approach and figure that it's not over until the 'fat cells sing'. Or something like that.

Okay fort those of you keeping score. the final milestones were and are.
*get red cells kicked in
*I'll take DNA results for 100, Bob -'What are my NEW cells' ........is the correct response!?
*get off the immune supression drugs - currently down to 5/8ths of what I was taking when I left hospital
*don't get GVHD - Oh come on you can't have forgotten already what that stands for! Say it with me...Old kids help the new kids... Graft Versus Host Disease. At this point if I get it now it means it will be the chronic kind and I have a 50/50 chance at this point.
*get Schoozenbootz to sign me off in about 4to six months.

pretty good eh! doc says that i haven't been reading the book on how to be a patient as i'm breaking all these records. Bluey i pretty happy too.

more later
Chris