peripheral stem cell transplant

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\cocoartf1038\cocoasubrtf360{\fonttbl\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 helvetica;} {\colortbl;\red255\green255\blue255;}\margl1440\margr1440\vieww18880\viewh13120\viewkind0 \pard\tx720\tx1440\tx2160\tx2880\tx3600\tx4320\tx5040\tx5760\tx6480\tx7200\tx7920\tx8640\ql\qnatural\pardirnatural \f0\fs24 \cf0 after being sick with flu-likesymptoms in august of this past year, i went to the doctor and was diagnosed with leukemiathe same day and admitted. i was told at the time i had, untreated, 10 days to live. \\ i was diagnosed with myelodysplastic sydromeback in september 2010. i went to chemo at another hospital for a year before i transferredhere and went through the stem cell transplant.\ \i signed up, of course, quickly for as much

chemo and everything that i could get to giveme a better chance at life. and quickly it became known to me that my best chance wouldbe a stem cell transplant. i didn't have any siblings who matched and so they found a 100percent match with an unrelated donor. i don't know anything about the person, other thanit is a male. and after a year, then we'll get to find out about each other, but rightnow, i just know i have a male's dna. \ \there's mental healing and physical healing, and right now, i'm in the physical part ofit, where i'm getting my body back the way it was. i've been out of work for almost twoyears now because of this. so, getting back into shape and back into landscaping. thisis helping.\

\i'm not a good person to exercise, and i really kind of regretted it when the nurse practitionersand physicians were pushing me to get into the physical therapy program at dayani forstem cell transplant recipients. i didn't see it as an option. i was afraid to do becausei had not been an exercise person, but that way when they say, "are you exercising?" ican say "yes. i'm going to the dayani center."\ \at first it's going to be hard, but don't give up. never give up. keep going. firstcouple of days, my legs hurt like heck, but i kept coming back and working out and workingthrough it. and now i don't feel them no more. you improve over the weeks. so, it's goodfor you.\

\although it's hard to get started and it's really hard after you're finished with anhour and a half, you feel better, and i've seen my strength increase even. we are onthe second floor at the apartments at the village at vanderbilt staying for the 100-dayduration. and allen, my husband, has me take the steps, and i've been able to tell a bigdifference in going up and down the steps, just from my 2-day a week experience.\\ some days i don't feel like it, but i comeanyway. it's good to be here because it's fun. the girls will make you laugh all thetime. \ \hopefully, i'll recover soon, and my life

will be back to normal. i'll be able to goback to work, and everything that i had done in the past, i will be able to do again. andi think this gives me the best opportunity at doing that, so that i stay stronger andhealthier. and it will ward away some of the things that might cause me to get sicker,and so i'm trying my best to do what the doctors and nurses and even the exercise specialistshere say. although it's hard, sometimes. \ \i had gone to physical therapy programs before for a bad back or various other things, andthey were hard. and i think everybody expects that to be the case, and i'm not saying thisis not hard, but i think it's worthwhile.\ \very friendly, encourageable staff. you can't

beat them . they make me laugh at times. they'rehappy-go-lucky people here. they give you a good workout but a friendly workout. feelthe burn. \ \}