Hi all,
As many of you know, Kerry got some tough news this week. Here's her update from Facebook:
"Looks like the fight is not over yet folks. Unfortunately my bone marrow biopsy showed 60% leukemia blasts. Back to square one. Please continue to support me in my fight against cancer. I will have more details about what's next tomorrow after meeting with my Leukemia specialist. I did it once, I'll do it again. The fighter NEVER quits. I love you all."
Since finding out, Kerry has checked back into Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She is currently in the ICU being treated for pneumonia. Once the pneumonia is under control Kerry will be moved to the Leukemia floor where the doctors will outline a new plan for battling the leukemia.
Kerry reads your comments online even if she can't always respond - please feel free to comment here or join her facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dropkick-Cancer-for-Kerry-Kelemen
Also, this Sunday - the Bergen County Ancient Order of Hibernians will be participating in a Polar Plunge to support Kerry and another family in need. Our brothers Dan and Ken Kelemen will plunge into the Atlantic to raise money for Kerry! If you're in the Sea Bright area- please stop by, it will be fun!
Thanks as always for your love and support!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Saturday, December 4, 2010
50 Days Post Transplant
Well, here we are. 50 whole days post transplant. 100% donor marrow. Wow. I can honestly say it felt like forever but I made it. After 52 days in Sloan I was discharged the day before Thanksgiving. The transition from isolation to home was much harder than I had anticipated but I finally feel okay. Somehow I contracted "c-diff" after discharge and have been struggling with that but otherwise things are looking good. My counts are maintaining themselves for the most part and while the cytogenetics of my last bone marrow are not completely available yet, my marrow showed that I was completely donor. It doesn't get much better than that.
My stay at the hospital was definitely longer than most transplant patients. I had many set backs and I went into my transplant with a fungal infection in my liver that we needed to watch closely and be very cautious about. Over the next year and a half my immune system will be rebuilding itself from nothing. Right now I am more at risk for infections and viruses than a newborn baby. I am not allowed to go to crowded places and am to steer clear of anyone with any sniffles or anything. Not an easy task coming from the enormous family I have but I will make it. Thanksgiving was a tad different without 30 people crammed into my dining room but we had our turkey and this year we managed NOT to set the oven on fire! :) I am on a special diet for the next year +. An anti-microbial diet. This means I can only eat home cooked meals. No restaurants. Only pizzas we order and cut at home ourselves. No fresh fruits or vegetables besides peel-able fruits. As a foodie, the "no restaurants" (Taco Bell and Five Guys ARE restaurants) will be difficult but perhaps a good lesson for me. Other than that I just have to work on getting the 20+ pills/medications I take daily down and keeping them there. This number will dwindle but wow, it is not easy taking so many drugs at all different times throughout the day.
I seriously could not have done any of this without all of you. My family, friends, boyfriend and total strangers have given me the strength to get to where I am today. Poor Damian spent practically ALL 52 days of my hospital stay on a pleather couch. Had he not been there, I'm not sure I'd feel as well as I do today. I can never repay him for everything. He even had to be my nurse and change the dressing on my gross port, which by the way is still dangling from my chest while I recover and continue home infusions of some medications. Hopefully it will be removed within a few weeks. I spent one day in June without any IV/PICC/Catheter in me. Before that it was April when I didn't have tubing flailing around somewhere on my person. It will be a huge day for me to have this port removed. Also, my mom is a saint. I love you mom.
As for news on fundraising, an incredible friend of my brother and sister-in-law nominated me for the Polar Plunge in Sea Bright, NJ and The Bergen County Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH Chapter 32) will indeed be plunging for me!!!! This is amazing. The event is January 9th and you can learn more at aohbergen.com. PLEASE if you can make it to Monmouth County for this I would greatly appreciate it. Plus you can see my two brothers take the plunge. Thank you AOH Chapter 32!
So again, thank you, thank you, thank you! I will keep you posted as to what is next!
Love,
Kerry
My stay at the hospital was definitely longer than most transplant patients. I had many set backs and I went into my transplant with a fungal infection in my liver that we needed to watch closely and be very cautious about. Over the next year and a half my immune system will be rebuilding itself from nothing. Right now I am more at risk for infections and viruses than a newborn baby. I am not allowed to go to crowded places and am to steer clear of anyone with any sniffles or anything. Not an easy task coming from the enormous family I have but I will make it. Thanksgiving was a tad different without 30 people crammed into my dining room but we had our turkey and this year we managed NOT to set the oven on fire! :) I am on a special diet for the next year +. An anti-microbial diet. This means I can only eat home cooked meals. No restaurants. Only pizzas we order and cut at home ourselves. No fresh fruits or vegetables besides peel-able fruits. As a foodie, the "no restaurants" (Taco Bell and Five Guys ARE restaurants) will be difficult but perhaps a good lesson for me. Other than that I just have to work on getting the 20+ pills/medications I take daily down and keeping them there. This number will dwindle but wow, it is not easy taking so many drugs at all different times throughout the day.
I seriously could not have done any of this without all of you. My family, friends, boyfriend and total strangers have given me the strength to get to where I am today. Poor Damian spent practically ALL 52 days of my hospital stay on a pleather couch. Had he not been there, I'm not sure I'd feel as well as I do today. I can never repay him for everything. He even had to be my nurse and change the dressing on my gross port, which by the way is still dangling from my chest while I recover and continue home infusions of some medications. Hopefully it will be removed within a few weeks. I spent one day in June without any IV/PICC/Catheter in me. Before that it was April when I didn't have tubing flailing around somewhere on my person. It will be a huge day for me to have this port removed. Also, my mom is a saint. I love you mom.
As for news on fundraising, an incredible friend of my brother and sister-in-law nominated me for the Polar Plunge in Sea Bright, NJ and The Bergen County Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH Chapter 32) will indeed be plunging for me!!!! This is amazing. The event is January 9th and you can learn more at aohbergen.com. PLEASE if you can make it to Monmouth County for this I would greatly appreciate it. Plus you can see my two brothers take the plunge. Thank you AOH Chapter 32!
So again, thank you, thank you, thank you! I will keep you posted as to what is next!
Love,
Kerry
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Transplant Day
Hi all - today is the big day. Kerry will receive her TRANSPLANT today. This is the start of a year-long process and we will keep you posted on progress along the way.
Thank you all for your incredible support - Kerry feels every ounce of positivity that you send her way. We love you all and can not express how much it means to all of us!
<3 the kelemens
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Dropkick Cancer Event!
Hi All!
Our entire family is still overwhelmed by the amount of love and generosity that converged on Bowline Park this past Sunday for the Dropkick Cancer event!
We are so grateful to each and every person who attended, volunteered or contributed to this wonderful day!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
More updates to come soon. It will undoubtedly be an eventful October, so please check back often!
Many of you who couldn't attend have asked how to contribute - click this link to donate via the Friends of Kerry paypal account:
http://kerrykelemen.blogspot.com/2010/06/donate-here.html
Monday, August 16, 2010
August Update
Hi All --
Its been a rollercoaster week here.
On Saturday we attended an incredible event held by the generous folks at Winky Dink Ink Tattoos in West Nyack.
Artists decorated and donated skate decks for a silent auction in Kerry's honor. It was an incredible night and the event raised over $1,800!!! Thanks to all that came out and donated their time and support to making this such a success!
Unfortunately late Saturday night Kerry woke up feeling shakey. Our mom immediately rushed Kerry to Sloan where she was treated in urgent care and checked into the ICU on sunday. Kerry was treated for a severe infection and closely monitored.
Today kerry's levels were back up and she is being transferred back to the leukemia wing! This is great news. Kerry is a fighter and keeps on proving that cancer is not going to stop her!
We truly appreciate all of the love and support you've been sending our way.
Thanks for everything!
Here's a great shot of kerry drawing the raffle winners at the event saturday:
Its been a rollercoaster week here.
On Saturday we attended an incredible event held by the generous folks at Winky Dink Ink Tattoos in West Nyack.
Artists decorated and donated skate decks for a silent auction in Kerry's honor. It was an incredible night and the event raised over $1,800!!! Thanks to all that came out and donated their time and support to making this such a success!
Unfortunately late Saturday night Kerry woke up feeling shakey. Our mom immediately rushed Kerry to Sloan where she was treated in urgent care and checked into the ICU on sunday. Kerry was treated for a severe infection and closely monitored.
Today kerry's levels were back up and she is being transferred back to the leukemia wing! This is great news. Kerry is a fighter and keeps on proving that cancer is not going to stop her!
We truly appreciate all of the love and support you've been sending our way.
Thanks for everything!
Here's a great shot of kerry drawing the raffle winners at the event saturday:
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Hi All!
Kerry began consolidation chemo yesterday at Sloan Kettering.
She will be in the hospital until Saturday getting chemo for a few hours each day. Kerry will come home to recover from the chemo. it will be a tough few weeks, but we're hoping this round of chemo will be easier to handle since Kerry is strong and healthy going into it.
Once Kerry recovers from this round of chemo it will be time for the final round of chemo, radiation, and her transplant.
Keep the positive thoughts coming! You can send cards and greetings to kerry to the P.O. Box: P.O. Box 166, Thiells, NY 10984
Will update you all soon!
Kerry began consolidation chemo yesterday at Sloan Kettering.
She will be in the hospital until Saturday getting chemo for a few hours each day. Kerry will come home to recover from the chemo. it will be a tough few weeks, but we're hoping this round of chemo will be easier to handle since Kerry is strong and healthy going into it.
Once Kerry recovers from this round of chemo it will be time for the final round of chemo, radiation, and her transplant.
Keep the positive thoughts coming! You can send cards and greetings to kerry to the P.O. Box: P.O. Box 166, Thiells, NY 10984
Will update you all soon!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Moving along
Hey all! Just wanted to give some news since things have kind of slowed while my counts continued to recover. Everything is still going as planned. Dr.Jurcic at Sloan has decided that it would be beneficial for me to get another bone marrow biopsy next week to make sure that within the past month no leukemia has regenerated. We have been waiting for my platelet count to reach 70 before going ahead with my next round of chemo but it seems to be lingering at 55. The 2 rounds of chemo I had in Canada really beat my immune system up and because I was so sick to begin with it was expected that it may take this long for everything to come up. So my doctor has decided that we may just go ahead with a less intense chemotherapy drug. I will be admitted to Sloan for 5 days during that time. Once I recover in about 4 weeks following the chemo I will be admitted to the isolation floor and begin radiation and chemotherapy prior to my stem cell transplant. That's all the news I have for now.
Stay positive!
Kerry
Stay positive!
Kerry
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)