Number 11

Not a lot has changed since my last post, except everything. I have been going for immunoglobulin treatments to build up my immune system. I was receiving one of those treatments when my oncologist reached out. He said he was coming down to see me, to discuss my last biopsy results. Biopsy number 11 showed that my leukemia is back. My oncologist said it is a small amount, but it’s there.

I had an official appointment with him the next week. My mom and stepdad went with me so we were all on the same page. My transplant was done via a clinical trial. A drug called Mylotarg was a part of that trial initially. The clinical trial got cancelled due to funding. However, I still had the transplant, just done differently and still a clinical trial. Now the drug is an approved drug, and it will be used to treat the leukemia. I will receive 3 rounds of chemo, and a month afterwards, I will have another bone marrow biopsy to determine if it worked.

At my appointment with my oncologist, he asked me how I was doing. I didn’t hold back. I told him I was angry, frustrated, sad. I told him I was frustrated that the transplant was supposed to be the answer. But it wasn’t. I only got 6 months before this awful disease came back. I also told my oncologist that I was not done fighting and intended to keep fighting until he said there was nothing else to be done.

I have been keeping busy during the day by reading, doing word searches, and working on a birthday wreath for one of my oncology nurses. I have gotten away from typing up my book, and I need to get back to working on it. I am doing an Advent challenge through the app Hallow. I printed up some questions that go along with each day’s “lesson.” I’m doing the challenge with a great friend, so I have someone I can discus it with as well. I am still working through The Book of Alchemy and my journal to read The Bible in a year.

We decorated the outside of Mom’s and John’s house. We are still working on plugging in all the lights. Mom and John put large ornaments in the trees around the mailbox. I put lights in my room along with my UGA Christmas wreath I made years ago. I also decorated around the house with some of my decorations. I even got the dogs new Christmas collars. John put up their tree last night and got all the lights on. The cats are very interested in the tree…exploring with their mouths!

Well, I’m going to go help put some dishes away and help figure out dinner. Until next time, I will be dancing with Luke!