Weekend Update April 15

Had a wonderful week with calls and visits from friends - most recently Marie and Amy from North Andover made the trip south to spend some Quality time with me at Beth Israel.   Between the conversations and the huge bag of M & Ms I was in heaven!!  Also a special thanks to my cousins Mark and Karen who hosted my Mom for the week she was here to see me - they live 3 blocks from the hospital and it was wonderful to have her so close for the week.

Medical Updates - here are some highlights - all good news WOW

• I have not needed blood or platelet infusions for about 10 days.  This tells us my marrow is producing sufficient quantity of these blood products such that I do not need supplemental infusions - great news.
• I am officially not neutropenic meaning I am as ready/healthy as anyone else to take on infections that may come my way.   This is another key milestone in the recovery of my marrow which went from producing leukemia cells (before the last chemo), to producing no cells at all (after the last chemo) to enough healthy white blood cells (think disease fighting cells) to allow the doctors to begin talking about discharge from the hospital.
• I have been on three antibiotics for the past month plus.   If all continues on track I will be off all three by Monday of next week.
• Once I am off the antibiotics and there is no lingering sign of one of the blood infections that brought me in here, I can get a new port or central line (a way of getting blood drawn and products delivered such as platelets).  This can be done as an in patient or out patient.  A new port will give me more stability for blood draws and infusions
• I had a bone marrow biopsy with very encouraging initial results - no leukemia in my blood stream and no leukemia apparent in my marrow.  There is a genetic mutation called FLT3 and we have to wait another week or so to know if that is present.
• Next steps for treatment - it all depends on the final marrow analysis and the status of the FLT3.  I may get another boost of donor cells, possibly another round of Vorinistat (a chemo/immune accelerate pill) or no active treatment but continued monitoring and infusion as needed.  No matter what it looks very likely I will be released next week which would be tremendous.  Poor Guinness won't know what to do with himself!

Thanks for checking in and what a beautiful place I am in - feeling strong and rested.  Many thanks for your love and prayers.  I hope to be able to give back in the same measure you've all given to me.

Love, Maureen