Doctor Gotlieb is very happy!

It is not expcected to see evidence of response to the chem (azacididine) drug that they are using until the second cycle at the earliest but there is an indication (from lab results) that Andrew is responding after only one cycle. The idea is to use this treatment to stomp on the disease and get it under control enough to then try donor cells again from Andrew's brother. They will know what is really going on with the disease when they do a bone marrow biopsy and so the plan is to do another cycle of 7 days starting tomorrow. The blood counts will then go down again as a result of the chemo the following week but hopeful recover and then come up a bit towards the end of the month. If that happens, they will do a bone marrow biopsy at the end of April to see what is happening in the marrow and make decisions about how to proceed based on the results. The hematology team will consult with the Bone Marrow Transplant team to work out what to do and when. It was not a given that Andrew would respond to the chemo offered (he is the first with his particular disease and prior treatment to try this) so it is great to have an indication that it is probably doing what they hoped it would at this stage. Still neutropenic so confined to base but good news is always a boost to morale etc.

Signs of responding to the chemo

Andrew had a much better week this week. Outpatient all week and just for IV antibiotics, blood draws and transfusions. His platelet count is on the go (going up that is) which indicates that he is responding to the chemo. That's a real plus, it wasn't necessarily a given. We have an appointment with the hematologist on Monday and think he will be happy about that and probably order the next round on chemo. Thanks to everyone for their well wishes. Andrew always likes to receive the messages. He is still neutropenic (no neutrophils/white blood cells) so still the bubble boy - lots of reruns of Black Adder etc. So wet and wild here at the moment that we are all pretty much staying in doors.

Cycle

Andrew had to be admitted to Stanford again on Wednesday with fevers and a bit of a cough. He is hoping they will let him come home on IV antibiotics. Waiting to see.

Round One ... DONE!

Andrew is very happy to be home again. It really is not much fun in hospital even though they look after him very well at Stanford. He is also very pleased to have completed a cycle of the chemotherapy. He has three weeks without chemo before going back for round two. The chemo knocks the blood counts down further (not that there is anywhere for them to go as they are already rock bottom) but it means we go out to the clinic at Stanford over the next three weeks to do labs and transfusions as required. After round two and before round three they plan to do a bone marrow biopsy to see how it looks. Hoping the chemo is doing its stuff. Andrew is a first in many ways for this treatment but the doctors all say that they have never seen anyone with the degree of disease etc. that he has look anywhere near as good as he does! On Friday a new physician come in and had to ask us which one was the patient. He has also had a few short walks the last couple of day (gets a good burst of energy after what he fondly calls a few free pints at Friday happy hour).