Over the last couple months I have been feeling really run down. I was having really bad headaches and this crazy pulsating in my right ear. So after meeting with my doctor, he had me get lab work done and a CT scan of my head on October 6th. After review of the lab work and scan, I was admitted to the hospital on October 7th. I was told that I had a sinus infection and that I was anemic and that I needed to get a blood transfusion. Over the next month or so, I had more lab work done and the doctor mentioned the chance that the cancer may be back. On November 3rd, I had a Bone Marrow Biopsy to confirm that I did have cancer. I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
On November 6th, I was admitted to UC Davis to begin my battle with Leukemia. The treatment plan for Leukemia is so much different than Lymphoma. The first part of the treatment is called an Induction, which will keep me in the hospital for about a month. After about a months time, I will get to go home for a couple weeks and then return for a process call Consolidation. Consolidation is a 5 day hospital stay of chemotherapy and then I go home to get my counts back up. From what I'm told I will do about 4 Consolidation treatments. I have been told that the doctors also want to do a Bone Marrow Transplant. Not all Leukemia patients get a transplant but considering I am a previous cancer patient it is a very good idea to do so. This will help reduce my chances of another relapse.
So has of today, Monday November 22nd, I am still in the hospital. The doctors are meeting with the transplant team today to decide a time frame for the transplant. The doctors I spoke with last week stated that if approved I could be getting a transplant within the next couple months depending if we can find a bone marrow donor match in that time. I'm hoping to hear an outcome of the doctors meeting sometime today or tomorrow.
The doctors tell me that I will be here for about another week and half to two weeks. My WBC or white blood count needs to get to a certain number before they will let me go home. During the Consolidation treatments I will go home to get my counts to go back up. The doctors tell me that the transplant will be another 30 day stay in the hospital. So I will definitely be sick of the hospitals by the time I'm done but it will be well worth it.
I've been using Facebook to keep my friends and family updated but the downfall of Facebook is I am limited to the amount of words I can type. I've decided that I put so much time into this blog when I was going through Lymphoma that I am going to take the same effort for Leukemia. So please feel free to leave comments on my post. I would love to hear from you all!!!
2 comments:
Hi Jane. Glad you're back on your blog, also glad you posted the link on FB to make me go here and stalk you :)
So it sounds like you'll be getting someone else's bone marrow, right?
I want to say my buddy Rosanne (aka Baldylocks) beat the same cancer - here's her blog, definitley give it a read, and maybe even shoot her a note - I'm sure she'd be willing to share details on her battle. http://baldylocks.blogspot.com/
And of course, I'm always here if you need to talk. I'm impressed how strong and ready you sound to make it your bitch.
XOXOXOX
Kelly
Hey girl! I am so proud of you for fighting! I always knew (in our Omni days) what I fighter you were/are! I'm glad you decided to do your blog again. I have been wondering how you are doing. I hate going to FB and only seeing minimal info on how you are doing. I will be in town on Dec. 3rd for the Hanukkah Celebration with my family. If I can see you, I really would love to. Let me know where you will be when it's closer to the date. Say Hi to Josh and the girls for me! Hugs and Kisses. Miss you, my friend. Kick Butt... girlie. Love ya. Jamie :)
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