Setbacks

Here we are again, back at University of Cincinnati Medical Center. How did we get back here you ask? Well, it's a funny story... In my last entry I was heading in to get my first outpatient/post-induction bone marrow biopsy.  On Friday, December 19th we received the preliminary results and this starts my first setback. I mentioned in my previous entry that my doctor wanted to see 90% of the cancer blasts killed. I was wrong, he actually wanted to see 95% of the blasts killed but according to my preliminary results only 80% of the blasts were gone. What does this mean? Well, it means that my first round of chemo did kill a lot of the cancer but it was still unsuccessful. 

So what now? One of two things could happen. The first is we get the final results back and my doctor is comfortable with the percentage of the cancer blasts still present and I start outpatient treatment after the holidays. The second is we get the results back and they confirm that 20% of my bone marrow is cancer blasts and I will need to be hospitalized again for a more aggressive treatment. 

Leaving with that information and knowing that the final results wouldn't be available until Monday we make the most out of the weekend. I was so grateful for that weekend of normalcy. I honestly can't believe I did so much from going to the movies and dinner with my dad to doing a 3 mile hike on a rare sunny day. As the weekend came to a close the reality of being re-hospitalized set in and I wasn't scared or angry about it. 

Monday rolls around and we come to my appointment with my bags packed, fully prepared for a what could happen. The doctor confirms with us that 20-30% of my marrow is still cancerous. I'm given the option of holding off starting treatment until after Christmas but decide against it. Christmas comes every year and the sooner I start treatment the sooner I can get my life back. We are immediately given a room, consent forms for treatment were signed, and the chemotherapy starts. 

This time I'm on what they call the FLAG regimen. I was given three different IV transfusions over the course of 5 days. This regimen is much more aggressive and much shorter than my original induction. My counts to have dropped even lower and completely wipe out my immune system causing me to spike a fever. Thanks to modern medicine we were able to get my fever under control within 24 hours. My doctors have told me that I am very lucky I didn't get a fever the last time around. Apparently this is something that is very common in cancer patients. 

Today is Day 14 and it's biopsy day - a lot hinges on the outcome of these tests. My doctor wants to see zero cancer blasts in order to call this round successful. If the results come back in our favor we will be one step closer to an outpatient treatment and remission. If they don't we will have to do another round of chemotherapy, maybe even get in a clinical trial program. I have a good feeling about this and I believe that we're on the right track. This reinduction was a setback but I never expected this to be a smooth ride. Cancer, and life in general, is completely out of my control and I'm going to roll with the punches as they come. 

Many people have asked if there is anything they can send me or if I need anything so instead of saying my usual "oh I don't know just whatever you can think of" I created an Amazon Wishlist. Please don't feel obligated to send anything but this just makes it easier for anyone who wishes to.