myeloma in 2011 . After treatment that included radiation and chemotherapy , the cancer went into remission until July 2013 , when tumors recurred . After more treatment , Mr . Carver was referred to the autologous transplant team in the fall .
Like all patients , he first met with Dr . Cable and Carrie Matthews , RN , the transplant coordinator . She guides patients through every step of the procedure and its follow-up . “ The education process starts from the very first time they meet with us and continues all the way through their hospital stay and afterwards ,” she says .
“ I saw Carrie all the time , and she was terrific ,” says Mr . Carver .
Mr . Carver had his blood stem cells collected , an outpatient procedure , in January and then returned to Temple the following month for the highdose chemotherapy treatment and the transplant of his blood stem cells . Before the procedure , Mr . Carver was experiencing considerable pain in his shoulders and back . “ I was feeling pretty down by the time I got to the hospital in February ,” he says .
His recovery required a two-week hospital stay , although patients with lymphoma usually stay longer , about three weeks . This allowed the blood to regenerate and Mr . Carver to cope with the after effects of chemotherapy treatment , which can be unpleasant ,
“ When I got released from the hospital , it seemed like every week I felt better and better . I ’ m ecstatic about the results .”
— Craig Carver
12 THE CATALYST December 14 | sw . org