December 1: 37 days post transplant

Ryan's doing remarkably well.  His hematocrit (red blood  cell measure) was 34!  Normal is 36 or higher.  His platelets are 146,000 - normal!!  The WBC is normal.  The "differential" - measurement of the kinds of white blood cells - is a little unusual with 20% eosinophils.  Sometimes they rise with GVH (graft-vs-host) disease as well.  Hanging in there and hoping this itch isn't a harbinger of uglier things to come.

Insurance continues to be fun.  'Nuf said.

There are little humorous things along the way that make the journey light, yet also poignant.  Ryan had been a Tolkien fan since he was little.  As luck would have it, the movie version of The Hobbit comes out in a few weeks.  And movie theaters are on the short list of no-go's.

At his last appointment, Ryan attempted negotiations with Dr. Cutler:  If I wear my mask and gloves and clean the seat with antiseptic wipes and go when it's not crowded (when would that be?), can I go see the Hobbit?NO

The "No" was out of Dr. Cutler's mouth almost before the last word was out of Ryan's mouth.

Dr. Cutler smiled and told Ryan that he would be taking his son opening night, and he'd be sure to tell Ryan all about it. 

Little things that we all take for granted.  Yet it's a small price to pay.  We've reached the point where we're now confident that Ryan will survive.  It's remarkable how quickly our priorities change.  From normal life to fighting for survival to taking survival for granted and resenting the limitations. 

To be a 23 year old married man living in your parent's house, dependent on others for everything and spending a year of your life in confinement has to be a real challenge.  Overall Ryan bears this with good humor and positivity. 

I'm wondering if I can arrange a private showing of The Hobbit.  Maybe if I play the Cancer Card.......