They will be giving him Vidaza, the same chemotherapy he had before going into the hospital for the transplant. He had good results with it then. Those four rounds were able to get him into remission before the transplant. So this is encouraging.
It is easy to be frustrated when his condition is right back where it was in March 2014, except at that time he had about 8% blast counts. It's disappointing to go through the entire transplant process, only to relapse before the crucial 100 days post-transplant period.
We are trying to arrange to have the chemotherapy administered locally like before, but if they can't get him on the schedule on such short notice, we will have to do it at the Cleveland Clinic all of next week.
What happens beyond this first round of chemotherapy is not known. The doctor is still planning a strategy. It is likely that he may still need a second transplant from his brother's stem cells if all goes well.
Meanwhile, we are back at the Cleveland Clinic tomorrow for blood work and possible treatment. His blood counts dropped this past week close to the threshold of requiring transfusions. His white count went as low as 1.45 or 1,450. His hemoglobin was as low as 8.7 and his platelets dropped to 23,000. Transfusion thresholds: Blood is given at <8 Hemoglobin and platelets given at < 10,000.
The last few days he has felt achy and nauseated. This could be because of his low blood counts and being off the immunosuppressants. His hip seems to be more sore and achy than any of the past twelve times he has had them done.
We are trying to stay positive in light of this unfavorable news. Please continue to pray for healing and guidance for us and the doctor. While we still have confidence in her and the transplant team, we are not ruling out a second opinion. There are several treatment options that the doctor can recommend, so we pray that God will guide her choices.
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