This is the week.  Or so we thought.  Plans were in place.  Preparations were completed with anticipation that Dad would be admitted as an inpatient to Moffitt tomorrow.  One of Dad’s key preparations was to get his 2015 taxes prepared and sent to his accountant.  On Monday, while standing at the UPS counter to ship the tax paperwork to his accountant, Dad received a call from Denise, the transplant coordinator.  Dad’s donor did not pass his physical evaluation.  There would be no transplant at this time.

Rather than moving Dad into Moffitt tomorrow, we are meeting with Dr. Ayala, transplant doctor, to learn about next steps.  I believe Denise is seeking the availability of Dad’s second “perfect match” donor.  The second donor is a 19 year old male, who was unavailable the month of January and most of February.

The timing of the radiation and systemic treatments Dad has just undergone in January was perfectly aligned for Dad to be admitted this week and receive the stem cells next week.  Timing is crucial to increasing the chances of a positive outcome of the transplant.  The goal is to have reduced the cancer in Dad’s blood and his skin, as much as possible, at the time the donor’s stem cells are transplanted to Dad.

Dad is racing against the clock for a transplant.  How quickly will Dad’s cancer come back?  What treatments can Dad endure to sustain him until the second donor is available?  How long must Dad wait?  Is the second donor healthy enough to pass his physical evaluation, unlike the first donor?  We shall see.