May 4, 2022 Update

 May The Fourth Be With You

It is day 0.  It is transplant day.  It is May the fourth.

WOAH!  Didn't see that coming did you?  Just like a Jedi, Jackie is a warrior in her own right.  Although she has no light saber, she is a master at Jedi mind games.  No, that's not a typo.  If you didn't get that innuendo, you have some movies to watch.  Her transplant day or second birthday they call it here, is absolutely fitting to be on May the Fourth.

Chemo was finished on Monday and Jackie received two doses of Total Body Irradiation (TBI) on Tuesday along with another dose of the ATG.  Today, she received her final dose of AGT early in the morning. 

To put it simply, Jackie's bone marrow has stop working like it should.  It is not producing the proper amount of cells and has developed scarring within the marrow.  As described previously, the stage she is at is called Myelofibrosis.  If untreated, it will progress into Acute Myeloid Leukemia and we are very fortunate it was caught at this stage.  Her bone marrow can't be fixed so she needs to get new marrow.  That is the job of the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT).  But before that can happen, we need to make room for the new marrow to grow.  So out with the old and in with the new.  That's where the chemotherapy and TBI come in.

The high doses of the chemo (Fludarabine and Busulfan) essentially destroy the majority of the old cells that are not working properly.  The TBI then does a final sweep of all the nooks and crannies that the chemo can't reach.  With that, Jackie's body will start removing the old cells to allow for the new cells to plant and develop.



The stem cell transplant itself is similar to a blood transfusion, but with more people, excitement and in some cases cake.  Jackie got double fudge chocolate.  The plan now is that the stem cells will migrate to where they need to be, take root and start to develop new bone marrow cells and a new immune system.  Jackie's transplant infusion lasted a little over an hour and was finished around 1230.

Wow, that was a lot of info. From swearing Jedi and chocolate cake to a lesson in pharmacology and physiology.

Probably a good idea to quit while we are ahead.

Thanks for reading.

Mike

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 4, 2022 at 5:33 PM

    Hi guys. May the 4th be with you! What a perfect day!
    I am so happy to hear about all the updates.
    I am thinking about you guys always. Love you both!
    Tricia

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 4, 2022 at 6:29 PM

    Thinking of you all❤️
    You got this Jackie💪

    ReplyDelete
  3. SharidactylMay 5, 2022 at 5:36 AM

    ❤️❤️❤️ Sending love from the Csillags! Go Jackie go!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ben NanningaMay 5, 2022 at 6:36 AM

    Such an exciting update! I laughed so hard at the Jedi meme haha. And more importantly, it's so amazing to see Jackie conquering each step like a boss. Way go guys!

    ReplyDelete
  5. LenellMay 5, 2022 at 7:56 AM

    You guys are rockin' this! Our support today, and always!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMay 5, 2022 at 1:39 PM

    I loved it! Warning ⚠️ it is a long and corny message but with so much ❤️. May the FOURTH be with you all!!!! As for pace and lead the very subtle arts of persuasion aka Jedi Mind trick - it is required for rebellions are built on hope. As Abraham Lincoln says, “if you wish to win a man over to your ideas, first make them your friend.” Ok you have me there! 😃. As your lifetime friend the power of persuasion is the greatest superpower of all time. Yahoo celebrate that one!! That is how we had all that fun - it was all your fault you two!!! Lol. That superpower is even better than being invisible or maybe even better than flying. Lol Jackie with that skill set and the blessings of the fourth (remember what Jane Austin says when the pain is over the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure. )🤩 so hang in there it will be good in the end. And those of us who know Jack - she loves to conquer the odds this is rare circumstances having a condition / situation only so few get the pleasure of mastering. Heh you both have your black belts so no problemo! AND so I KNOW SHE WILL! With those odds; doing the things of the brave, dancing with grace 💃, and seeking the ordinary pleasures of the day. Yahoo for moments of Chocolate fudge cake!!! You need that energy as persuasion wants none of us want to be in calm waters all our lives. Lol So as Jackie shines her lightsaber weapon of the mind we know she is blasting the doors of those unwanted cells with a force that deflects forever and with welcoming the new re-birth of change in her body. Amen for donors!! We are so forever grateful❤️. And the connection to you both by these amazing creative updates from the amazing hubby. SO THANKFUL! 🙏. Know that we are with you all and we do join your positivity and we smile with you both!!! As we know that LOVE is a weapon and is as dangerous and persuasive as magic says Killian Jones. SO TOGETHER we stand in the force with many positive thoughts and lots of love which connects us for the amazing Kohut crew!!! 😘. We got this!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousMay 5, 2022 at 2:50 PM

    This info was very good to hear and very well brought together with the Jedi, Mike.
    Jackie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
    Keep up the charge forward guys.
    Sending lots of love, well wishes and prayers your way.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousMay 5, 2022 at 6:18 PM

    Thanks for the up date Jackie and Mike. You are in my thoughts a prayers. You've got this!!!!Love you, Auntie Marg

    ReplyDelete
  9. Terry and Gary MarcerMay 6, 2022 at 5:57 AM

    We are fortunate to have been able to keep up with the news through your parents but I was very happy to see how we could get the updates as they are published. Thanks for explaining that part! Your are a formidable team with so much love around you and we are all supporting you in this journey. We pray that from this “birthday” onward, the force will always be with you! We pray for a future of climbing only actual mountains, swimming in clear waters and lots of together time when you are fully recovered. With the strength of all of us who love and support you guys, we see a lot of sunshine in your future, even when the skies have clouds! Great writing Mike, so appreciated. We love you guys!

    ReplyDelete

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