Steaming

We're currently in the middle of a terrible heat wave this week. The all-knowing weather men have suggested that we may reach 100 degrees today (around 39C to all of you gentle readers outside of the States). At this level, one can no longer complain that "it's not the heat... it's the humidity!" because it is the heat AND the humidity. Nothing you can do except hide underneath a rock and wait it out. As for me, I've been trying to avoid going outside, as the heat saps my energy and I start to swell.

Yes, It is a real "swell" way to spend the last two weeks before I undertake my second transplant. I am conflicted how I feel in having this remaining time to do what I want to do, eat what I want to eat, and generally do the things that will be impossible to do in a few weeks. On one hand, I am grateful to have this time to be active and mobile, but on the other hand, I'm still restricted in what I can do, so part of me wishes to start it and get it over with. If there's one thing I am sure of is that by the end of this month I will not be a happy camper.

They say that the second transplant is easier than the first one. After meeting with other amyloidosis patients who have had two transplants, there appears to be some truth to this statement. There could be many reasons for this. Perhaps it's because you been through it once before, you know what to expect. I will have all of my supplies ready prior to starting this time. The symptoms and side effects of the chemo will now be familiar to me. I am in much better shape than I was one year ago... that's for sure.

July 2005 - not a good month

Perhaps most importantly, I know how to address my edema this time -- something I couldn't do last year. Retaining fluid reduces mobility and causes your body to work harder. Although I am struggling with 2-5 pounds of fluid on me presently, that is nothing compared to what I experienced last year. Here's a shot of my legs right after my transplant, when I had 25 pounds of fluid on me. I would gain another 10 pounds before the doctors were able to manage it properly.


Psychologically, I would think that the second transplant would be more difficult. Your mindset shifts as you realize that you are not fighting a brief excursion, but in the middle of a long, drawn out war. The constant feeling of illness in your system starts to wear you down mentally. And having a healthy mindset is a very important weapon for fighting any serious disease. I don't believe that you can win without having one.