1 Year Old !

You know that wishful saying, " I wish I could be young again." Well guys I have found the trick! Simply get a bone marrow transplant!  

In the world of BMT, ( bone marrow transplant ) your birthday that you have had your whole life kind of gets thrown out the window and they give you a brand new one. This new birthday that they give you is the day they perform the transplant. They really make it quite the party. The lucky guy who kept my bone marrow safe and sound came in with a BIG freezer. He pulled the three bags up to my Hickman line ( yes still frozen) and began the process. Since the stem cells are still frozen, your body feels like your in a deep freeze. It was probably the strangest feeling I have ever felt. 

During the processes the nurse gave me a flash light so I could watch all the tiny tiny cells crawl back into my body. You really could see every single cell. It was really strange. 

The line of marrow going back inside... really it was quite the boring transplant if you ask me. 

 The nurses come in with big balloons, ( just like you would on a kids birthday) they gave me a cute little ice cream blanket, and a willow tree statue ( love those things!)  Then they proceeded to sing the tradition HAPPY BIRTHDAY song... and that was that. 3 hours and I was a NEW person!

My sweet nurses singing and of course Chuck Liff - my chemo sabe!

(my mom is taking the picture) 

  The 1 year mark is HUGE in the transplant world.  It means that the likely hood  of this awful disease to come back is very slim. It's hard to imagine that I have made it.  I will be honest, I thought multiple times that I wouldn't make it, that this monster would come back,  or the treatments wouldn't work.  I'm happy to say that it hasn't.  Today is my one year birthday, and I haven't felt more healthier in my LIFE!  I remember that last time I felt REALLY strong and that was back in my senior year of high school during volleyball season.  Even after my first round of treatments, I couldn't run or work out like I used to. I got winded and tired. Now I feel like I can take on the world!

2-11-14 :One year later 

(sorry for the selfie... just showing you how fast the hair is coming along... ) 

 I had my Health and Physical with the Mid-Level doctors today and the Doctor asked me " Well Hanna, now that this is all behind you, what do you have planned for you life?"  Well crap! I don't know! I better get on that. I guess I'll take what I have learned on this journey and apply it to what ever I become, after all I am only 1 years old!