Saturday, May 14, 2016

40th Bone Marrow Transplant Reunion

The City of Hope has been doing Bone Marrow Transplants for 40 years.  They are the only center with a better than average success rate the last 5 years.  Every BM transplant patient gets an invitation to attend a reunion.  We attended our first.  Talk about an amazing event!  Like everything else COH does, this event was run like a fine tuned machine.
At check in, nurses ask how long it has been since you had your transplant?  They write that number on a huge button for you to wear so you can see how long everyone has been post transplant.  There was an opportunity to have your picture taken.  They gave us a picture and another one was hung on a tree.
Our daughter surprised us and came in that weekend so she was there as well making this event even more special.  Tons of food, a Beatles tribute band, free food, a comedian performed, more food and there were speeches from the CEO,  and Tommy Lasorda (yep!).  Did I mention lots of food???
The comedian, a BMT survivor from COH, was pretty funny.  He talked about all the things every single person there could relate to...like all the patients carrying gallon jugs of urine at the hospital, I couldn't believe all the nurses have to do, the minute you check in they start an IV and insert a Hickman, I need a cardiac stress test???..."I have cancer, how well am I supposed to do!!!"  Some of the things he joked about I forgot we had to deal with!
There was also a song/dance number from some of the nurses and doctors.  The very first BMT patient, from 39 years ago was there!  I think how much better their process is now...that man is truly a miracle.  Honestly, every  patient there is a miracle, a modern day Lazarus.  Several people had two buttons because they have had more than one BMT.  A women at our table had multiple myeloma and is 1 1/2 years post transplant.  She unfortunately was told she would need another transplant.  Sports Illustrated had an article featuring Craig Sager (sports analyst for TNT, he covers the NBA games) who has had 2 BMT and was told he needs another one.  His son has been his donor.  I can't imagine doing this again, much less 3 times, but we will do what we have to do.
And can you believe it rained!  The only thing they weren't able to get done was the massive photo of all the BMT recipients that attended.  This was definitely an event that we will try to attend every year.  It's a club you don't want to belong to, but if you do, it provides humor, camaraderie, hope and success.  

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for keeping the updates Karen. I love hearing how you and Stevn are doing! God bless you all!

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  2. Thank you Kristine! Blessings to you and your family :)

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