We arrived at Penn yesterday. Since we got such a late start due to the snow and ice and trying to get the kids off to school they did not start the chemo.
I needed two bags of blood to get my hemoglobin up so they gave that to me yesterday. This afternoon we begin the transplant process.
It begins with high dose Melphalan to wipe out the cells in my body – both the Myeloma cells and the healthy cells. Melphalan does not discriminate.
Then – after a day of rest – Thursday, I will get my stem cells back which were harvested from my body, frozen and kept for this day.
Pretty simple. Hopefully effective. I will able to go home when those cells engraft to my body and my blood counts are healthy enough for me to be discharged. Somewhere around day 14-16.
It will be tough for me to keep up the blog during transplant. For those who follow me on Twitter (@iambradstrong) I will tweet updates there. If you are not technologically inclined to join Twitter you can go to the home page of this blog (bradstrong.me) and look to the right side of the page. All of my tweets show up there as well.
I will do my best to keep up with the blog but no promises.
Day -2. Ready for chemo.
bradstrong 
Thinking of you Brad! You are so strong and this is going to be the answer. Stay strong!
Thinking of you and wishing you the best for this procedure. Xo
#givebradhiscellsback! all our love from Chicago, looking forward to a successful procedure and speedy recovery. #bradstrong
Good luck Brad. Clark Street is thinking about you.
Sending positive energy and strength to you Brad! xo, Jennifer
Good Luck Brad. I will be traveling the next 2 weeks with very limited email but I will try and will catch up when I return. But know that I am there thinking of you and rooting for you.
Good Luck!
Good luck Brad! Stay strong and know we are think about you.
My thoughts are with you and your family.
Sending you healing thoughts and love! We are all BRADstrong ❤
Uncle Gary…. Here we go You Got This, A Knock Out Punch
You got this Brad!
Brad, thinking of you and sending you hope and strength from your cheering section in MN! Good luck!
Prayers coming your way…. I had mine Aug 15th!
Focus on the fight and we will focus on the prayers and love!
Just know that you are in our thoughts and prayers always. Keep fighting and you will win. Sending hugs and love Joni & Jeffrey
As always, keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. Stay #bradstrong
You’re in great hands there at Penn. We will be praying for you and the success of this treatment. Phil & Ginny
You are in our thoughts and prayers. I know you will kick cancer’s butt big time!!!!!
Will be keeping you and your beautiful family in my prayers.
My mother will also be getting her second stem cell transplant later this spring…you are in my thoughts and prayers. Go melphalan!