Marrow to my bones

Hematopoiesis (click to enlarge)
Idea: Kill bad plasma cells downstream and replace with good stem cells (new plasma cells will be good ones)

I received the schedule for the stem cell transplant. I begin stem cell stimulation on February 23 and the apheresis or harvesting will take place on February 28th. I will then have a week off, (fortunately when Caitlin is off from school as well) and receive the conditioning with Melphalan on March 10 and 11th. March 12th is when Barbie, Caitlin and Rebecca will go to San Francisco to see Wicked. March 13th is the day that my new bone marrow will be born. Which is fitting as that is Samuel and Jeremy's birthday. The pattern must continue since the anniversary of my new heart is the day Samuel and Michelle got married.

Today was my last dose of Velcade and Decadron ( and I hope last means last.) I also had a bone marrow biopsy by Dr Sardar, with Laura, his MA, assisting. This one was even less painful than the last two because 'Phil's good'. Tomorrow I will do a skeletal survey, which does not refer to the mapping of a cemetery. All of this is in preparation for the transplant.

Preparation for all of this began a very long time ago. When Joseph Smith received the revelation from God in 1833 called "The Word of Wisdom", the saints were instructed on issues of health, both spiritual and physical. I have followed this guidance all of my life. I have never smoked, I have never tasted alcohol or drank coffee. I have tried to eat healthy. At the end of this revelation, the following promise is given:

Doctrine and Covenants: Section 89
18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, ^ashall receive ^bhealth in their navel and marrow to their bones;

19 And shall ^afind ^bwisdom and great ^ctreasures of ^dknowledge, even hidden treasures;

20 And shall ^arun and not be ^bweary, and shall walk and not faint.

21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the ^adestroying angel shall ^bpass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen

With my new heart I can walk and not faint, now all I'm waiting for is the healthy marrow in my bones.

Kevin