Today is Day +1 Dr Anderlini’s explanation for what the stem-cells are doing is that they are setting-up shop. To paraphrase the stem-cells have to get ready, you cannot have a baby in one day, in the same respect the stem-cells need time to start working. The nausea for the most part has passed; it should with all of the medicine I’m pumped full of. Tomorrow is Day +2 which means I’m entering what Dr Anderlini says will be the worst time. Days +2 thru +7 will probably get hairy. The pain in my lower back is still there, it’s about the same as yesterday, but that’s one of the things that the drugs haven’t relieved. Food is becoming very unappealing but I’m going through the menu each day and trying to pick things I can eat.

My tongue has developed thrush, it makes a coating on top of your taste buds and therefore you cannot taste anything. They’ve given me medication to try to take care of this.

Cancer, chemo and heavy medication tend to deregulate your bathroom habits. The staff is very aware of and works with you help correct this problem.

Personal Notes: They advise us to eat whatever we can. But you might want to avoid some of your favorite foods while you are so sick, because often when you’re feeling better and try to eat these foods again the memory of how bad it tasted when you were sick overpowers any desire for that food.

When we were having the stem-cells collected they told us the anti-coagulant that was put in with the stem-cells would have a strange smell when I received them back. A.G. says the room smells like tomato paste. I haven’t noticed it but other people that come in the room have noticed.