Tuesday. October 9, 2007 - She's on the rise! And the really good news is that if she maintains at least 100 tomorrow, the doctors will be discharging her from MGH! Of course, everyone is hoping for 200 or more, but as long as her ANC doesn't go down, she's coming home.
Based on this news, Chris packed up Mady's hospital room throughout the day. This evening Julia and I hauled the stuff to the car-- three wheelchairs full, including bags sitting on the footrests and hanging from the IV posts. The nurses got a big kick out of our multiple heavily-loaded trips out of the room.
Mady is a little nervous about tomorrow, and it's not the "Will I get to go home?" part. In spite of the fact that I'll be calling it Day 31 (I measure from the day she entered MGH), tomorrow is the all-important Day 29 (they measure from the day she started chemotherapy). The Induction Phase is over, and Dr. Friedmann will take another bone marrow aspiration (we jokingly call it a core sample) and a spinal tap for spinal fluid. The samples will be sent to an out-of-state lab for special analysis with equipment much more sensitive than any available in the Boston area. It will detect even the smallest continued presence of leukemia cells in her body, and the goal is to find no hint of the disease. This analysis will take a couple of days... and they will be LONG days.
If Mady has no detectable leukemia (and the doctors all seem to expect this to be the case), she will begin the 2 1/2 year Maintenance Phase of the chemotherapy. I don't yet know what the exact protocol is for this part, other than periodic outpatient chemo sessions at the Yawkey Center. If tomorrow's tests still detect leukemia, then her treatment will take a more aggressive turn--I know much less about this very undesirable possibility, but it could involve another month-long induction phase at the hospital.
Family and friends, for Mady's tests tomorrow, let's all focus on NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA. Prayers, positive energy, fingers-crossed, ceremonial dances... it's all good.
Coming home will be sweet, but coming home with no detectable leukemia will be indescribably wonderful.
Day 30: Woo Hoo! Mady's ANC hits...
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15 comments:
Mady, you ANC machine! Now it is the home stretch... and we have fingers crossed, toes crossed, prayers flying right and left, and all the best wishes we can muster flying up to you... from Austin to Boston: Get well and Get HOME!
HOOK 'EM!
Kathy and David Genet (and all the kids)
Mady, oh yeah Trey & Chris too,
The ever expanding west coast rooting section is pulling hard for the 'NDL' designation as well as a continued White Blood Cell population explosion!
You have all been amazing during the past month and we look forward to the entry that says you've got the green light to escape the MGH Hotel.
Steve & Josie Kelley
NDL NDL NDL NDL NDL NDL I've got my fingers and toes crossed for you all. Can't wait to hear that Mady is safely ensconced in her negative pressure HOME bedroom (or sim)
Much Love,
Lilli
Mady,Chris and Trey,
What great news! We will be sending you all our good thoughts and prayers for your ANC as well as NDL (how good we're getting with these acronyms!) Can't wait for you to be home.
Joce
hey hey hey good news all our prayers are working thank you c&t for hanging in there and keeping madys spirits up
love y0u all gp&e
Hooray for the home stretch. All of us are holding the vision of the move to the house completed and Mady home in her own bed to sleep asap.
Hugs,
Connor and Donna and Charlotte
Seattle calling Mady: go home young lady!
Yesterday my favorite number was 30 but my new favorite number is 100! Go NDL!
Tami Lovin
I like the trajectory--0, then 30, then 100...GO MADDY!
toni apgar thayer (fam camp)
NDL! NDL! NDL! NDL! NDL! NDL!
Somebody needs to ring the bell up at Camp Lawrence -- Mady is going home!!!
Best wishes-
The Finneys from Family Camp
at this rate, the next # should be 300, then 900, etc., or is there some logarhythmic scale, not that i know beans about it, the best thing is to keep those ANCs coming, o joy o joy
j, m, m, g, and the dog
HEY Maddy,
HEY Maddy,
HEY! HEY HEY!
Maddy,
Just in case you need them,
I am sending 8 boxes of Neutrophils via Fed Ex (priority delivery).
Well actually....I looked on eBay but couldnt find any Neutrophils, so, instead, im sending eight boxes of Tic-Tacs.....They kind of look kind of the same as white blood cells..... right?
You dont know me, but I'm an OLD freind of your Mom's from WAY back when!
Keep packin your stuff and
GO HOME!!!!
Your new NYC cheering section.
John James Joseph Jordan III
Congratulations on 100! Truly awesome news. And a great trajectory. Keep it up! Good luck with the 'core sample'. James and I will be praying for you (all) and sending you our positive energy. Your own bed is going to feel soooo good!
Love, Martha
NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA NO DETECTABLE LEUKEMIA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We'll carry on the chant!! Go Mady!!! Go Chris!!! Go Trey!!! Go Julia!!! Susan, Scott, T&C
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for cancer-free!!!
And for even more ANC!!!!
~~Stephanie~~
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