Kicking back at home; and a big surprise

I finally arrived home about 5pm tonight and have been eating ever since. Little things. But it's different when you can browse the cabinet or the fridge and choose a little of this and a little of that. I ate beef soup for supper which is the first real meat I've had in several weeks. I sorted out the new list of pills and swallowed them all without immediate mishap.

I confess the pill taking seems to get harder and harder. I was delighted to double check the list tonight and figure out that one pill is only once daily and I took it this morning. I cut them up. I take them with applesauce or jello. I do my best and trust that the process will get easier. After all, I haven't lost my cookies for several days now.

Dr. Aljitawi came in this morning and before he said "you are for sure going home today" he said "your chimerism is 100% donor." I went sailing out of the bed and danced into his arms and everyone picked up phones and took pics. News I was not expecting.

This means that my bone marrow shows 100% Walt cells today, at day 44. This is really great news. The next work to do will be to wean me away from the immune suppressant drugs and hope that Walt's cells continue to claim dominance and mine continue to be absent. That is what happens over the next 55 days, until day 100 post transplant.

Every question I asked was answered with "100 days." No eating out, no grandbaby visits, no parties, wear a mask. 100 days. The way I feel right now, it will take until 100 days to feel whole again. I am wobbly on my feet, my strength is just barely enough to get around by myself. I have some rebuilding to do. I will start short treks on the treadmill tomorrow though I suspect that by the time I get down the stairs to the treadmill, I won't have a lot of extra energy for actually cranking that thing.

Start small. That would be getting up the stairs to bed tonight. I am certainly way way ahead of where I was physically after my first hospital stay. I am still staying at M&D's house for a while. Frankly, the idea of moving to my own house and living on my own again is a little bit scary. Or terrifying.

I have enjoyed a day of celebrating, but I understand that it's head down for the next 55 days so I'm getting my mind set. I'm going to be a winner at the end of this.

And because I need to know. the 100 day target.
October 8, 2009.
That's the goal.

Finally, I don't even go to the clinic until thursday and when I go I will be up front to see a provider. I won't be in the back getting treatment with all my friends. This is going to be really strange.