CAR T-Cells
After the transplant, Jayd experienced what is called GVHD; Graft-Versus-Host Disease. This included several issues but suffice it to say he was sick...very sick.
After he got through that and it seemed the transplant was working. The results from the 30 day biopsy was negative for Leukemia and 100% donor cells! So basically the transplant process worked. The donor’s cells were making the blood in his body instead of his old ones.
Once out of the hospital and some time to rest, we took another trip to Gatlinburg and had a really good time together. Jayd was very tired but still got to do some fly fishing.
We finished December 2015 with a great Christmas together. Jayd was still tired but we were together.
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In January of 2016 his legs started hurting.
Jayd's back began to really hurt and they went to Vanderbilt for his bone marrow biopsy. It came back positive, the Leukemia was back.
They told us about a new treatment that was still in the experimental stages. CAR T Cell. They take T cells and engineer them to go in and kill the cancer cells. They were only doing this in three hospitals in the country at that time. One in Seattle, Washington, one in Chicago, and one in St. Louis.
The Doctor said to give him 48 hours to investigate getting Jayd into one of them. Within less than 24 hours he got Jayd into the one in St. Louis.
Missy went to St. Louis with them Sunday the 30th. They had an appointment Monday morning but they had to delay it until later in the morning because Jayd was hurting so badly. They had some really rough days trying to get his pain meds level. I went up on Friday the 4th (Missy's birthday!) and Jayd was pretty much out of it with pain meds.
The Dr. came by Saturday morning the 5th and said the biopsy came back showing 80% Leukemia. Jayd and Jacee took this pretty hard.
We came back home Saturday night and Jayd and Jacee stayed until the 12th. He got chemo that day and had some other tests and procedures. They were on their way home pretty late and Jayd started hurting so badly in his back and shoulders they didn't make it home. They went straight to the emergency room.
Missy and I went to the ER about 0030 hrs and we stayed until about 0400 hrs. when they took him back to a room to get pain meds.
They wound up staying until about 0800 hrs. They talked to their Doctor and he wanted them back in St. Louis.
They had just gotten home and had to go right back. Missy went with them.
He would have his T cells drawn the 22nd.
​Would that finally be the thing The Lord uses to heal Jayd?...