Much To Be Thankful About......

The low WBC (White Blood Count) and neutropenia of Monday did not agree with me - I was very ill overnight on Monday and yesterday and ended up at my family doctor's office late yesterday. She ordered the complete neutropenic work-up -- blood cultures, urine culture, CBC, and chest x-ray. My family doctor and Infectious Disease doctor decided to add another antibiotic for me since I am really coughing again and am running a fever. So far, the urine and blood cultures are negative. And I did not require a Neupogen today.

My family doctor said all of my many enlarged lymph nodes are already smaller and softer and my spleen has shrunk quite alot since initiating the splenic radiation on November 8. My prayer for this radiation endeavor was to achieve a complete remission as the German study mentions. I have never achieved a complete remission in 14 years of CLL. This looks like it could be my most promising opportunity.

I have not been able to receive radiation since Wednesday, so I will return early Friday morning and if my counts are still improving, I will receive radiation on Friday. Leukemia doesn't take a break even for birthdays or Thanksgiving!

This morning, I took a sputum sample to the hospital. Then I traveled to my oncologists' office and had my labs drawn. Next I proceeded onto the radiation oncologist's office (with my parents who are my dependable chauffeurs).

Praise God! Praise God! All of my counts had improved since Monday. I told my parents it is pretty pitiful when I came out of the doctor's office and gave them "two thumbs up" yet all of my labs remain in the abnormal range except for my White Blood Count), HOWEVER, THE COUNTS HAVE IMPROVED AND WE ARE REASSURED THAT THE RADIATION HAS NOT CAUSING BONE MARROW FAILURE. Thank You, Lord.

A bone marrow biopsy and possibly a high dose steroid boost were planned for next week if my counts continued to decline. Hopefully, both of these things have been avoided. For other leukemia patients considering splenic irradiation, I am convinced that "slow and steady" will win this race - frequent CBC's to pinpoint when the marrow is struggling to produce the blood lines and the willingness of physician and patient to hold on radiation fractions when the counts are struggling.

Thankfully, my milk experiment had boosted my T-Cells because the radiation has really knocked all of my T-Cell counts back. My CD4 count is back to 152 (AIDS patients' CD4 counts are 200 or less, so you can see what leukemia and treatment do to my CD4 Counts), so we have to readdress the PCP prophylactic medication issue again. I will see my Infectious Disease Doctor next week.

My radiation oncologist came in the room smiling and said, "I prayed last night that your counts would turn around before Thanksgiving and they have." I have a NORMAL WBC 7.5! Best of all my lymph percentage (usually 98 or 99%) is 67%! Remember that for me, LYMPHOCYTES=CANCER! (- I have never seen the lymphocytes this low with any of my previous five chemo protocols.  Hemoglobin and platelets remain low but a bit better today.

Yesterday, my family doctor ordered me to 6 days of rest. HA! She even had her prescription pad out and said she was going to write a prescription for rest and that I was not to cook Thanksgiving dinner. HAHA!

So, our daughter Stephanie arrived this afternoon, and I sat in my pajamas and gave directions and she did a great job preparing Thanksgiving dinner and we have almost everything prepared. She also set the table for me - I always use my Grandma's china, crystal and silver at holidays, but this year, I had to follow the easy route and bought Thanksgiving paper products. I will be thankful tomorrow night when I would have been hand washing all of those dishes.

My family doctor also told me not to be in crowds right now and to even wear a mask tomorrow with family. There goes my Black Friday shopping - no bargains for me! Thank you for your prayers and continued prayers!

Happy Thanksgiving to my family, friends and medical team!