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Leukemia Won't Stop Senior's Graduation
Brent Zell
Argus Leader
29 April 2005
Tri-Valley basketball player's bone-marrow transplant, chemotherapy successful
BY BRENT ZELL
Argus Leader
When Tri-Valley senior basketball player Jay Tennessen began his fight against leukemia, one of his goals was to attend his high school graduation.
Just more than one week after undergoing a bone-marrow transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., Tennessen's prospects for attending the May 15 ceremony are looking good.
The transplant was a success, and the aftermath also has been positive. After taking three post-transplant rounds of chemotherapy, doctors recently determined that Tennessen's health has progressed to the point where a fourth round isn't needed.
His doctors told him that as long as his recovery stays on course, Tennessen, who is from Lyons, will be attending Tri-Valley's graduation with his classmates.
"So far, I'm feeling good," said Tennessen, who has been in Rochester since March 31. "I have a few episodes of nausea, but I take medicine that controls it pretty well."
Tennessen was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia in September. The diagnosis kept him off the football field, but the doctors allowed him to try basketball.
At first, the Tri-Valley coaches weren't sure how much Tennessen would be able to play, but he blossomed into the team's No. 2 scorer, leading the Mustangs to a fourth-place finish at the Class A state tournament in Rapid City and earning all-tourney honors for himself.
Originally, the family hoped to put off the transplant until after graduation, but health conditions necessitated an April operation.
Fortunately, a suitable bone marrow donor was right in the family. Jay's older brother, Tony, had stem cells harvested April 11 in Rochester. The process took stem cells from Tony's sternum.
Tony felt some pain in his chest after the surgery, according to Tim Tennessen, Tony and Jay's father, but the hurt was worth the result. Doctors hoped to harvest 5 million stem cells, but ended up with 7.5 million.
"We're really proud of what he did," said Tim Tennessen. "He never questioned what it would be like or anything. Wherever you told him to go, he was ready to be there."
Following several rounds of chemotherapy, Jay received the transplant cells through an intravenous tube on April 20. The procedure took about 40 minutes.
Side effects from the chemotherapy have included fatigue, some nausea and a sore mouth. All are common with this type of treatment.
"So far, my mouth isn't too bad," Jay said. "There are a few sores, but it's not as bad as some people can get."
Jay and his mother, Cindy, have been staying at the Gift of Life Transplant House in Rochester, a converted mansion that houses transplant patients close to the clinic. Jay's day starts at 9 a.m. with an appointment to have his blood checked. Occasionally, he has needed a blood transfusion to increase his platelet count to further the fight against leukemia.
Jay has been keeping up with his school work via e-mail and the phone, according to Tri-Valley superintendent Terry Eckstaine, and he is on pace to fulfill his graduation requirements.
When no transfusions are needed, the family can leave the house.
However, anytime Jay is outside the house and clinic area, he must wear a surgical mask to ward off possible infection.
If Jay makes it to the Tri-Valley graduation, he still will need to return to Rochester for further treatment.
The family has been impressed with the outpouring of support for Jay. That has included visits from family and friends, but also help from strangers. A collection taken in the crowd at the Class A tourney in Rapid City raised $6,200 for the family. Leukemia survivors also have been in contact with the family.
"It's not just people we don't know, but it's other people who are suffering through leukemia and can have such a positive outlook," said Tim Tennessen.
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