Questions about post autlogous bone marrow transplant and coping with AML father

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toneless
toneless Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Leukemia #1
My dad aka my best friend has been diagnosed with AML on my birthday oct 23, 2008. At first I felt like God was punishing me for bringing something like this on my birthday but now I try to think about it as a lucky day. If it wasn't for that day maybe it might have been too late and because it was my birthday all the treatments went well..

I just want to know how you guys cope? It's really hard for me to see him like that. Sometimes I wish it was me, instead of him. I try to always be optimistic, but seeing him go through this always breaks my heart and puts tears in my eyes. I want him to be active again, I want him to find a new hobbie, I want him to learn new skills so he can keep his mind of leukemia but he doesn't seem motivated at all. Am I pushing him too hard? Should i wait a little longer? I just can't see him stay home alone all day, it just gives him too much time to think about how messed up his life just got. I just don't want him to feel unimportant and useless, sometimes I can see that in his eyes and It kills me inside...

That felt good getting it off my chest. I usually don't feel like talking about it with anyone. If anyone asks me about my dad and my family, I always try tell them that everything is good and well.

Question about autologous bone marrow transplant...
My doctor told me that after the bmt, his platelets counts will never be normal again and he will always get tired easily. Is this true? Is there anyone here that went through BMT and had their platelets counts to be normal? or Are able to do activities you have done before without getting tired so easily?

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  • Brownie55
    Brownie55 Member Posts: 1
    #2
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    Dad with aml
    I will tell you this, I am a father with AML and a BMT under my belt. It wasn't easy for my son, in fact I have 3 sons. The youngest is the one that was home and he is the one that learned what it is like. He is like you, He gets frustrated when I can't finish something cause I get tired easily, cause he has to finish it. He has learned an awful lot for a now 15 year old going on 16 in May. I was diagnosted with AML in January 16, 2007, we thought I had the Flu. Turned out I was in the last stages of AML and didn't even know what it was.
    Shock of all shocks, My BMT was August 24 of that year and on my oldest sons Birthday. I am over 2 years now and I get very tired and have Cronic GVHD, nubbness in my feet and some toes I don't know they are there except i see them every morning and before bed. I also have sencitivety in my thighs, and because my immune system is still down I have to be extra carefull of all things. As I said Iam a Dad with AML and BMT under my belt, Platelets are not bad yet I give blood everytime I go in for them to be checked. Things will never be easy after you get something like this, the worst thing for me was everyone quit coming around and didn't let me continue with my ministry i was involved with. My new friends were Cancer Patients. yet now we moved to a different part of the Country and life for the most part is getting better for us.
    Mywife is the main care giver for me, my youngest is there and does great, and my oldest is living with us now and it is great to have him at home here.
    Encourage your Dad, let him know there are guys like him that are around and help him to get interested in something. I have a woodworking shop my son and I are putting together and we both like to fish and i am going to try Fly Fishing, and I can travel now more thanI did before even though I have been around the world as a Missionary in India and Pakistan. I cannot go there but I can go to Europe and travel in the States.
    So son of an AML Dad, let him know you are there and encourage friends to come and just talk, visit. I will beon at times and check on you and we will put you and your dad on our prayer list
    Brownie AML Dad

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