This was a day.

Because I won’t bury the lead, SCOTT IS IN REMISSION!!!

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So as you may know, today was our appointment with Dr. K, to follow up on Thursday’s bone marrow biopsy. The results would determine if the transplant would proceed, and on what timeline. Even though we were feeling good after the last appointment, we were tightly wound – needing that confirmation from the marrow. Before we had the chance to head upstairs to Dr. K’s clinic, Scott’s transplant coordinator Terri intercepted and redirected us to a couple different departments to have some pre-transplant testing completed beforehand. As we are hustling from one side of the hospital to another, she tells us casually “I haven’t seen the marrow results, but was given the go-ahead to initiate the transplant preparations“. Scott and I kind of look at each other with uncertain smiles (because transplant depends on remission), but are still pretty overwhelmed with the haste in which the morning is progressing. This casual comment prompted a warm, tingling feeling to sprinkle down from the top of my head through my toes. It’s enough to make me slow my pace and take note. To enjoy the tension releasing from my neck and gut. [For those who may not know: both Scott’s mom and dad have passed away, and it is really sad heartbreaking that he doesn’t have them as support throughout life, but especially for this fight]. In this moment though, I know for certain they’re with us. That warmth I felt was Jane & Don reminding me that they are with us for the fight, on our side. I needed that. The last time I felt it with such intensity was the night Scott was diagnosed in 2015, when I drove home in the car pleading for Jane to help make him better, and I was reassured by the same tingles/energy.

So when we do eventually get to the clinic, and Dr. K congratulates Scott on being in remission, we’re relieved but it isn’t as dramatic as it would have been without the lead up. The balance of the time is spent completing paperwork, answering questions and scheduling meetings and tests. Oh, and figuring out that Scott has some sinusitis which is making his head not so happy.

Remission – check! Next up, off to the Allergist in Burlington to make sense of this whacky peanut allergy.

And so it turns out, yes, Scott is indeed allergic to peanuts. He had a scratch test done and reacted with huge welts to the Peanut Oil and Peanut Butter tests (Tree Nuts are safe!). When we eventually see the doctor she is amazed with how big the reaction is and how totally random it is for a 36-year-old to suddenly need to carry an Epi-Pen! So rare is this situation that she asked Scott to meet again in 6-months so she can use his case for a journal article. She suspects that this is a transient allergy, brought on through a blood transfusion during chemo, and that once that blood is processed through his body, or when his marrow is wiped during transplant, that the allergy will go away. Crazy. Learn something new everyday!

Anyways, at the end of the day we were pretty emotionally spent. Thrilled with the outcome, and ready to savour the short break before Scott heads back to the hospital and life looks a lot different. It will be a long time before Scott feels like himself again, able to be out of the house and up to doing ‘everyday stuff’. We’re not sure we’re ready for transplant and the long recovery, but we know we’re ready for Scott to be healthy and that outweighs any trepidation.

Onward.