Friends

Today I met a kid named Brandon, one year older than me who is going through exactly what I am, only some months ahead. He is 2 months out of the transplant and says he feels like a normal guy again, minus all his taste isnt back yet, mostly just tastes sweet and sour things. Anywho, it was very relieving to know how he is doing going through this as well. He seemed pretty upbeat about his plight, which in turn made me a little more upbeat. I know there isn't any other way of fixing me other than this transplant, so its like i have to roll with it and hope for the best. It is very scary to think about the side effects, the GvH, but Brandon has not shown a single sign yet. I mean, it can really show up anytime after, and too much exposure to the sun can trigger the GvH. which means I am going to have to be super conscious about being out during the sun, as in covering up and using sunscreen, shouldn't be too hard, maybe I'll just go nocturnal. Either way, I am ready to get this transplant going and hope and pray every day that my sister is a match... which leads me to my next point..

I would like to set up something this next month when i am home, maybe down at panama red. A team from the National Marrow Donor Program could come down and we could have a mass amount of people join the registry. You wouldnt believe how easy it is to save somebodys life. Its just a cotton swab in the cheek, and maybe a blood test, but anywho, I am going to talk to folks from Pickles, see if my boy timbo and kathy could set us up with some food and refreshments, get some bands goin, and have a day of people signing up to donate. It would mean so much to me, and I would appreciate anything anybody could do to help with this.

In other news, we got the results back from the spinal tap i got the other day. I guess with the type of leukemia i have (AML), mutated cells normally don't show up in the spinal fluid or brain, but they had to check anyway to be safe. and yesterday the doctor came in and said she found some white cells in the fluid, but wouldnt know if they were leukemia cells or not until today, and i thought that was total bullshit. it's like just leaving me hanging for a whole day, thinking maybe it could be there, so today was good when i found out that it was indeed, negative. some doctors need better bedside manners. I mean, everybody has been super nice, all the nurses and doctors, and they arnt sugar-coating anything which is good, but don't leave me hangin like that. that couldve meant more chemo with a port put in my head among other inconveniences. so the plan of attack stays the same as of now.

The main thing on my mind now is food. all this bologna is getting unbearable. ive got 2 more weeks and i dont know how much of this food i can eat. my parents and girlfriend were kind enough to bring me some hungry man and marie callenders frozen dinners which is a world of difference.... but i can't stop thinking about pizza, steak, and alehouse burgers. In the next month i am home, i hope to plan the pizza party to end all pizza parties and everyone i have ever known is invited. if i dont call you, and you drive by a loaded round table parking lot, pull in, we will be there enjoying the heck out of some delicious pizza. although we will have to use somebody elses name/phone number for the order, as I believe i have been blacklisted from round table, among other pizza places in Livermore for my inconvenient experiences and ability to complain about those experiences. its like, i love the pizza, they can just never get it right, i feel like i gotta go there and make it myself.

Anyway, I want to thank everybody again for all the support and donations during all of this. It means so much and is helping me out more than you know. And the more visitors the better, i have been feeling better today, and expect to feel better every day, lookin like 2 weeks til im out, but would love to see anybody within those 2 weeks, under one condition, you must bring a slurpee upon arrival. coke on bottom, cherry on top. if you cant do it, i wont hold it against you, but just know that the slurpee is clutch. again, I love everybody. check check annnd check. over.