Stem Cell Transplant: To Be Or Not To Be
- dellanienash9
- Feb 9
- 2 min read
Facing Another Hurdle: MiBG Scan Ahead (under GA- General Anaesthetic)
This Wednesday, 11th February, Maya will have her MIBG scan under general anaesthetic. The day before, Tuesday 10th February, she’ll have the contrast injection. Most of Maya’s medications are now given orally—Prednisolone tablet 4mg BD, Aciclovir, Amiloride 5mg, Melatonin (liquid)—and the nastier-tasting ones, Itraconazole and Potassium, go through her NG tube. Aside from her monthly IV Pentamidine, she hasn’t had much in the way of IV meds, which paves the way for Maya to be allowed out of the hospital for an hour or two, even for just some fresh air!
What weighs on our hearts more than the scan itself is how often Maya has needed platelet transfusions—twice a week—and blood transfusions roughly every 2–3 weeks. We are always very grateful to the selfless donors of blood and platelets. They are indeed the superheroes! But the niggling pains in Maya’s back, hips, and now her groin and upper thighs make us worry constantly.
Last Friday, 6th February, Maya had a bone marrow aspirate and trephine (BMAT) along with a lumbar puncture (LP). We hope that, together with the upcoming MIBG scan, these tests will give us some answers—and hopefully hope—that her bone marrow is still holding strong.
And yet, the questions keep coming. Will she need a stem cell transplant again? What else is ahead? It’s no wonder Terry and I have been battling migraines and tension headaches lately.
Dear universe, doesn’t our wee child Maya deserve a break—just a little reprieve from all of these?
Through all of the uncertainty and pain, we cling to this rebellious hope. As Maya shows us every day, resilience is steadfast and unyielding. As Helen Keller once said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” And as Maya’s journey teaches us, “Strength grows in the moments when you think you can’t go on but you keep going anyway.”
Dear beloved friends from all walks of life, no matter how heavy the days feel, we hold onto that stubborn hope—because our little warrior Maya deserves nothing less.
Please continue to share her inspiring story and if donating isn’t possible right now, please tag us in your social media posts or kindly mention us to your friends, family, network colleagues and social network. We just cannot let cancer win!
To those that have asked:
PayPal to dellanie_nash@yahoo.co.uk (as a gift)
Santander
D C Nash
Sort code 09-01-36
Account 4957 9984
Reference: Maya’s Journey
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