Here's a pic that my step-dad took to remember the moment of my military cut. I think that after this round of treatment when I feel a little better I am going to get the mohawk until the rest of it all falls out...
Round two has been okay so far. I spent almost 11 1/2 hours at the Mayo Hospital in Phoenix on Monday going through tests, meeting with Dr. Reeder and then finally having chemotherapy. Dr. Reeder seemed very pleased with the results of the scans and is getting me prepared to start the bone marrow harvest immediately following this round of chemotherapy. Essentially what will happen is they will have me go through tests to make sure that my lung and heart functions are up to par with what I am going to be facing. I will also be given shots of Nuprogen for a few days straight, what this does is boost the production of my white bloods cells and hopefully makes it easier for them to access my bone marrow. They are going to also have an ash split catheter implanted into my chest. What this will do is allow them to pull my blood out of one tube into a machine that will separate the bone marrow from the blood, the other tube will then replace the blood back into my body minus the bone marrow which they will freeze until my treatment. Below is a diagram of the ash split catheter and the bone marrow harvest machine:
To be quite honest I am a little afraid of the bone marrow process as they will be giving me another round of chemotherapy while I am staying in the hospital call BEAM. If they were to not harvest my bone marrow before giving me the BEAM treatment, I would essentially die due to it's potency. Not exactly the kind of thing that I wanted to hear but I guess it is better to know that whole truth when you are going into something like this. I will also have to go through an approximate 10 day period in which my immune will be so low that I will be susceptible to disease and bleeding, therefore I will be placed in a safe room like the bubble boy until I begin to regain my immunity. I will stay strong and face this thing like a man!!! The stronger I fight it the faster I will beat it!!!
11 comments:
I will be with you every step of the way!!! I am so proud of how you have handled everything so far and love you with all my heart.
Mom
Friends and family this fight is getting harder and it will help Alika so very much if you would all stay in close contact with him via e-mail,mail and calls.
Just remember as Cindy said "you are so cute who cares about your hair!"
Love you
Mom
Dude - you are amazing and YOU are still cute!!! imagine how much we could sell all the cute pictures we have taken of you at MD? Gosh we must have like over l000 and at ok $5 a pop ok your were rated a 12 right on a scale of 1-10 so mmmmm lets say we sell each of them on ebay at $100 holy moly and yeah i take a 35% cut...wow we both be rich!!!!!
Oh, before i forget, remember that girl at the Mac store I wanted to fix you up with? the one that shoot had a bf? well i showed her yours pics cuz she asked about you and then she said d@^n he is cute - i said hmmm yeah he's ok hahaha. He is only a 12 compared to my boy christian fittipaldi who is a 20... i told her what a big heart you have and how nice you are. (pay me later-kidding) man if she didn't have a bf think of all the free lessons you could have for the mac? She is running a marathon and wants to dedicate it to you. Email me at racergirlhi2003@yahoo.com and tell how she does it? Thanks!
friday is the big AUW poker night and well Alicia didn't sign up for the tourney. The grand prize is $200 cash. Other prizes are gift certificates etc. We all said oh boy "we get chance" i will make a deal with you - if i win the big prize since the "JUICE" person is not playing, i will send it to you so you can take your mom and step dad out to dinner ok? DEAL? We will take pics of all of us eating our free bento so you can see what you are missing...
what amazes me about you, is how many times people whine and do not even realizing how precious life is and how you are a shinning example of being fearless, well it pisses me off. Remember the time when it was home stretch time well dude -ITS TIME AGAIN so you better NOT GIVE UP or we will blank blank ur butt-you made a deal with us and besides WE PROMISED WHEN YOU COME HOME THAT WE BE BUYING YOU A HUGE ORDER OF GARLIC CHICKEN ok ok how bout a BIG BOWL OF CURRY from the pho place? you licking your chops yet hahaha?
WE LOVE YOU and we will be waiting right here at home for you! SO KICK this things ARSE DUDE! We are right beside you!
Maddah danice
Alika -- hair or no hair eyebrows or no eyebrows you are still oh so handsome :) I am so proud of you...almost the same amount as I miss you and that's PLENTY! I think the MISSING YOU part trumps BEING PROUD because I'm EMO!
I went to the beach on Saturday and I watched the water crash on the shore and I thought about you almost the entire time I was there. I can't wait for you to come home.
KK sends her hugs and kisses your way. She asks about you every single day and even she says she's proud of you for being so brave.
Everyone is pulling for you here...everyone misses you...everyone is praying for you...and you know that we love you soooo much.
Have a great round buddy...
I LOVE YOU...
who needs eyebrows anyway? I hope the rest of this week has been better for you....let me know when you feel like having some visitors :)
Eyebrows-shmybrows! You still got your smile and that fighting spirit Ü keep it up bud! Ü
Tascha
Alika,
You've still got your big heart so don't worry about losing your eyebrows. Plus, we all know that it's your dimples that all the ladies love. ;)
Kris
Hey Alika,
Its Koa...just wanted to say wassup and let you know that we're all keeping up with whats going on in AZ. Keep on keeping on my friend you're doing great. Impressive blog by the way...I like all the pictures. Emma and Lei say hello also. We'll be in touch soon.
Aloha,
Koa
thanks for the email - will give info to melissa... oh and since you will be back in hawaii in december, ah yeah we have your spot at the annual md xmas party waiting for you. each meeting you know same same, ah who has the notes from the last meeting. omg you better hurry back - we could use your organizational and writing skills. tomm will give everyone your message - will send you some current pictures of us so you can put us up to know we are right there with you and NO YOU CAN NOT THROW DARTS or put pins in our face hahaha... Love you - your mah-dah - oh btw i got to keep my last name, you know married but separate identities YEAH! PS - tell your parents we love them and appreciate them so much. Let us know if you need anything otay!
What's up Alika...eyebrows are so last year anyway! :) We'll be thinking of you as you begin the bone marrow transplant process..Keep us informed as much as you can. This blog is really awesome... We can all feel like we are there with you in some way and I hope you feel our love and support all the way over there. We miss you and can't wait till you come back!
Lex and Mas
ps - We're ready for UW's game tomorrow...who's house?!
hehh--lloooooo DAWG FANS!!!!!!!!!!! Braddah, can't wait for you to get back home all healthy, strong and with the those beautiful eyebrows grown back in!!! Keep fighting (not like you're going to quit or anything cuz then we'd have to kick your ass!) and know that you are an inspiration to us all! Love you bro and go HUSKIES!!! (even those bothell ones;)
shooters hooters
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