Year: 2005

Much love and thanks to all

To everyone who has added me to a prayer list, prayed for me, visited, helped my family or held a good thought for us. It is amazing. I do not understand the power of prayer but I know it exists. I have confidence that you all have helped me immensely. I really feel I can beat this.

I cannot thank you enough. If you have been in this kind of situation, you know it means a lot. If not, you cannot imagine how wonderful it is to hear you are being prayed for or thought of at a time like this!

Much love and thanks to all.

Chemotherapy

So, until I got cancer I never really thought much about chemotherapy or radiation. I actually thought chemotherapy was medical radiation. Which it is, sort of. Still I thought either way, the patient went and got radiated periodically by a big machine. I certainly did not think chemotherapy was an administered drug!

Well over the last few days I have learned this: the drug I am using for chemotherapy is “idarubicin”. It was given to me today in my new Power PICC Line (which is way better than an IV). It was a slow injection into the PICC line rather a drip. It was done by the nurse. In preparation for handling and administering the drug she had to wear a full plastic coverall and special gloves. Wow. Strong stuff.

Well three more session. One every other day, so that will take me to April 11th. I guess that will be followed with those pesky bone marrow biopsies. Dang!

So, first session and I am still doing well here, just doing my part, staying positive and following instructions.

More on AML M3

My brother-in-law, Trey, found some great links on what I am going through. Here is what he put together:

Understanding AML “This has a good page with the types of AML, and the FAB classification table” For example, it names the M3 type.

General information about AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia) from cancer.gov (For patients)

Acute Myeloid Leukemia from cancer.gov (For Health Professionals)

Treatment of Acute Promyelocytic (M3) Leukemia (AML)

AP John institute for cancer research, AML Information

There are TONs more, but they all pretty much say the same things. The most important one to me was the Treatment of Acute Promy… page because it states a 70-90% cure rate for the all-trans retinoic acid (vitamin a relative) plus chemo treatment.

Thanks Trey! That treatment plan metioned is essentially the plan I will start going through later this morning.

What is Wrong With Me

Turns out I have Leukemia. If there is ever good news about cancer or Leukemia it is when the news is that you have the variety that is curable. Which I do. I have acute Leukemia, and the treatment plan they are going to use for me has a 90% success rate.

So this weekend I received numerous units of blood and today I actually feel “right”. Unfortunately things are going to get worse before they get better. This week I start chemotherapy, not sure about all the side effects from that, but hair loss seems inevitable. Oh well, small price. Also I will be in the hospital for at least a month. I miss my daughter, my home, and my things, all of it really. Well it will all be there for me in time.

I have a long road to go with this. So if you are religious or spiritual, I love hearing that I am in your prayers or on a prayer list. I believe in the power of prayer. If you are not religious or spiritual then perhaps you can hold a good thought for me. I love hearing that too. I am looking for all the help and positive vibes I can get right now.

Advice: If you ever have to get a “bone marrow biopsy” take the morphine they offer for pain. My best guess is I got about 15 more of those go over the next two years. Ouch!