The next stop on our Leukemic Odyssey took us back to "Grandma Driesbach's Ugly Chair Emporium." Our purpose there, a new round of Chemotherapy. Every day at 2:00 for the next week, then two weeks of coming in twice a week for blood work and then another round of Chemo etc. until we go to bone marrow transplant. The purpose of this Chemo is to hopefully get our blasts below the magical 5% or at the very least to maintain all that we've accomplished until now. The new drug is Dacogen a drug with few of the side effects of the previous ones. Blood levels will not drop as dramatically, the risk of infection is lower, usually no nausea, etc. It takes about an hour or two each day to run it in. This is a whole lot better than more hospital time.
We did learn some interesting news in our visit with Dr. Luke. When we do go for Bone Marrow transplant our stay at City of Hope will be 5-6 weeks in the hospital and another two months living in a cottage on the City of Hope Campus so they can do daily monitoring of how everything is progressing. It looks like we will get real familiar with the City of Hope.
On the Statistic side White Blood Count at 2.9 and Platelets at 133.
Mom Enjoying Chemo
6 comments:
City of "Hope"....great name! Can hardly wait to spend some time there. 5% here we come....
Fight on Mom!!!! It's going to be a long climb but I'm sure the view at the top (leukemia free) will be worth the struggle!!!!
I know...easy for me to say. :)
"Mom Enjoying Chemo" that's a quote if I've ever heard one! Mom I must say you truly are beautiful-you are radiant in that photo. (no pun intended; seriously) Here's to hoping you get to stay at the City of Hope Campus!
Question: When you say she has to do another round of chemo after this chemo and twice a week for blood work, I am assuming that is ONLY if she is not below 5%, is that right?
Cancer truly does become her! She is beautiful. A little cottage at City of Hope...sounds so cozy. Probably not quite as cozy as a little cottage at Aviara. Maybe you can talk them into that. :)
Until they are ready to move forward with Bone Marrow we will be on this schedule. Bone Marrow at this point depends most on having a suitable donor. Below 5% would probably mean we could avoid the radiation and go only with Chemo. Besides she "Radiates" just fine as it is.
I've seen a more beautiful cancer patient! Aren't you supposed to look all wasted and weathered? Incredible!
uh, I meant to say I've NEVER seen a more beautiful cancer patient. Guess I better ask forgiveness for that one too.
Post a Comment