180 days is a significant milestone for a transplant patient. There are bodily expectations in measuring counts and determining if there is normalcy in the stabilization, but it also means a few more measurements along the way. The 180-day milestone was the 5th of March. I thought about a post on the day, but I had a dentist appointment on the 7th and then a follow up with my primary care physician and before you know it the day and moment had passed.

Instead, it now feels more genuine to take the moment and consider just how much has transpired over the last 6 months. Starting backwards, those that are friends with me on Facebook saw a rarity – I posted, with a location tag stating how excited I was to be at the dentist office. I had to postpone this appointment so getting another healthy human ritual back into the routine was a welcome addition. Not to mention, I love my dental hygienist and we’ve spent half of my appointment times over the years catching up and laughing about something or another.

This time, she stopped while changing out tools and realized that I’d probably have to get all my immunizations again. I had joked that when I mentioned this to my brother it might be a fun memory for me to join my months old nephew at his pediatrician appointment for his shots and we can just double up the fun. The thought also made me want to schedule an appointment with Jen just because the visual of a 32-year-old sitting in a doctor’s office designed for a wee one might bring some laughs too.

These last two weeks have resulted in a lot of reflection, I’m sure you’re surprised. As I look around the house, my purging efforts to get rid of clutter and crap has resulted in a slightly redesigned office space, organized drawers and a conscious effort to keep the kitchen island clean and clear as much as possible. The neat and tidy house – albeit for bachelor with a roommate – has become the needed mental sanctuary more than ever.

My medication will slowly start to wrap up as I start getting the baby shots in April and in the meantime I have a few more appointments this week, next and now leading up to the follow up with the BMT team in April, that I’m reminded, yet again, in how I can feel healthy and have this energy, but using the energy and the consistent appointments related to this journey means it never really stops. Eventually, sure, that’s the idea.

In the meantime, the PET scan scheduled for Friday was postponed. Insurance is fighting saying I should only be getting them every six months and it’s meant a lot to get notes from Dr. A’s team saying they are handling it, fighting for it, and are wanting to keep it on the schedule – albeit two weeks from now – because they are confident in it being necessary. There was a sudden thought in my head regarding stories from other patients fighting for these in moments of crisis and wondering if this is a hill we shouldn’t fight for now as if it will provide a “credit” to point back to in case it’s truly needed in the future.

The irony of it all is that normally the week leading up to a PET scan results in increased anxiety around the results of the scans, except this time the anxiety is coming from the potential of NOT getting the scan. When family and friends ask how I’m doing on these weeks, I’m honest, but there is also a truth that PET scan appointments are the ones easiest to attend. I get an hour to myself to relax before laying in a machine bundled up in blankets for another 45 minutes. I frequently get a nap and there are no complaints.

The good news is that it’s now been rescheduled to not this Friday, but next and insurance realized allegedly had to be reminded I was a stem cell transplant patient. A sigh of relief especially since the now rescheduled PET scan is first thing in the morning instead of midway in the afternoon.

This Friday is another bone marrow biopsy. I’m hardly looking forward to it, but the weekend of rest with a plethora of basketball on the TV is a pretty good consolation prize. The scheduler joked I was taking the standard male approach in planning a procedure on this week/weekend because of the opportunity to have so much entertainment going nonstop. The decision I most appreciate was what location in KC I get the procedure done and, in short, I selected the option that let me choose the playlist of music to listen to.

In a positive light, the travel will continue this year with flights to South Bend, Orlando and FINALLY that trip to south of the border I’ve been looking forward to.

The trip to Cancun is slated for me to arrive on my birthday. Two years, mostly to the date, of the initial diagnosis. It’s a reward I’m looking forward to almost exclusively so I can reflect on this journey while sitting on the beach and watching the sunset.

While I have been feeling great, I was on a high dose vitamin D supplement that the team decided I could stop only for blood work to show two weeks later it should resume for the time being. While I can admit the placebo effect might be in play, the difference in energy in the two weeks without, despite daily supplements trying to keep up, has been measurable. The boost came right in time for weekend recovery and basketball, even if my bracket is probably busted already.

Be well and be safe, my friends.