[madubois63]

Dorinda - If I did not get the leukemia, I wouldn't be eligable for a transplant. I was on chemo for the breast cancer from October 2004 - December 2005. Around Nov/Dec things started getting hairy. My counts dropped and I'd miss a treatment. I'd get shots to bring up my counts, but it just didn't work. Then my counts moved and I was able to get a some chemo in, but it almost killed me (I forgot about that episode). After that the bone marrow biopsy was ordered. MBTransplant is not first line treatment/cure for leukemia. Not everyone is able to survive it or handle it. Ten years ago, I would have been considered to old to get the transplant, so things have come a long way. I hae to interview with the doctor to see if they'd accept me. It is very serious stuff, and extremely expensive. I am lucky enough to be poor. I have medicare and medicaid. They paid for mostly everything. I also had help from a few fantastic organizations. It cost over a half a million dollars to keep me alive. I don't know/think they are using it for bc at all and I doubt insurance will cover it. I know someone that haed to pay out of pocket for mostly everything. Her mom left her money, so that is what she did with it. My friend has bc that spread to her bone marrow and transplant is not an option. I know there is a difference bet ween bc in the marrow and leukemia, I just couldn't explain it. I don't know if I've paved any roads, but maybe after my record, they'll accept other hard cases before they judge to easily.

Sherry - this is the extreme, and I pray no one ever has to consider doing this. I did pretty well all things considered. I was walking and excercising the day after the transplant. They made me get up. Me and my infusion pump walked around the nurses station a little every day until I was up to 2 miles and doing the olipical bike. They had someone come to my room and do pilates and weights with me. Some people that had transplants at the same time did not fair so well. So, yes this is a last resort thing. The isolation is enough to make you want to jump out of a window. My family and friends were 8 hours away. My sister flew in to settle me, a week later she came in for the transplant, she came back 3 weeks later for 2 days and then she drove my mom and kids in for Thanksgiving. She's got twin 2 year olds - pretty amazing sister!!! I had a total stranger come visit me. Her mom and I met on another bc board, so she sent her daughter with food and gifts. Then another friend from the bc board took me to her home and babysat me for 2 days when my family couldn't get there. Pastoral care came and visited and brought gifts (they sent Christmas gifts and food to my home). The hospital even provided laptops (I had my own), wigs, games, books, massage therapy, and crafts to keep us busy. It was no vacation, but they really were great. Thanks for making me think of all these things I've forgotten. Roswell Park Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY really did a great job in covering all aspects. They have dentists and therapists that come right to your room if need be. I have to go back and visit...enough rambling.