Engraftment

Please celebrate with us today!  After four weeks in the hospital, my blood counts were high enough this morning to show that my new immune system engrafted and the transplant is working!

The past four weeks have been, to put it mildly, difficult.  Although I will spare you the details, there were days when I was the sickest I've ever been.  I also had four platelet transfusions and four blood transfusions following transplant.  So, to those of you who regularly donate blood or platelets, thank you.  You are truly saving lives.  I certainly would not have survived the past few weeks without your donations.

Barring any fever in the next 24 hours, I will be discharged tomorrow to stay with family in Columbus for the next few months.  Tomorrow marks the beginning of a long road to recovery, but for now please celebrate with us that we've cleared the engraftment hurdle.