FAQ Part II: Transplant

1. When do you leave for Seattle? I don't know, but it will be soon. I am going to need three weeks at home after being discharged from the hospital here in San Francisco.
2. Do you start the transplant immediately? No, there is a barrage of tests that I must undergo, additional chemotherapy, and radiation. The goal is to eradicate the cancer and wipe me out, making my body more receptive to the donor's cells. It's going to be like chemo on steroids.
3. How long until you recover? I have absolutely no idea. It can be as little as two months or as long as six. As things progress, I should get a better idea. However, I will be in Seattle throughout the treatment and the recovery.
4. Are there risks? This is not a benign procedure and there are risks. I will have more information on this after speaking with the transplant specialists
5. Can you have visitors? Absolutely. During the beginning of the treatment, my immune system will be zero, and the doctors may have me quarantined. Once I recover, only children and sick individuals are prohibited from visiting. This is because my immune system will be somewhat compromised throughout the treatment.
6. Are you inpatient the entire time? No. I am only inpatient as long as necessary, which depends on several factors. The majority of the treatment is outpatient.
7. Do you need a place to stay? No. I I have two options
1. I steal another set of hospital clothes for my wife, dress her as a patient and have her go into a vacant room. Because it is a VA facility, they will just assume that someone lost her paper work; but nobody will question whether or not she should be there. Incidentally, you could modify this by stealing a uniform, pretending to work at the VA, and then complaining that you have not received your check. Don't worry if you have no experience in healthcare or it looks like you are confused about your role and what to do; you will blend right in.
2. The VA has contracted with nearby housing to provide a one-bedroom unit free of charge. If the above option fails, my wife and I will stay there.