Did you ever think that I would be cheering a Chemotherapy? Well, guess what? I am! Today marks my first round of treatment with a lighter form of Chemotherapy – Decitabine. From here forward I’ll refer to Decitabine as Chemo Lite!
As mentioned earlier in my blog I’m on a research study which has established my protocol (treatment) for AML at 17 months! This is a very long time for any cancer treatment, especially considering the patient (me) is in remission. Why are they doing that? Well, I asked my doctor here at MD Anderson, Dr. Estrov. Here is what he said (paraphrased). Leukemia in children is 90% curable. When they started studying this success, the researchers discovered that it was because of the length of treatment that the disease was being cured. In children they treat for 2 years or more and in 90% of the cases the patients are actually CURED. In adults, that was not happening because the adults could not tolerate that length of treatment. Adults cannot/do not recover as fast as a child and were actually succumbing to the disease. .
The research study I’m on is combining Chemotherapies (strong and lite) in an effort to lengthen the treatment (while keeping the patient alive!) with the goal of completely eradicating the disease. So for me – after 3 rounds of the strong treatment (that put me into remission but made my body and spirit so sick) today I started my first three rounds of Chemo Lite!
After blood work, a visit with the doctor, I’m scheduled for infusion at 4:30 p.m. At 6:00 p.m. I’m still in the waiting room – blood pressure, anxiety and the irritability factor are all skyrocketing. I hate this so much I just want to get on with it and having to wait.....! Finally I’m called in. With this Chemo they do not pre-medicate with anti-nausea medicine. WHAT?? I was very worried when the nurse told me that. You know me and throwing-up! I dug into my purse to find anti-nausea pills that I carried with me and took one, just to be sure! OK, it’s starting and I’m really not feeling much except my nerves (maybe time for Xanax instead of anti-nausea pills?) I’m half way through and I feel a hunger pang! Could it be? Everyone was telling the truth and it won’t be as bad? I won’t be going right to bed, curling up in a fetal position for the next 12 hours?
In an hour I’m done! I feel OK! I can walk to my hotel room without worrying about throwing up somewhere along the way. In fact, I stop by the hotel deli and order a sandwich which I ate in my room watching the Olympics. I feel like I’m in heaven. I just had Chemo, I feel good enough to eat and enjoy what’s left of my evening.
Hooray! Decitabine!
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June, For some as late as Feb 22 every time I opened your blog the last entry was Feb. 6. That is why I left those desperate messages on your phone. Thanks for the email. So today I go to your blog and there are a lot of updates including Feb.25, yesterday. So, I am not sure what is happening with my computer. But I am glad Chemo-Lite started out so well and hope it will continue. Will keep checking the blog and call you when you are back in Boca. Jeanie
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