The First Two Post Transplant Weeks

September 30, 2006

The First Five Days After

Yam’s first five days after transplant were uneventful compared to Typhoon Milenyo which overshadowed Yam’s mundane world, at least for a day. Medicines were administered on the basis of doctors’ observations. The five days passed with doctors neither sighing of worry nor expressing much concern. Thank God, Yam had no mouth sore, no chills, no irritations, no fever (until the 5th day) – all expected side effects that would have manifested at any of the five days.

As if the transplant was as ordinary as her regular treatment (she has seen harder days), Yam fielded phone calls from her sister Janice (in Davao City) and brother Joseph (in Cebu City). She giggled, smiled and chuckled as she gamely answered her siblings’ queries on her BMT and other treatment procedures. She also had her first chance to browse through her mailbox. (Yam’s email address is: yama_moto_shita@yahoo.com).

Typhoon Milenyo blew its power and fury on the 28th and downed billboards and trees. Civic Road, where Asian Hospital is located, was impassable due to uprooted trees and torn branches waylaid on the road. On this day, Drs Racho, Lopez and Tuazon came in one after the other. Dr Tuazon, who inserted a second femoral line, was worried at Yam’s low platelet count which compromises blood clotting. Finding slight bleeding on the wound, he dressed it and applied pressure until the blood sufficiently coagulated. The available platelets taken from two donors were also infused so that there was a frantic search for the next donor. Thankfully, and as God willed it, kind-hearted people are on stand-by….

October 5, 2006
The Second Five Days After

Yam’s second five post-transplant days were like a roller-coaster ride: boring and exciting, unsettling and soothing, disturbing and assuring, distressing and serene. Boring due to the long days of waiting; exciting when her white blood cells registered the first increase on the 8th post-transplant day – an early sign of engraftment. Unsettling and disturbing with the onset of fever, cough, sudden weight gain and abdominal pain; but soothing and assuring as the fever and cough were “normal”, and as the gain was gone and the pain was eased soon after Yam purged the cause. Distressing because of the varied manifestations in Yam’s delicate body and her undulating emotional state, but we are profoundly serene knowing that we have countless friends, relatives and many people we have not met, who are firmly behind her. Most importantly, God is undoubtedly on our side.

The best news is in Dr Allan Racho’s (Yam’s pediatrician) text message on Thursday, October 5, morning: “Good news. Yam Bayogan has engrafted today. She is tolerating the transplant and barring hitches, (she may be) discharged (sooner than expected).

Dr Jeannie Ong, Yam’s pediatrician in Davao City immediately sent this message: “Congratulations to Yam. Praise God!!!)

Also, allow us to share some of the messages we received which gave us the steadying strength and encouragement in caring for our daughter:

"You are welcome. It’s really because God is on your side." (UP President Emer Roman, in response to our thanking her for clinching a generous assistance from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office)

“COURAGE!!! This, plus a never-wavering faith in Him who draws the grand plan for all of us, is what I constantly pray for you and your family. Please tell Yam we all love her like our very own and that we always think and pray for her.” (Baby Rimando & Family, family friends, Baguio City)

"I'm one of Yam's biggest fan. Kasi ganun din ako, 'against all odds.' Hope to see her in person when I get there." (Uly Marquez, Dad’s high school batchmate, New Jersey, USA)

"From us, hug Yam close to your heart, let her feel your heartbeat.
The warmth and the heartbeat she feels are also coming from us.
Tell her we love her. Her smile brightens our day…
Tell Yam that there is so much that we need to do for the UP and for our people.
That Yam is needed in doing these tasks. She has to be very, very strong.
And we know she is. Especially during these times… Yam, smile.
Blow us a kiss across cyberspace. "
(Cesar Torres, UP alumnus and former UP Professor, California, USA)

October 10, 2006
The Exciting Days

October 5 was expected to be an average day. But while preparing for the day, Dad received a text message, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WEEKS from Yam!!! The message said, “Hello Daddy-doo. Si Moto ito (we also call her Yama-Moto). Laro kami ng cards ni Mimz (she calls her Mom, Mimz). I love you Daddy-doo… Yam”. After a quick response assuring her that Dad will arrive in the hospital soon, she texted back, “Okey, ingat Daddy-doo.” Yam is slowly getting BACK to her elements!!!

Later on the same day, Mom received this text message: “Good news! (Yam) Bayogan has engrafted today. She is tolerating the (bone marrow) transplant and barring hitches, (she may be) discharged next week.” This message was from Dr. Allan Racho, Yam’s pediatrician at Asian Hospital, which he sent to Dr. Jeannie Ong, Yam’s pediatrician in Davao. Exhilarated, Dr. Ong appended this text: “Congratulations to Yam. Praise God!” and sent the message to Mom. It was the 10th post-transplant day and engraftment is usually observed on the 12th. On this day, Yam struggled to drink and eat (she was on intravenous feeding for days).

On October 6, Butch Caneda arrived at the hospital for his second platelet donation. It was the 19th donation since Yam was at Asian Hospital. Dad told him, “You are a kadugo twice over.” Meanwhile, Yam’s blood counts registered encouraging increases and on the following day, October 7, she was declared technically engrafted. Nurses assigned on round-the-clock duty gladly returned back to normal schedule. Zet and Judy, Dr. Lopez’s nurses, made sure they had their tour of duty on the last shift.

On his daily visits, Dr. Lopez kept telling Yam to slowly adjust towards normal routine: eat, drink, sit down, stand and move around. She assured Yam that every step forward will result in an IV bottle off the rack. In one visit, Dr. Lopez gamely tickled Yam- to get her going for the day.

On October 9, Yam's red blood cells reached normal level, her white blood count increased to 3.1 with the minimum normal at 4, while her platelet count increased from 22 to 66, still below normal. She has been sitting on her chair since morning, lied down on bed after lunch and consumed a bowl-full of oatmeal. Discussions on post-hospitalization procedures and what to expect started, including her weekly visits to Asian Hospital and weekly laboratory tests that will be done at the National Kidney Institute.

Meanwhile, Dad is back to his work site and was met by colleagues eager to know the latest about Yam. He also received a call from a friend requesting if he could get in touch with a mother in General Santos City whose 15-year old son needs bone marrow transplant - soon! With this, it seems that a new cycle of “friends helping friends” has began…