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Home sweet home
Hi all, and thanks Vera for your sweet comments.
It has been great to be home and able to rest some. Nellie visited Dr Morris in his office this past Thursday. Had a CBC done and was ordered to get plates right away (dn to 14). So between Thurs and Fri she received a 12 pack. Hgl was dn to 8.6 and wht dn to 2.0. Nellie has been feeling pretty good though. Moving around, went shopping for a bedroom set for our granddaughter and made a pit stop at Winn Dixie. Lots of sleeping being done, undisturbed. I have been practicing my cooking skills and Nellie makes me think she likes it.
The BMB is another concern. We got the results also last Thursday. Not completely happy with the results. Diagnosis: Continued refractory anemia with excessive blasts type 2, (RAEB-2). The target was zero (0) blasts, then on to transplant. But now we need to continue with what is called "Salvage Therapy". This is usually done when a patient has acheived CR, complete remission and then relapses. We have been recommended three treatments:
1. FLAG - Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Growth Factor before, during and after Fludarabine plus Cytarabine.
2. CLAG - Cladribine combined with doses of Ara-C, mitoxantrone, and G-CSF.
3. CECA - Cyclophosphamide, Etoposide, Carboplatin and Ara-C.
She just got through Induction Therapy with Idarubicine and Ara-C, and she handled that pretty good. The worst part where the mouth sores and fevers. But what is this stuff going to do to her? I read up on these drugs, and they are rough. But which of the three will give us the results we want without having to repeat or do more to acheive the goal?
Well I hope one of you guys can shed some light on what direction is best. We see Dr Morris again this Thursday to make the decision on which treatment and when to start it. The Dr says the sooner the better. Well, Nellie is feeling really sluggish this morning. Probably needs some reds, it has been nearly three weeks since last txs. This may signal the start of the new therapy. Once she is in the hospital for a tx of reds, the Doc will probably recommend she stay to start the next phase of therapy. It means another month or so in hospital. Not looking forward to that.
Well guys, lets crank up the prayers, we are going to need them.
God Bless you all.
Eli
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Eli, husband of Nellie (64), dx 3/08 MDS RAEB-1 w/abs, 2nd BMB 9/08 after 4 cyls blast dn to .5, Vidaza reduced 50% on 11/19 after sudden drop in CBC, 8th cycle completed 12/26/08. BMB 2/09 blast 17%. Seven day Induction Therapy completed 3/23/09, Started Salvage Therapy 5/5/09. Stopped 5/8/09.
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