Moving Quickly Towards Transplant (by Aaron)
We are currently in Ojai, staying with Natalie’s Parents.
I had a barage of tests yesterday down at UCLA, very tiring. Also had more chemo injected into my spine; feeling pretty nauseous and bad overall.
The transplant should start in a couple of weeks. Dr. Paquette is leaning towards using stems cells from an umbilical cord because the one remaining adult donor did not match closely enough. Dr. Paquette wants to get this done as soon as possible. Please, pray for a great amount of wisdom from God for Dr. Paquette–there are a lot of decisions to be made. A transplant is a very serious ordeal.
Next week I should get another shot of chemo in the spine and a bone marrow biopsy in order to know exactly what the status of the leukemia is.
Thank you to all who have been organizing the stem cell drives and to all who turned out for the drive in Pomona. It would be such an amazing blessing if a match came from one of these drives for someone in need. There are two more drives coming up: March 10th in Santa Barbara and March 11th in Ojai. For more info on these two drives, scroll down a couple of posts.
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
March 9th, 2007 at 9:54 am
so timing-wise, there’s no chance someone from these drives will be able to give to you, even if they’re a perfect match? not that i won’t still get screened.
March 9th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Praying much from New York. Glad geographic distance means nothing as far as distance to the throne. You are a living testimony to the goodness of God through diversity.
March 9th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Aaron,
How do you test for the umbilical cord match? I am due in about 3 weeks now and if there is anyway that the baby’s cord blood would be a match, we would be more than willing to see if we could make it work between doctors. We are living in Marina Del Rey right now and will be delivering at one of 3 hospitals in the area. Please let me know if there is any way we can help. Email me or call me. 719-232-1112
March 9th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Nathan–It is still possible to determine, in time, if someone from one of the drives matches Aaron. They will be expediting the results for us so that we would likely find out within a week if anyone has matched. As the plans stand right now, you are right in that it will be a time crunch. We need to pray that if there is a better match, God will show us in time. The transplant coordinator gets updates daily on whether or not any new matches have come in for Aaron. She will continue to get updates until the transplant occurs. It is all terribly confusing and complicated. I am glad that God is the one controlling the details!
March 9th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
We’re praying for a perfect match and wisdom and tons of healing.
March 12th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
We love you!!
March 16th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Aaron and Natalie,
I’m your 2nd cousin in NJ–I froze our daughter’s cord blood 18 months ago. Let me know if you need it. Also, I was swabbed 2 weeks ago in Goshen, NY, but they told me it would take 5-7 weeks. How do you get them to expediate it? You’re in our prayers!