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The International Society for Mannosidosis & Related Diseases, Inc presents:
[jenny home][introduction][background][journal entries][photo album][write
me!]
June 10, 1999
From: "Smith, Dianne" <Dianne.Smith@mpls.frb.org>
So much has happened in the past two weeks. Jenny has won the heart of
every doctor and nurse that has worked with her! She is so strong and has
total confidence in a successful transplant.
Our "work up" week consisted of more than 48 hours at the University of
Minnesota. The staff at the U of Mn is very professional and they are
determined that every detail is carefully thought out, measured and
double-checked. The many machines and tests are too numerous to mention,
suffice to say that the U of Mn knows every inch of Jenny's body. For
example, they know how thick her skull is, how dense her rib bones are, how
well her liver is functioning. The final grade for her overall health,
given the results of all of the tests and exams was an A.
Jenny had her bone marrow harvested this morning (for backup in case her
body rejects her donor's bone marrow). She knows exactly how her donor will
feel next Thursday and naturally she's very appreciative of his sacrifice
for her. The doctors also installed a Hickman catheter into Jenny's right
jugular vein, which will feed the medicines directly to her heart for
distribution to the rest of her body. Jenny will receive anti-rejection
drugs via this Hickman catheter for up to 2 years. She will also receive
the bone marrow transplant through the Hickman catheter late on Thursday or
in the early hours of Friday, June 18th.
Tomorrow and Saturday Jenny will get chemotherapy. Then at 7:30 a.m. and
2:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (morning only on
Thursday -- 7 sessions total) Jenny will receive total body radiation. This
is done to kill Jenny's bone marrow so that her body will accept her donor's
bone marrow.
If all goes well, we should see her white cell count come in around Day +16
(early in July). Tests will be done at that point to determine if the white
cells are being made by the donor's bone marrow or Jenny's. It is crucial
that it be the donor's.
The doctors have encouraged us to expect good results with this tranplant
because the donor is an extremely good match. He even has the same blood
type as Jenny! It wasn't necessary that he be O+ also, but we're happy that
he is because that is also Steve's blood type --so he can continue to be a
donor whenever Jenny needs blood or platelets.
At this point, things are progressing well. Keep us in your prayers.
Love,
The Smiths
Steve, Dianne, Jenny and Jason
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