Madison’s Blog

Maddie went in for chemo today and was so brave.  She didn’t fuss at all when they poked her port but did end up tripping and falling face down after anxiously turning a corner to see the doctor.  She fell on her port and it caused quite a bit of bleeding in the afternoon.  Enough so that when she saw the blood-filled gauze at home, she cried.  I always tell her she’s so graceful, just like her mommy!  Dr. Wilkinson said her cell counts look great.  She is what they call a “rapid responder” and is responding to the chemo exactly the way she’s supposed to.  Her cell counts looked like this today:

White blood cells:  2.9 (same as Feb. 1)
Hemoglobin:  8.8 (8.5 on Feb. 1)
Platelets:  257 (301 on Feb. 1)
ANC (ability to fight off infection):  1740 (2407 on Feb. 1)

Dr. Wilkinson said she is on her way to REMISSION!  At diagnosis, the leukemia cells would be compared to the size of your two fists put together, and today, it could be compared to the size of her pinky!  HOORAY!!

The Dexamethasone (steroid) that she’s been taking for the past 22 days will stop for awhile after 2/14.  That steroid makes her super hungry all the time, makes her moods as unpredictable as a roller coaster, and turns her muscle into fat.  Her cheeks and belly have become round and swollen, and her hair is starting to thin.  Although I explain that it’s the steroid that’s making her so puffy, she insists it’s because she’s eating so much.  She said she doesn’t like being puffy and says she “looks ugly”.  I told her she’ll be getting a break from that steroid soon and so she should be more comfortable both physically and the with way she looks.  She said, “I’m gonna have a good Valentine’s Day!”  and can’t wait to have a normal appetite again.  Whew!  I’ll enjoy a little break from the kitchen too!

Whenever her ANC (Absolute Nutrophil Count) is relatively good, she gets to choose where she wants to go after her chemo treatment.  Today she chose Genki Sushi (big surprise).  She craves their sushi and even asks us to make the corn and tuna salad rolls at home.  They don’t look as nice as Genki, but Maddie says they’re still “yummy”. 

Her next spinal tap and bone marrow aspiration will take place on 2/15 (day 29 and the conclusion of her “induction” phase).  The results from that procedure will determine protocol or “road map” for the next course of treatment (consolidation) which is expected to last about 6 months.  There are results we are still waiting for from the mainland called cytogenetic (sp?) tests.  It reveals the genetics of her blood and will also help determine the next course of treatment along with the results from her spinal fluid and bone marrow.  Sometimes, there are chromosome problems which may result in changing her risk level from low to high, so we will continue to pray for even more good news.  Like our friend Joe Valoroso who’s daughter Jolyn just finished her maintenance says.. enjoy each “small victory”… and hearing that Maddie’s on her way toward remission is definitely a victory!!

Thanks for hanging in there with us!!

All our love,
Janelle and Scott