A Message From Pia

September

Well, between the beginnings of school – a new job, new colleagues and a new environment and the DreamBall September has just flown by!
Please go to my blog to read more details about the DreamBall!
Thank you, thank you my dear donor.

August

Tim and I celebrated our first anniversary by having a Satyanarayan Puja (a prayer for peace and truth) at home with close family members. It turned out to be a hot but beautiful day, which was only made better by Shastri Ji’s presence. Shastri Ji is the same pundit who performed our wedding ceremony and it was very special to have him bless our home and us again. Of course, he didn’t leave without blessing our cats – Alli and Max! I started to also plan for the new school year and my new job – at a private school in NJ, as well as for the upcoming speech I was to deliver at the DreamBall.

June and July

Tim and I celebrated our birthdays and our first anniversary. We didn’t go anywhere far away but spent each event in style in the Big Apple. It was tons of fun and definitely made us reminisce on the year gone by. We are so grateful to my wonderful donor for giving us the chance to experience life together.

March, April, May

It was wonderful to have spring finally arrive. Things got busy on the DreamBall front as I attended two Look Good…Feel Better sessions with this year’s honorees. It was very exciting to go through the program again. Even though I was a “graduate” rather than a participant the program emanates such emotions of strength, love and survival that touches everyone in the room.

I still struggled with the questions that bounced around in my head – “What was I going to do next?” “When would I be able to go back to work?” and “When would I be normal?”

So I began to send out resumes – to schools, over course! I don’t think I would feel whole if I didn’t work with children. It’s just who I am.

May 27th was an exciting and the beginning of an exciting few months: we adopted another kitten! A baby boy this time whom we have named Max. He is very sweet and cuddly- but the adjustment for Alli proved to be quite taxing on me!

February

February was the month I started to get anxious and bored with sitting at home. I had just received a great report from my check ups in Seattle and now wondered what I was going to next with my life. This was when a very interesting opportunity came up!

Here are some excerpts from my blog entries. You can read all my blog entries about being Dreamgirl 2006 at http://diaryofadreamgirl.blogspot.com

“Emily Dickinson has a quote that reads, “Dwell in possibility” and truly that has been my motto in life. But the farthest thing from reality I ever dreamed of was to be selected as DreamGirl 2006!

Yes, that’s me – DreamGirl 2006. Just saying it makes my eyes light up and my face shine bright. I, yes I, have been selected to share my story in front of hundreds of guests at the annual Look Good…Feel Better/American Cancer Society DreamBall Gala.

It all started with a wonderful friend of mine who works in the beauty industry and is a member of an organization called Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW). She invited me to help her sell raffle tickets for the annual CEW Holiday Luncheon, which supports the CEW charitable initiative, Cancer and Careers. By the way, in case you’re wondering, CEW is a nonprofit trade organization based in New York City with over 4,000 members who are executives in the beauty, cosmetics, fragrance, and related industries. So, to make a long story short, my friend and I sold the greatest number of raffles and as part of our prize we had the wonderful opportunity of meeting and having lunch with a highly respected executive in the beauty industry – Pamela Baxter, president and CEO of LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics, North America.

At our lunch with Pamela Baxter, the news of my story quickly emerged, including my heart-warming experience at a Look Good…Feel Better (LGFB) session. Well, believe it or not, the next week I got an email from Ms. Baxter telling me about the DreamBall as the annual fundraising gala for LGFB and asking if I might be interested in sharing my story and experience with the program.

Of course, I was so honored but the position was not mine just yet. A few weeks later I met with Louanne Roark, vice president of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CTFA) Foundation, which runs Look Good…Feel Better, collaborating with the American Cancer Society and the National Cosmetology Association to deliver the program (you can visit www.ctfa.org and www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org to get more information.)

Once again, over a lovely lunch we talked about cancer, love, life, losses, pain and triumph. A few days later I received a very uplifting phone call from Louanne to share with me that yes, indeed I would be DreamGirl 2006!”

January

We began the year in our old hometown – Seattle! It was wonderful to be back – but oh, so wet! Wow – it was so different from when we lived in Seattle for five months – so much drier. But, we made the best of it. In addition to the many doctor’s appointments and tests, we made time to go to many of our favorite restaurants and try some new ones. We saw Tim’s cousin – who is now a resident of Seattle and had dinner with our favorite nurse, Pat and her husband. It was so heart-warming, and a little bittersweet to see so many of the people who took care of me. We are so grateful to you SCCA and we miss you so much!

December

We had a wonderful holiday month and enjoyed the cold weather as best we could. We planned our trip to Seattle for my one-year check at the beginning of the New Year. My very dear friend Asha and I sold raffle tickets for a great organization called Cancer and Careers (check out www.cew.org) for more information!

September, October and November

The fall months seemed to fly by as one project turned into another and yet another. I got very busy in planning our Thanksgiving celebration that we decided to have at our house. It was the first of what will hopefully be a new tradition. We asked each guest to bring a dish (we provided the recipe) and it turned out to be an amazing celebration – of family, friendship and life. My first birthday fell exactly on Thanksgiving Day!

August

Since we could not travel anywhere far for our honeymoon we went to Martha’s Vineyard, courtesy of some wonderful friends of ours. Thank you, thank you, thank you to you very good friend who hosted us. We had a wonderful time exploring the island and eating yummy food.

We returned home to get involved in some work on the house – small and some not so small projects that had been put on the back burner.

July

The endoscopy revealed that I have no GVHD in my stomach, which is great! But now, why was my stomach hurting? It seems to be one of the drugs I was taking. So now, I have stopped – and the result… .no more stomach aches!

Well, it July - our wedding month! Tim and I are busy putting all the final touches on the details of the wedding ceremony and décor. One of our toughest tasks – table seating!

The weekend of our wedding went off beautifully. It was a true celebration to a long, long battle and in the end a celebration of love and life. Thank you to my donor. You enabled me to have this special moment.

June

We were in the throws of planning of our wedding! Two of my bridesmaids – Lois and Mona and my mom threw me the most wonderful and beautiful shower. Tim was the biggest trooper. At the end of the party – after all the gifts had been opened the girls made a hat out of all the ribbon – and Tim wore it! Tim and I and both our moms had a very fun time assembling the invitations and sending them out. If only we could invite EVERYONE to our wedding. The person I will be thinking of the most – my donor. Thank you!

In terms of my health, things are going well – the only thing is that I have been experiencing strange stomach pains. It’s not Graft Versus Host Disease and the doctor is suggesting I get an endoscopy. Yuk! That’s where they insert a camera into your belly to see what is going on. I am scared.

Friday, May 20, 2005

Hi Everyone-

Once again I must apologize for not writing for so long. I have been
adjusting back to life in New Jersey. It is quite an adjustment. On the
one hand feeling like I have been "discharged" from Seattle, but on the
other hand still having to be so careful and not being able to go back
to work yet.

I am keeping up my yoga - it is the best! Dina is so attuned to what my
body and soul need. I feel very blessed to have her.

I am also trying to build my stamina by going for walks and runs.

I think about my donor often and am filled with lots of gratitude. I
have some many questions that I hope will someday be answered. Until
then, thank you dear donor, thank you for life.

Lots of love to you all. And a big paw-paw from Alli who is sitting
right in front of me licking her paws!

Pia


Tuesday, April 12, 2005
As usual, I find myself apologizing for not having written for so long. Well, we are back home and surprisingly, it's a strange feeling. On the one hand I am overjoyed and feel so blessed to have come this far in the journey. I feel so victorious in having fought so hard to be able to return home. Yet on the other hand, I am constantly on edge... worried that I may fall sick again, and won't have my nurse Pat to console me and tell me that this too shall pass. I am scared that I won't be around all the wonderfully trained people who work at the Hutch and are so quick to understand any little concern - a sniffle, a cough, a strange feeling in my mouth. I feel so frustrated that my life is so different now -- I can't work, I can't shake peoples hands or give them hugs, I have to eat special food. But then, isn't that a small price to pay for the gift of life?

The one person who looks absolutely overjoyed to be home is Alli. She is rediscovering all her favorite places to curl up in, favorite places to jump, hide and well, purr in! It is so cute to watch her running up and down the stairs and slipping on the floors (after getting used to the wall to wall carpeting in Seattle!).

As I hunt for answers to all my wonderings during this part of the journey, I hope you continue to spread the word. Each week we hear about yet another patient in our community who is in need of a donor.

As always, I thank all of you for your love and healing thoughts and a special thanks to my donor...

Love,

Pia

Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Well, its after day 100, but the treatment still continues...

The CMV is being very resistant and the doctors are trying to figure
out whether to switch me to a different drug. The drug that I am on
right now is called Gancyclovir. One of the side effects of Gancyclovir
is that it lowers the white blood counts -- not a good thing since
white blood cells are needed to fight off infection. Since I've been on
the Gancyclovir for over a month the doctors are wondering whether they
should switch me to a different drug -- one that is stronger and
doesn't affect the white blood count as much. This would mean that we
may have to stay here longer.... hmmmm... I was kind of excited about
getting back home. All this brings to reality how even though I have
reached the hundred day milestone - it's not like my treatment or my
period of being watchful is over.

Otherwise things are going well. We have been blessed with beautiful
weather here in Seattle. I keep thinking about my dear, dear donor and
her hugely loving and kind act. If you or someone you know is called
upon to be a donor, or called for further testing PLEASE give the gift
of life. It is a truly powerful, brave and courageous act and one that
I can only imagine will give you great joy.

Smiles to everyone...

Pia

Friday, March 04, 2005
Hi Everyone-
Today is Day 100! I must say, it really doesn't feel like 100 days
have passed since my transplant. But, it does feel wonderful to reach
this milestone. I am filled with gratitude for my donor, for Tim, our
families and all of you. I really would not have come through this
journey without everyone's love, support and healing thoughts. Thank
you.

We will be in Seattle for a few more weeks.... the CMV is still in my
body and so I have to continue on the antibiotics which I receive
through my port. I am hoping that I will be able to have my port
removed before we go back home, so we are here for now. I can't say I'm
missing the snow on the East Coast though! Seattle has been
unseasonably sunny and warm - the cherry blossoms and pansies are
blooming and it feels wonderful to watch the ships go by under sunny,
blue skies.

I end with a quote by Robert Kennedy, as I count my blessings, each
moment of the day.

"We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference
in our lives."

Thank you my donor
Thank you Tim,
Thank you to our families and
Thank YOU!

Friday, February 18, 2005
Valentine's Day was spectacular. Yes, it is a day that has become very commercialized and can be over-rated, but after all that Tim and I have gone through -- any opportunity we can get to celebrate -well, we celebrate! Tim and I wished each other throughout the day and then exchanged gifts at night. We went to a small, yummy Italian restaurant and then headed back home. We were most comforted by just relaxing at home with Alli nearby. It was wonderful to celebrate love all day! Love for each other, love for Alli, and love for life, thanks to my donor!

Day 80 has come and gone and the test results are looking fairly good. The protocol that I have been on is a very new one so some of the results are as of yet unexplainable. The good thing is that my marrow cells are 99% donor cells - that's the way they should be. So thank you to my donor!

I continue doing yoga and walking too. I have to strengthen my body so that my stamina gets better. The weather has been really nice here so that is always an incentive to get out and well, walk!

Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend. Remember to keep telling people about the site and to GET TESTED... there are a lot more people who are looking for matches and unfortunately, many more in the years to come who will be in need of transplants, so please keep getting the word out there.

Best wishes for a warm and rejuvenating weekend-

Pia

Friday, February 11, 2005
Tomorrow is day 80! Day 80 is a significant day after the transplant since it marks the beginning of the work-up process before departure. Well, we're not exactly leaving yet, but it's in the horizon. The doctors will run a variety of tests similar to the ones they did before the transplant. Some of the tests I will have are:

bone marrow biopsy
skin biopsy
dental check-up
tear test
medical photography
pulmony function exam
lots of blood work

These tests will give us a sense of not only how I'm doing, but how my body has recovered from the treatment.

One of the exciting parts of reaching day 80 is that some of the medicines are being discontinued or at the very least the dosage is being lowered. I hate taking pills -it has always been really hard for me to swallow pills.

The days are going by really quickly. I feel myself still getting tired, but definitely getting stronger at the same time. It is so empowering to see the progress I have been making in yoga. My muscles are definitely getting stronger.

The CMV is still in my blood - my body has not yet been able to fight it off and the antibiotic is taking time to work. So, I am still taking this antibiotic twice a day.

Tim is always keeps my spirits high. My thanks to all of you and especially to my donor. For those of you who have not yet been tested. GET TESTED!

Love-

Pia

Friday, February 4, 2005
Time is flying! It is day 72 today and the nurses and doctors are already planning for my departure. I am not really mentally ready to go home yet. I love the doctors and nurses here - they are so knowledgeable and make me feel so safe and well taken care of. Don't get me wrong though, I feel so grateful that things are going so well. There is of course a big part of me that can't wait to be home!

This week my blood tested positive for CMV - a virus that many people have in their bodies. It can manifest as a really bad cold that hangs around for weeks. In people with normal immune systems their bodies develop an immunity to the virus. Since I have immune-suppressed system, my immune system was not able to fight against it. So, I am on an antibiotic that will prevent it from getting worse. Basically, thanks to the expert blood testing they do here, they were able to notice it in my blood before I felt any symptoms. The antibiotic makes me feel really tired.

Some of you have been asking to see a picture of Alli. I am including a picture of her and me taken in our kitchen at home.

Thank you once again for all your warm wishes. Thank you to my donor!

love- Pia

Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Happy February! I must apologize for not having written for so long. Here are some things I have been keeping myself busy with:

Yoga - Laura has been working with me two or three times a week. It is so empowering to see how my muscles are getting stronger and I can do asanas that I did before the transplant. Thank you Laura!

Walking - The doctors have told me that walking is one of the best forms of cardio-vascular exercise that I can do. This will not only strengthen my muscles, but also strengthen my lungs. So, I've been trying to walk. In Seattle - a hilly city, this sometimes presents a challenge - but certainly a good one! I am back to walking at my normal speed which is a good feeling, even if walking uphill is still difficult. Tim is very inspiring and makes me feel like I am a million bucks even as I pant and crib (just a little)!

Reading: I've been reading lots of magazines, and seem to have just found a great book called For Bea - a memoir about a dog.

Watching Alli: I know that I am quite obsessed with her, but watching her bask in the sun, or pounce on her toys or even just curl into a ball and sleep is quite entertaining! It also makes me so appreciate the wonders of life - how she twitches her ears or covers her eyes with her paw - it is so adorable.

Cooking: As my energy returns I am starting to cook more. It's fun to experiment. Tim always appreciates my food - sweetheart that he is - even if it's really not tasty at all!

My days continue to be filled with visits to the clinic for blood tests and doctor visits. Last week we also attended a lecture on the history of transplantation. It was fascinating to see the pioneers in the field - the doctors who performed the first transplants and once again, made me feel so grateful for the opportunity to live. Thank you to all of you for your love, support and prayers, and thank you to my donor, for the gift of life!

Pia

PS. Keep those healing thoughts coming -- there are are so many patients in our community who need our positive energy! If you aren't on the registry -- GET TESTED!

Monday, January 10, 2005
It's Monday afternoon and I am sitting at our desk in our home in Seattle. As I type, I gaze out onto the glistening water of the Puget Sound. I see the Stadium and cars driving down I-5. I see the bright orange cranes that lift the containers that big ships bring in each day, and I see the mountains. The beauty of the water, the sun, the sky and life - people, cars, buildings has all been a part of my healing process.

It has been exactly 47 days since the transplant, and I have been home for just about four weeks. It feels like my stay in the hospital was so long ago, but the horror of it is still not forgotten.

The stay in the hospital was really difficult. I was tired -- to the point where it took an immense amount of will power to just walk even a few steps. I was sick - fevers, nausea, rashes, mouth sores. But, eventually, the stem cells engrafted in my marrow, and I now have a new immune system.

Once I left the hospital I was still very weak. My mouth sores had still not healed completely, and my stomach had to re-learn how to digest food. The first week was hard, but slowly I started regaining my strength and life began to feel more normal. Tim and I had a fabulous Christmas and New Year's Eve - clearly having so much to celebrate.

We have about another two months here (the doctors want patients to stay close by during the first 100 days which are most critical) and I continue to get stronger and build my stamina. Some days I have tons of energy and others I feel tired and nauseous. I am on a number of different medicines - some to prevent infections, and others to prevent my body from rejecting the new cells. Above all though, I am so grateful for the gift of life that I have received and to be recovering and feeling healthy again.

Tim has been taking amazing care of me. Making sure I take all my medicines, picking up supplies from the clinic, cooking me food, doing the laundry, playing and hugging Alli (since I can't just yet) and of course surrounding me with so much love and light. Alli remains her spunky little self - always ready to play or just hang out with us. Thank you Tim and Alli for all your love and support. Last, but certainly not least, THANK YOU to my DONOR, my new sister, who gave me a second chance at LIFE!!!

Sending lots of heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your support and healing energy.

Love,

Pia

PS I cannot begin to express the joy that I felt in receiving so many cards, packages and surprise gifts from so many friends as well as new friends. While I would love to list each one, its hard for me to right now. I do however want to thank the students of the Payaliya Dance Studio who created (with their own money) a care package for me. Thank you so much girls!

Tuesday, December 1, 2004
This is truly one of, if not the hardest thing I have ever done. I have mucositis (the erosion of the mucous lining in the mouth.) This basically means my mouth and throat are in constant pain and I feel like I have too many canker sores in my mouth. This makes eating very hard - which for those of you who don't know me - I love to eat! Luckily, my mom has been making me very soft foods - soups and mush like creations that are so yummy!

I feel very weak too - but as the nurses and doctors keep telling me this is the course and eventually, by approximately day 13, I will feel better. This coincides with my counts coming in and the graft (stem cells) lodging in my body.

My eyes are very tired now so that's all for today.

Thank you for the prayers, cards, love and healing energy - please keep it coming my way!

With love and gratitude-

Pia

Saturday, November 27
I am three days old today! The transplant was hard -- I got the chills and a fever about an hour and half into it - and nothing really could be done until the transfusion was over. The transfusion took about four hours. By 8:30 in the evening I was feeling a little better - but very tired. Day 1 and 2 were spent watching TV, eating, sleeping and trying to do some laps in the hallway. I feel like a baby -- in terms of the foods I can and cannot eat, the way I need to take a nap often and how it is very hard to sleep through the night.

Tim is my primary caregiver - caring for me at every moment - making me food, rubbing my back, putting me to sleep and of course entertaining me. Gurgle! Gurgle! I love you Tim!

Each simple act takes an enormous amount of effort - whether it's brushing my teeth, taking a shower, putting on my clothes or talking on the phone. Sometimes I'm not sure if I can keep it up. Do I have enough energy? Can I really go on? And then I muster up each and every ounce of will power and strength and think of all the love and courage you are giving me and I am able to go on.

My mom is here to visit along with Veena Auntie - Shalini's mom. It is so wonderful to have them here. Thank you Mom and Veena Auntie. I love you!

Will write more as soon as I can.

Love and thanks-

Pia


Sunday, November 21, 2001
I have been in the hospital since Wednesday afternoon. Everyone here is so caring and warm. Tim and I decorated my room with strings of butterflies and two mobiles - one of pictures of our families and one of chinese umbrellas. Some of my friends have sent me cards and some of my children friends and relatives have sent me pictures. We put all these things up too!

So, this morning was the last day of chemotherapy, which I seemed to tolerate pretty well. Since yesterday, I have also been receiving another drug - called Thymoglobulin that kills my t-cells. T-cells have the potential to reject the donor cells. I will receive a total of three doses of thymoglobulin, before the transplant.

Time passes fairly slowly here and while I don't have the energy to be sending emails and updates all day, I am already counting the days befrore I can go home. I miss Alli and I miss Tim!

My cousin from Portland came up to spend the weekend with me. We chatted, walked and watched TV. She also made some yummy rice and yogurt. I have quite a few visitors over the last few days - friends and friends of friends, in addition to lots of phone calls from family back on the east coast.

Thank you for all your caring, healing thoughts.

Love,

Pia

Sunday, November 14, 2004
The chemotherapy started today. I will receive two main chemotherapy drugs that will wipe out my immune system so that my body will be prepared to accept a new immune system of my donor.

The first drug is called Fludarabine. It is a chemotherapy agent that essentially kills the white blood cells (which is in other words killing my immune system). It has very few side effects so after the half an hour infusion, Tim and I walked around town!

I will get another infusion of Fludarabine over the next three days and then will be admitted into the hospital where I will receive Busulphane - a much stronger chemotherapy drug. Then, I will stay in the hospital for about a month or so. The next infusion, Busulphane, will completely wipe out my immune system (even though it's only given once a day for four days). The combination, of these two chemotherapy's, will result in a very powerful, and hopefully effective antidote - so a week of chemotherapy is all I am going to have, but that will put my body in a very immune suppressed state. In addition, I will be on a number of other drugs -- actually I already am - antifungals, antibiotics, vitamins, all aimed at keeping me as healthy as I can be during the transplant process.

While I am not really looking forward to going into the hospital, at the same I am looking forward to being healthy again. I am so scared... No one likes to be sick!

To my anonymous donor, if you are reading this, thank you, thank you, thank you...may God bless you for your courage and kindness...

And to all of you who are reading this, thank you!

Love,

Pia

~Friday, November 12, 2004~
I apologize for not writing for so long.... it has been a busy week filled with check ups, lectures and setting up our temporary home.

Sunday was a very exciting day. Rama, a cousin of mine who I have actually never met (believe it or not!) came to visit us. She lives in Portland and is one of a family of four sisters! She drove up 3 hours each way to come spend the day with us. She also introduced us to an old friend of her's - Ajay, who lives here is Seattle. The four of us hung out a home and went to eat brunch at a cozy French bistro. After eating brunch, we walked through the Pike Place Market and took a bunch of goofy pictures. All in all, it was fantastic day!

On Monday, I had mini-root canal (ouch, to say the least). For up to one year after the transplant I will not be able to have any dental work done, so the dentists are very proactive in their approach. On Tuesday, I got my teeth cleaned. On Wednesday, we signed some very important papers - consent forms that acknowledge that we accept the terms of the transplant protocol.

Today, I got my Hickman catheter - a large tube that is placed in a central vein. Two tubes (like straws) hang out of it and all my medications will be given through these tubes. The other advantage of the tubes is that the nurses can take my blood directly from these tubes, without having to poke me! Two very cool parts of this procedure - the first Tim got to scrub in and watch the entire thing and the second is that the procedure was done by none other than Dr. Hickman (yes the person who invented this tool)!

Thank you for all the continued support and love. The chemotherapy before the transplant starts on Sunday.

Love-

Pia

~Friday, November 5, 2004~
So, believe it or not we have found a donor. We beat all the odds and have been blessed with a dream come true. Not only a suitable donor but a donor who is an identical match. While we don't know much about the donor, to protect her privacy, we do know that she is from the UK. I feel like she is my sister and am so grateful that she joined the registry and has agreed to donate her cells to me, in order to save my life. Thank you doesn't even begin to put into words my feelings of gratitude and deep appreciation. This gratitude extends to all of you who have put in time at drives, spread the word to friends and family, gotten tested, and above all sent me healing thoughts and lots of positive energy.

We are now here in Seattle, where I am being treated at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. I have spent the past week and a half going through a number of tests to make sure there are no other potential issues that might come up after the transplant when my immunity is compromised. I want to make it very clear to all of you that while it so great, beyond great, that we have found a donor the real journey has yet to begin and I am scared. I will undergo chemotherapy treatment that is stronger than anything I have ever received, and the number of side effects that can result from the treatment and the transplant are numerous and intense. My hair (the little that grew back) will fall out again, there may be times when it will hurt so much I won't be able to eat, I may have fevers, chills and feel pretty sick all around.

Hope comes in many forms. Yesterday, I had the honor of meeting a wonderful, inspiring young woman by the name of Ali, who is just about to celebrate her two year anniversary after having a successful transplant. Congratulations Ali!

With that said, I hope that your healing thoughts will continue coming my way. Also, please remember there are still many, many patients still waiting for a match, so our mission is in no way over!

With love-

Pia

~Posted on 10/29/2004~
What an exciting and busy last few days it has been. Our flight to Seattle went off fairly smoothly. Alli did great! Every time we had to take her out of the bag (such as during security or to give her water) everyone was in awe. They thought she was the cutest cat. Of course I felt like a very proud parent!

Seattle is beautiful. Yes, it is cloudy and wet a lot, but it's a fun city. We have had appointments at the hospital everyday since Wednesday (we arrived on Tuesday). The doctors and nurses are amazing. The hospital is amazing. The next ten days are going to be a series of tests in preparation for the transplant. Our hope is that we find a donor soon. They will basically check every part of my body to make sure nothing else might need further treatment or attention. They will check my heart, liver functioning, my teeth and skin to make sure I am healthy enough to start chemotherapy treatment that is required before the transplant. The chemotherapy wipes out my immune system that is then replaced with a new immune system of my donor. Very exciting stuff!

We met a lovely, smart woman on the plane who is a freelance photographer. We became friends so quickly we decided to meet for dinner on Wednesday night. We went to one of our favorite restaurants, Wild Ginger (Thai food) with Naomi and had a great time. She was very touched by my story and is going to try to spread the word about the South Asian crisis. Thank you Naomi. It was so wonderful to meet you!

That's all for now. Once again, thank you all for your healing, positive thoughts and support.

Love,

Pia

~Posted on 10/22/2004~
Last night was amazing - we went to see Bombay Dreams and saw Manu Narayan (the star, Aakash) in his element! We have gotten to know Manu over the last few weeks as he has been helping us with a public service announcement we have been working on. It was so mesmerizing to see him on stage -- especially after getting to meet him in person. Thank you Manu for your never-ending support and healing thoughts. You are such an inspiration to me!

Fall is definitely here. I wake up to the loud chatter of flocks of birds flying west. I spend many moments each day watching the leaves change color as they slowly fall off the trees. Winter is on its way.

Today I had another appointment and am happy to report that my blood counts continue to be within the normal range. Each time I have a blood test there is part of me that holds my breath as I wait for the results. I don't take many things for granted any more.

Wishing you all a wonderful fall weekend!

Love,

Pia

~Posted on 10/21/2004~
I apologize for my tardiness. It has been a busy last few days.

Yesterday I had a wonderful day with one of my old students and her family. I have had the honor of getting to know them and we have continued our friendship over the years. Today is Durga Puja (a celebration to the Goddess Durga), a very auspicious day in the Bengali culture. Tim and I got all dressed up in new Indian clothes and went to a special celebration. I wore a beautiful turquoise and gold sari that Tim's mom gave me. It was so wonderful to meet many of the people who have heard about me and my story and get their blessings and love.

We have been getting a lot of interest in the "Just Do Something" campaign. Some people have been asking us if their ideas are "big" or "important" enough for the campaign. Well, size does not really matter. The point is to simply, "just do something!"

Thanks for all your support-

Love,

Pia

~Posted on 10/18/2004~
I'd read a beautiful quote today written by the father of my dear friends, Sandhya and Anjali. I hope it brings a smile to your face, as it did to mine.

A recipe for a healthy and useful life:

A generous pound of truth
A good deal of fairness
Several ounces of love
Generous squirts of sympathy
A pinch of mishchief
A dash of humor
Mix it well, taste
You will love the taste!

- Tommy Nankani

With love-

Pia

~Posted on 10/15/2004~
Today Tim and I went to New York City to meet with Dr. Frattini for a check up. My white blood counts are doing well – I feel so lucky. Also, it was very exciting, as I got to meet Mr. Frazer from the New York Blood Center (he has been helping this cause for the last 12 years). He is in charge of running donor recruitment drives in the New York City area (working with patients, donor centers and minority recruitment groups). It was so wonderful to meet one of the many people who have been supporting and working so hard for me and this cause.

Tim and I then went to an Italian café for lunch with my long time friend, Shalini. After lunch I was exhausted! I often forget how my energy level is not yet back to normal. Thankfully, Tim drove home. Thank you, Tim! Finally, what toped off the excitement, was the news that we got our first (not to mention, very generous large donation), donation to the South Asian Marrow Foundation Fund. Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting this very important cause, as we are raising funds to keep this awareness alive, and getting more people tested. Wishing all of you a wonderful, crisp, fall weekend.

With love and gratitude-

Pia

~Posted on 10/14/2004~
It is so wonderful to be at home again, the feeling of my own bed…I can’t even explain how much of a luxury it is just to be home. I know I repeat myself, but I would really like to thank all of you for your support, prayers, and wonderful healing thoughts of love these last two weeks, while I was battling my illness. It’s your support, that allows me to make it through another day.

Since being home, Alli and I have been spending a lot of time playing and bonding with each other (I always have the fear that Alli will forget me, every time I spent long durations of time in the hospital). It feels so good to and make wonderful meals for Tim and myself again…you know, reintroducing myself to all the kitchen appliances at home.

The days are going so fast, as we are starting to prepare our trip to our transplant center in the west coast (hoping a donor will be identified, and ready to give the “Gift of Life”). Please continue to spread the word of this cause around the world, let everyone know about this crisis we have in our South Asian Community (remember, there are several transplant hospitals around the world, and a patient can be identified from anywhere around the world), and bring hope that everyone can make a difference by getting tested.

~Posted on 10/07/2004~
I am sorry for having taken so long to write an update. It's been a hard week, emotionally more than physically. On Thursday of last week, my computer screen decided to go out on me. This left me feeling very isolated from the world. I was lost... It made me realize how dependent I am on the outside world, particularly when I'm in the hospital. Funny when we think that's it been barely ten years since the internet came to be. Friday was a low day. I really wanted to go home. I missed Alli, I was having a hard time with being in the hospital since I was feeling so strong and normal physically. Thankfully, on Saturday, Tim brought an extra computer of his for me to use in the hospital. So I am wired again! The weekend went by pretty quickly with visits from friends and family. My counts also came up so I am now able to eat food from outside! Yum!

On Monday I learned that a dear friend of mine from the hospital, Grace Fan had passed away on Saturday. She was my neighbor during June and July when I underwent my reinduction. We immediately connected, both being young ... actually we were born the same year, and both in search of a donor for a stem cell transplant. On September 7th, my last visit with her, I learned that she had found a donor -- in Taiwan -- a perfect match. She was going to be admitted at Sloan the following week. I called her in the hospital after she was admitted, but she was too tired to talk. Her husband, Justin left me the sweetest message explaining that she wasn't upto talking but was doing well under the circumstances. Her loss brought forward the reality of how fragile life is and how having a stem-cell transplant is a big deal, a really big deal. I am scared. I cannot tell you how scared I am. Grace's face, her sweet soft voice and adorable giggle float through my mind repeatedly. I miss her terribly. She was an image of hope for me -- going through the transplant first, I looked to her for advice....for helpful tips on what to eat when it hurts, or how to alleviate the pain. But for now she remains with me in spirit, an inspiration to me - for the strength she had, the courage she had and her warm, warm heart.

One wonderful, most pleasant surprise was a note from a woman I don't know but who is clearly now my friend. She sent me the sweetest package -- a note indicating that she had heard about my story and since she's not desi she had gotten her sweet boyfriend who is desi to get tested. Then she sent me some pictures of a recent trip she took to Africa, along with pictures of her baby boy (cat), Nico. Maria, thank you, thank you, thank you for brightening many moments for me this week.

Well, it is almost 5 pm, and I think I should prepare for my trip home tomorrow... yes, it's finally here. I get to go home tomorrow! I can't wait to see Alli!

Thank you to all of you who keep reading my updates and sending me sweet, warm healing thoughts. I love reading your messages on the guestbook.

With much love and gratitude-

Pia

~Posted on 09/29/2004~
Today is Wednesday. I woke up feeling fairly refreshed even though I didn't sleep that well. I am counting the days until I go home... I can't wait. It is so hard to be away from Tim and Alli and my familiar surroundings.

To all the many wonderful people who have heard about my story...