After the initial shock, Sharon, Jonilynn, Jessica, and I had a quick decision to make -- what treatment to begin with. Based on the oncologist's recommendation and the extensive research we did, we decided to begin with a regimen of taking a new "wonder drug," Gleevec -- an oral chemo treatment. I spent the first 3 months building up my strength in preparation for surgery on my Crohn's Disease (an 18" partial blockage removed from my small intestine) in June, in an attempt to minimize my minimally active disease and allow me to stop taking Prednisone for it was skewing my weekly lab results and my oncologist was having difficulty accurately tracking how effective the Gleevec was. After stopping Gleevec for about a week because of the surgery, I resumed the normal dosage of 400 mg/day, and was then totally off Prednisone completely.
I thought I was progressing nicely, and a bone marrow biopsy on August 4 showed that the Gleevec was having some good effects on my Leukemia, for the number of cancer cells was being reduced. That is, until several days later, when I developed a high fever, pneumonia, headache, no appetite, and became terribly weak -- Sharon and the girls convinced me to go to the ER on August 10. To this day, none of the doctors know exactly what happened, but all I know is that I almost passed from this life (the second day after admission, family was summoned for they didn't think I'd make it), because of the power of prayer I survived. There are still 5 days in August last year that I don't remember -- I do remember waking up one day seeing my intensive care room full of people, including Sharon and the girls, my Mother and Aunt, one of my sisters and brothers, several in-laws, and our minister.
Even though I gained enough strength to be discharged about 10 days later, I continued to lose weight, and by November had lost more than 70 pounds since my CML diagnosis in April. My primary care physician, oncologist, and gastroenterologist agreed to take me off almost all my drugs and start me on another Prednisone regimen, which worked -- slowly I started getting an appetite back and started to gain weight. Ever since then, I?ve spent most of my days trying to feel well enough to go back to work (which I'm hoping to do, at least part-time, within the next several months). I continue to have weekly labs done to monitor my CML and meet with my oncologist and primary care physician, as necessary. As you have probably noticed recently, I have been feeling well enough to do some things outside in the yard, but it's been a looooooong time coming! Some of you have been very helpful and supportive during my illness, and I truly appreciate that. I may soon reach a milestone in my CML treatment because the last bone marrow biopsy in July showed a marginal improvement in my CML, and though my Gleevec dosage was increased to 600 mg/day, I may be facing a bone marrow transplant - a very risky (perhaps terminal) procedure (because of my age and because I don't have any sibling matches as possible best-case donors).
As you can see in the picture, it was a beautiful night (and a wonderful experience)! Thank You to all who participated in this wonderful event and to those who sponsored our walk with a donation to the LLS.
Our team of walkers raised $1,622 for the LLS, while the entire event raised over $225,000.
Do you want to join us next year? Please contact me via email using the link at the top of this page. You will also find the link to the LLS to find out more about this wonderful organization, and its fantastic services to blood cancer patients like myself.
In addition, another nonprofit organization that I belong to is for technical writers and trainers - several friends from this group joined our walk, and many of the chapter members sponsored us through a donation to the LLS. Their link is also included.