My head is swimming...make that drowning, in thoughts and new knowledge. I don't know where to begin. First, let me say, I feel better than I have in over a year. Physically, mentally and emotionally. Also, I've (we've) made the decision on where to go for the transplant. MD Anderson. Houston is NOT my favorite city but as it's been pointed out to me over and over, I won't be experiencing Houston. I'm sorry that so many of you will be. I loved Nashville but I left Vanderbilt with such a feeling of doom. I walked thru the halls of Vanderbilt as we were leaving literally thinking "dead man walking". I walked away from MD Anderson with hopes for the future. Let me give you some amazing numbers. Stem Cell Transplant patients are put into 5 categories. 5 being high risk, 1 being very small risk. I'm a 2. Vanderbilt has a survival rate of 51% based on 1's and 2's. MD Anderson has a survival rate of 53% based on 4's and 5's. They gave me an 85% chance of survival where Vandy gave me a 45% chance. Where would YOU go??? More reasons...I LOVED Dr. Parmar. She was very calm, matter of fact, smiled, positive thinker, very confident, knowledgeable and just plain human. She hugged me! The transplant coordinator, Chris, was either a PR major or just very charismatic! Loved him! Dr. Parmar's nurse, Yousuf, made me giggle cuz he was so serious and professional. My financial advisor, Alex, was just so personable! Yes, it's a HUGE place. I understand why people refer to it as "Jiffy Lube" and a "Cattle Call" BUT!!! EVERYONE I saw more than once remembered me. The nurse that took my blood at 9 a.m. remembered me at 4:30 p.m. when I had to get more drawn. I can't even imagine how many people she had seen that day. They take patients back there 8 at a time and there's probably 10 stations. It takes about 10 minutes so you do the math. It's so big that you ride golf carts thru skywalks when going from 1 building to the next. The cafe downstairs is probably an acre and a half in size.

The game plan for the transplant is, 100 days in Houston, 4 weeks of which will be spent in the hospital, the rest in the Rotory House. I have to have a caregiver with me at all times ie Marty and/or my sisters. If all goes well, then I come home and go back every 3 months and eventually every 6 months for tests. I "belong" to MDA for 2 years. I can't be around kids under the age of 12 for 2 years = ( BUT I can be around the dogs if they have been to the vet. go figure. I can't play in the mud for 2 years = ( For those that don't know, I love gardening.) I'll survive. Worse of all!!!!! I can't pet a lizard for 2 years!!!! I was so looking forward to getting a lizard! = ) I can't be in crowds for 2 years. OH! My blood type will change if my donor has a different blood type! I've been 0+ for 51 years! I will come out maybe an AB- How weird is that? It's more important to match tissues than blood type.

So, I went to the dentist yesterday to make sure I had no infections (he has to sign this paper for MDA), I don't. I got my PICC Line put in today. I start out patient chemo on Monday for 5 days just like last time. Peggy! This is to keep me in remission. I'm going into this chemo with my best numbers yet. After my numbers come back up and I'm stable, I go to MDA for a week's worth of tests. Then they start the ball rolling on the transplant. ie contact the donor, etc.

For those of you that have told me you are working on Fund Raisers....All I can say is thanks. = )

Got the PICC without the use of Xanax = ) No Xanax for the dentist, either = ) Yeah, I feel good.

I'm sure I've forgotten tons of stuff...

Love you all!