Biopsy result and prognoses.

Dr. Brinker called last night and visited me this morning to explain the results of the latest bone marrow biopsy.  And here is the basics of that conversation.

He said that the leukemia is gone.  But, he made an exception and said that there are finer test now that can detect minute levels of leukemia cells and that came back showing some.  What that some is he didn't say and it really doesn't matter.  There will be no more chemo for me during this stay in the hospital.  The plan is to get my counts up and get me healthy again and then to do a bone marrow biopsy in 3 or 4 weeks and see what the results are and go from there.

Unfortunately he doesn't feel that I will be home before Thanksgiving like I had hoped.  I think being in the ICU was more of a setback than either of us wanted.

So the plan is to get my white blood cells, hemoglobin and platelets back up so that I can fight infection.  This will take awhile because my immune system is bottomed out right now.  Get me home and then back for a repeat bone marrow biopsy.

After that I will be going through 4 more rounds of chemo with just a 6 day stay in the hospital each time.  About every 28 days after I leave the hospital this time.

So now it is a wait and see game and hope that nothing else happens during the rest of my stay here.  Like one new development is they found a resistant strain of bacteria in my blood culture called "Amp C" which now means that the nurses have to wear special gowns when they come in my room so they don't spread it to other patients.  It is not uncommon for patients to develop this. But I was hoping I wouldn't find out anything new.

The stay in the ICU took a lot out of me.  I have a lot of swelling because of all the fluids they pumped into me to get my blood pressure up.  My blood pressure got as low as 60/20 and maybe lower I can't remember.  Now my blood pressure is high.  At times 155/100 so they are giving me medication to get rid of the fluid.  But, that is turning out to be a slow process.  I suspect they will be putting me on medication for that soon.

My appetite is not what it was before the ICU and my breathing has to be worked on daily because all the fluids reduced my lung capacity.  But, that is improving each day.  My strength is improving daily.

I have to admit that being in the ICU scared me and I am so glad that Cindy was here with me during this time.  She was able to take the week off work and help me recoup and has been my rock during this rough time.  I am hoping my strength is back up to the point it needs to be by Sunday because she will need to go back to work next week.

We both wish she could stay with me longer.  But our finances will not allow it.  I just hope nothing else happens that will require any longer of a stay in the hospital.  Like I said before.  It is not necessarily the chemo that gets you.  It is one of the many possible side effects that will jump up and bite you in the rear when you least expect it.