The Alpen Repor(t): Alpen's Out! The Transplant was a Success!

Hey Everyone:

Great news! Alpen's transplant went very well and proceeded without any glitches or challenges. After a few days of chemo, a day of much-needed rest, the donor's and (now Alpen's) cells were inserted in the wee hours of Friday night/Saturday morning. After a quick day of monitoring, Alpen was released from the hospital on Sunday and is resting and recovering at Palak & Rahul's house.

While Alpen is a little tired, he is in great spirits and looking forward to getting some fresh air and playing his tablas. As Alpen himself reported by text message to many of you the morning after his transplant: "Woke up refreshed. I feel good about the days ahead and am happy with what I have now. Thank you for keeping me on track and keeping track of me."

So with the grace of God and with your continued love and support, Alpen enters the recovery phase of this treatment.

Thanks to Niru Aunty and Harsha Aunty for faithfully sitting by Alpen's side every single day in the hospital and for showering him with love and the most powerful of blessings: a mother's wish to protect her child. Thanks also to Palak & Rahul and Vivek who depsite their insanely busy schedules and their 13-hour workdays, were always around to lift Alpen's spirits and keep him upbeat while he was cooped up in the hospital.

Alpen-ites---thanks also to each of you for the outpouring of love and support and positive vibrations over the last week. We were certainly re-energized and uplifted by the scores of e-mails, phone calls, and prayers that we received.

While we have much to celebrate today, let us remember that the road ahead requires each of us to stay positive, hopeful, dedicated, and determined! Alpen needs your continued support as his body adjusts to his new cells and the new cells go to work fighting cancer.

So this is what I of each of you: please send e-mails, pictures, poems, videos, etc. of support for Alpen. Feel free to be creative--to make him laugh, to make him feel silly, to inspire him! To start us off, a few special people in Miami wanted to send Alpen some video messages....check them out!

From Suresh Uncle (pre-transplant--sorry for the late posting!)

From Cindy, Tony & Joseph - friends of Alpen

Also, the Miami Crew also had a pani puri/bhel celebration feast in honor of Alpen getting out of the hospital. Thanks to Dad, Suresh Uncle, Baa, Mukesh Uncle & Daksha Aunty, Murthy Uncle & Myetraie Aunty (forgive my bad spelling), Antim, Aarambh, Rashmi for the hearty celebration last night. Here are some pictures...enjoy!