Day 0

I know many of you are probably watching and waiting to hear some news. Although it will be several days until we see the cells doing their job, the transplant has occurred. Russell spent 5 1/2 hours giving the cells this morning and then it took about 3 hours for the lab to get things ready. They began the infusion (transplant) process at 4:50 and finished at 5:40. It just looked like he was getting a unit of blood, except that it was a little darker and they put it in much faster. Ryan will have to stay on the heart monitor for about 2 more hours and then he'll get that off and be "done" for the day.

This was a long day, although I wasn't really at the hospital any longer than any other day. This morning I arrived around 9 and Ryan's mom and sister came to visit, they had brought Russell over this morning for his process. We visited for an hour or so and then I went to see how Russell's process was going. The nurse explained everything they were doing - taking his blood out of one arm, filtering it through a centrifuge, keeping the parts they needed and putting the rest back in him through the other arm. Russell started this around 8 and was finished by 1:30. We then waited until about 3:45 to find out that they need 4 million cells from Russell and they had collect 10 million. So they then gave Ryan his pre-meds (tylenol and benadryl) 1/2 hour before they began the transfusion.

Ryan got to visit with Aubrey for the last time for the next couple of weeks today, actually, he spent quite a bit of time out of his room visiting today. He went to visit Russell before lunch, then we ate downstairs in the cafeteria with my dad, and Jake and Brandi (my brother and sister-in-law). After lunch, my mom and Aubrey came to the hospital as well as Mike, our preacher. When Russell was finished with his procedure he, Ryan's mom, and Rachel (Ryan's sister) also joined us in the waiting room. Aubrey was entertaining, Ryan was resting, and we all had a good visit.

I don't think I really did much today, but my legs are tired and I feel worn out this evening. Aubrey has gone to bed "on time" tonight and so I'm going to veg on the couch and relax a little.

Thank you to all who covered us with your prayers today. They were felt as the day went very smoothly. Now we enter into the waiting phase where we watch for Ryan's counts to drop off and then for the cells to begin doing their job in Ryan's body and the cells to begin growing again. We ask that you continue to pray for the next stage in this journey.

-A