Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia!
That's right. It is the same diagnosis. It is just that there is light spreading in the bone marrow. This changes nothing on the treatment plan. Their approach is a pediatric protocol, mainly because I am as young as I am, which makes my remission rate at 80% (90% for an actual child). I will be on a 9 to 12 month regime with my first month being completely in house and the most agressive. I will then be in and out of the hospital for the next 9 to 12 months and not able to work or go to school. Actually life will be changing in so many ways.
The chemo began that night (Tuesday, 11/19) with 2 of the 5 chemo regimes entering via I.V. (VinChristine & Doxorubilin). They didn't take long to get in the system and man did they rush through my body quick. One of them were red and,well, an hour later I expelled some red. I will count that. I didn't notice anything in terms of side effects although while injecting the chemo they also injected anti-nausea medication.
Day 2 of treatment I though was going to be quiet because I thought my next 2 chemo does were going to be this friday. Well no. One of them was to be on this day (Wednesday, 11/20). This chemo injection was preceeded with a spinal tap done down in radiology. The tap went well and the new chemo went in fine, straight into the spine. This was chemo 3 of the 5 (IT Cytarabine) and I will only have that one once this round (per month). This first 2 will repeat every Tuesday for the next 4 weeks.
Today (Thursday, 11/21) was my actual quiet day. Not that I want quiet days, but after some of the things that happend today I kind of needed it. I experienced my first major side effect, but in a somewhat small form. I experienced a major heave, but prevented a spew (HEH......Sorry). I did prevent it with some deep breathing. I think the lack or change of the taste buds help make the situation happen. I was very nervous for dinner because after that episode because my head was swimming and my stomach was on stand by. I ended requesting some anti-nausea medication and proceeded to eat, but very, very slowly.
Tomorrow I will be receiving my 4th chemo dose (4 of 5) this is a new regime (Pegaspargase) and will only be injected once during this cycle via I.V.
I am pretty anxious, nervous or whatever, but I have to flat out accept what comes to me and act accordingly. Bucket next to the bed tonight.
Well that pretty much catches us up on this. The next posts may be a bit more gapped out. So just continue to look for email notifcations, facebook posts, or just bookmark the site.
such strength- from both of you. It's a journal, but to your advantage, you are in a position to endure it.
ReplyDeletethanks Tasha...miss you!
ReplyDelete