I'm not really sure how to start this update because the past few days have been so incredible. I wanted to insert lots of pictures but I don't want to overload anyone's email system so I will try to explain what I can and to attach a few photos at the end. I got to the house sometime before 9 pm on Thursday night and Dad looked incredible. Diane had already spent the day donating stem cells and was scheduled to put in another day starting at 7:45 am (on Friday). Mom and Dad were scheduled to check into the hospital at 8am and it was clear to me that taking a different car would work best for everyone. When I arrived at the hospital, a few hours after everyone else, Diane was almost halfway through her blood donation. She had an excellent support team and I was very excited to see my cousin Barbie and Uncle Jim who were reading Winnie the Pooh. By the time I got up to Dad's room he had already been taken in for radiation. Much to my surprise, I heard him call my name in the hallway, as I went to heat up a Boca burger (veggie burgers that I am for some reason addicted to). I had expected him to be less chipper, or at least to look tired and in pain. He still looked great and was requesting food.

We had been told that the transplant would start around 3pm so we all sat around and talked until the stems cells were brought in (around 4pm). There was something almost anticlimactic about the delivery of the donation bag that was at the same time so much more emotional than any of us anticipated. To think that the cells that were going into Dad had been in Aunt Diane that morning and that those cells contained so much hope for so many of us. We all kept looking at the bag as if somehow words would come to us to describe our feelings. So we watched in awe as the doctors and nurses performed a mini stem cell transplant before our eyes. There was something about Dad sitting in a relaxing chair while we all talked that made the process look more like a family gathering than an innovative medical procedure.

After the bag was drained, we watched part of a movie and ate take-out. Dad's vital signs were measured often and each time they were normal. I think we were all expecting a reaction. It's been almost 24 hours since the transplant started and Dad is still doing well. We've been told that there is a long period of time for reactions to occur so for the moment I think we all have feelings of guarded optimism.

I really want to thank Diane and her support team for their help. There are no words to describe our gratitude. I also want to thank Dad's other sister Carol for her continued support.

Thank you again for all of your good wishes.
Have a good weekend and Go Raiders (I really only care about the commercials but I'm trying to work on community spirit).
Love,
Dina

PS Benjamin can now walk behind a push toy. I'll send pictures of him again in the next update.

Picture 1: Mom and Dad at the hospital this morning
Picture 2: Dad, Diane, and the donated cells (the red bag)
Picture 3: Dad and Diane discussing their youth during the transplant