So I was talking to Ashley yesterday as she was up in a chair, eating her lunch (YES! PRAISE GOD!) and she said she was thinking about this random fast-onset APL disease (leukemia) she now has. Several people have asked things like, how long has she had it, why does she need to stay in the hospital for a month, what causes it, etc., so here's some explanations:
It's Acute Promyelocyctic Leukemia. The acute part says that it was quick on set, so it's likely she hasn't had it for even a month. It's not hereditary, and will not affect her having children in the future.
The treatment includes a pill-form of chemotherapy (doesn't cause hair loss or nausea), a cancer zapping form of arsenic, a blood thinner for the clots in her brain and the occasional Tylenol. SO that means her immune system is depleted, which means she suseptable to infection, and with blood thinner is a bleeding risk. Nothing scary about that, just want to keep her in a soft bed or chair a few yards away from a nurse in the event she gets a scratch walking to and from the bathroom or taking a shower - BTW (for you over 40 that means "by the way") she did take her first shower today and feels like a million bucks! She should be getting a face mask filter thing today so she can start taking laps around the hospital. GOD IS SO GOOD!
Some have asked what causes this form of leukemia. Well, Ashley's explanation is that it's much like Gremlins. What has been explained by her doctors is that it is immature, over-excited, over-zealous white blood cells that have crashed the place, super multiplied and wreaked havoc. Although the doctors don't know what causes those cells to do that (other than feeding/getting them wet after midnight. haha. jk.); they do know exactly how to get them to stop. Which is what the chemo/arsenic cocktail are currently doing as we speak. They want her to be in remission (which they have somehow got down to a science that it will be approximately 4 weeks) before leaving to do out-patient treatment.
Her blood pressure, heart rate, and balance of meds have all been in range/balance for the last couple of days. Her biggest complaint right now is that she tends gets hot at night, gets tired quickly and her neck gets stiff trying to find a comfortable position to sleep, and we will take that! By the grace of God, she is doing AMAZING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS! Please keep continuing to share the youcaring.com/SupportTheStClairs link to help her with the costs of her and family staying in the hospital while she receives care.
Lamentations 3:23 - Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
~ The Big Sister
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