Day Minus Eight
September 14th, 2015
Well the time has finally arrived folks. I’m currently writing to you from my new hospital room at City of Hope preparing for my stem cell transplant. Starting tomorrow, I’ll begin a week long high-dose chemotherapy treatment, the result of which we plan on being the complete eradication of this cancer once and for all. In just eight days I will be given back my stem cells, a day marked on the calendar as “Day Zero.” At that point I will essentially be without an immune system, as the stem cells engraft and begin to form the new bone marrow, taking up to 2-3 weeks. So I’m settling in for this next part of the journey, a moment reminiscent of setting off on an adventure, the packing of bags and the double-checking of lists. It feels as if I’m a voyager of the starship Endurance settling in for “the long nap” or a samurai preparing for battle. 
People have asked about visiting, and such potential visits will be coordinated by my father, Dan Bump. You can contact him at dbump47@gmail.com. Please include the date and general time frame that you potentially want to visit. Be warned though, visitation may be somewhat tricky. At some points I will very vulnerable to infection, and at other points I will simply will be too weak and tired to have visitors. The general guidelines are: visiting hours are between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week, and most importantly, that you are completely healthy, and haven’t even been around those who are not feeling well. Also, this time in the hospital will be relatively brief compared to the long term recovery that is ahead. In the hospital, I will be surrounded by doctors and nurses, but in the many months to come, I would love to have your company as I recover at home.
There’s also a good chance I won’t have the energy to keep up this blog as well as I would like, so I plan on posting short little updates here: https://twitter.com/paul_bump
Before I finish, two quick shoutouts to some amazing people. First to the folks that have been coming to donate blood and those that are currently being called to give platelets. It’s been great to run into a few of you at City of Hope, to see pictures of you donating, and to know that you’re willing to give up your time, energy, and well, even blood to help me!
Secondly, to the community of faith who gathered yesterday evening at City of Hope to lay hands and pray for me. You are some of the most wonderful people I have gotten to share life with in these last few months. Thank you for your encouragement, light, and faith in these challenging times.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil, for you are with me