Saturday, September 12, 2009

Bone Marrow Results and New Chemo

Great news! We received McKenna's bone marrow results on Thursday and they showed that there is no leukemia cells in her marrow. This is what her doctors were hoping to find. While her marrow looks clean, clinical trials over the past 30 years show that if they were to stop the chemotherapy now the leukemia would come back.

On Friday morning McKenna started her new chemo protocol. This phase is called consolidation and it lasts 8 weeks. We left for the hospital at 6:30am yesterday and didn't get home until 7:30pm. Long day! She had another spinal tap. (She'll have one every week for the next 4 weeks.) In the past they haven't wiped her out, but it did yesterday.

One of the chemo drugs they gave her yesterday can do a lot of damage to the bladder so they have to hydrate very well before giving it and after giving it. (About 8 hours worth...the reason we were there so long.)

The drugs they are giving the next couple of months seem to have more annoying side-effects. (Nausea, lack of appetite, aches and pains similar to the flu, and low, low counts to name a few...) McKenna felt pretty rotten last night. You know she really doesn't feel well when she complains because she hardly says anything about her discomforts. We were finally able to get her comfortable so she could sleep well last night. (She is still sleeping.)

We are thankful for your prayers and all your support. We feel the power of those prayers strengthen us all daily.


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