Happy Birthday to You....

Today was a BIG day in the treatment cycle of Dads cancer. It was stem cell transplant day, which according to the team at the BMT clinic, is now Dads 2nd birthday! Yeah, for Dad! We took tons of pictures to record/remember this moment. After all, the past two or three months has been a journey to this day (and the many days to follow). The Stem Cells are cryogenically frozen and brought in a "mobile" size transportation unit and thawed from the liquid nitrogen- bed side in a bath of body temperature saline. Dad required two bags of stem cells as well as two bags of saline with todays transplant.

He did receive a "Happy Birthday" balloon and certificate from the team at Huntsman as well as a happy stem cell transplant poster from his (favorite) daughter & family. It was a party moment I'm glad I could celebrate with him today. This coming next week and into next weekend will be telling on how Dad will hopefully avoid infection, stay free and clear of the hospital admitting desk, be a model patient and seeing the stem cells ingraph as they should & what we have all been praying for!

P.S. Oh, and in case your wondering... It's creamed corn! They say that because of the preservative mixed into the stem cells to protect them from crystallizing during the thaw process, the patient will smell like either tomato soup, creamed corn or garlic... but he can't smell himself. And thankfully this only lasts about 24 hours.

Leigh Ann