Autologous Stem Cell Transplants: A Handbook for Patients - Softcover

Dear Friend,

In 1988, after being diagnosed with leukemia, my doctor recommended an autologous bone marrow transplant. I'd never before heard of a bone marrow transplant, and hadn't a clue as to what bone marrow or stem cells were and why they were important.

I was confused and overwhelmed. All the medical terms used to describe the treatment were new to me; often, I was so lost I couldn't even figure out the right questions to ask! After recovering from my transplant, I met other survivors and learned my experience was not unique.

This book is written by and for patients with the help of many doctors, nurses, social workers and other survivors. It's designed to transplant some of the medical information you'll receive before, during and after your transplant into plain English.

There's no getting around it, autologous transplantation is a big, confusing subject. There is a lot of information to absorb in this book. Take it at your own pace.

If you only want the bascis, start with Chapters One and Two. Then use the table of contents and index to find answers to the questions that concern you the most. When you are ready for more details, read the other chapters that thoroughly discuss each step of the transplant process, how complications are managed, and how other patients have coped with the experience.

Throughout the book you will find quotations from transplant survivors -- real people who faced the same challenges that now lie before you. They will tell you firsthand what it feels like to undergo and survive a transplant.

I know how difficult it is to make the decision to have an autologous transplant, undergo the treatment, and get back to a normal life. I hope this book helps make your experience a little easier.

Susan K. Stewart

Susan Stewart directs Blood & Marrow Transplant Information Network, a non-profit organization which provides information and support to bone marrow, stem cell and cord blood transplant patients and survivors. Following her autologous transplant for leukemia in 1989, Ms. Stewart began writing Blood & Marrow Transplant Newsletter featuring news and information of interest to transplant patients and survivors. Her 1992 book, Bone Marrow Transplants: A Book of Basics for Patients and this new handbook have won praise from patients and medical professionals alike.