My Bone Marrow Transplant: Day 1

LOCATION: Vanderbilt University Hospital - Stem Cell Unit
DATE: 8.15.12    DAY: 1
MOOD:  Someone shoot me now.
MENTAL STATE:  See mood above.
PHYSICAL STATE:  Extremely nauseated and weak from lack of food.


The steroids given to me to pre-medicate for the transplant brought with them horrific nightmares.  Around 4 am a care partner woke me up out of a dream in which I believed someone was trying to kill me.  It was so real it left me breathless and I turned to prayer.  My husband came to the hospital to sit with me and almost as soon as I fell back asleep a continuation of the dream occurred. Thankfully, he was there to awake me from the second nightmare.  Needless to say, I did not get a decent night's rest.   Throughout the day my small attempts at eating ended in violent retching.  Food was no longer my friend.

At 8:00 am they started the drug cyclosporine.  Cyclopsorine is an immunosuppressive drug used to help with a successful transplant.  Its job is to suppress what was left of my own immune system from attacking the new.  Having been on this drug before, I knew its side effects (that of face-flushing and headaches) and was on the look-out for a reaction.

At 6:00p a new medication. called methotrexate (sp?) was started.  This drug was to be given on day +1, +3, +6, and +11.  The major side effect of this drug is mucositus, wherein the mouth, GI tract, and the intestines are extremely aggravated.  Most noticeably, my entire mouth has swollen and is covered with a white mucus.  This condition currently is slightly painful but not intolerable.  I have been told it would get worse before it got better.  Jesus, give me strength.

By the end of the day, the nausea was still present and my mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton balls.  Severe headaches are constantly being medicated. The doctors believe the headaches could be from the cyclosporine or possibly a reaction to Zofran, a nausea medication.