Journaling a Stemcell Transplant to Fight Leukemia

Guy was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer in 2004. In 2007 it advanced into AML, a rapid Leukemia. He was given two weeks to live and sent to Metro City Cancer Center for a stem cell transplant. We were in the hospital ten months. Guy encouraged me to journal his battle with what I now call my Medical Satire Cartoons. I bummed a ball point pen and computer paper off of the nurses station and began to draw. Guy's story is factual, only the names have been changed to protect our privacy.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

MOVING BACK IN

Guy would be sent home for a couple of days every few weeks for several reasons. Insurance requirements, rotating in another patient, etc. Each time we had to move all our stuff home and then haul all our stuff back into the hospital and even register all over again. Each time we returned we were assigned a different room. Over the ten months I think we stayed in almost every room.

Needless to say we moved back and forth several times. IN and OUT / IN and OUT / IN and OUT!

MEDS MEDS MEDS

During the transplant process Dr. Who would send us home for a few days for a rest and to start a new patient on the floor. Each day that Guy was at home we had to drive fifty miles back to the Cancer Center as an out patient for blood test, transfusions and infusions, etc. It was anything but rest.
While at home I was in charge of his medications. In this drawing it may look like we are playing chess (we wish) but we are trying to decide which pill to take next. Guy actually had well over twenty medications.