Diane Jensen: Day 26 numbers are better, new socks

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Day 26 numbers are better, new socks

Today again was a "feeling better" day, everyone says yea! The Dr. came in and said her nutrifills count was up again to 600, doing well and they were going to tumor board on Wednesday to discuss "if" and "when" to start the Vidaza chemo (plan B). She again expressed her gratefulness to all of you for your kindness, cards, gifts, visits and prayers. Many of you have said you would do it for her if you could and she said she wouldn't let any of you wish for that, it hasn't been a fun party but your strength had made it bearable. She also got some fancy, high fashion, hospital design, thigh high stockings.... She said they were a bugger getting on...... I told her now you all would be jealous.

3 comments:

christiJanuary 11, 2015 at 8:38 PM
Still thinking and praying for you. I hope the meeting on Wednesday goes well and you get good news!! And I love the new socks!!
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AnonymousJanuary 12, 2015 at 9:46 AM
You are in my thoughts and prayers! I am so glad that you are feeling a bit better! :) Bobbi
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AnonymousJanuary 12, 2015 at 1:11 PM
Look at those tiny ankles! I'd wear socks like those if my arms weren't too weak to pull them on! I saw an ad the other day for zip-up compression socks--maybe you could give them a try:)!! Thinking of you with love, Jan Y.
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Diane is very thankful for any well wishes, even if she is not able to respond to all of them.

Diane's MDS Diagnosis

The hospital encourages visits when she is home or inpatient. Call first to insure she feels well enough at any particular time for visiting. Her immune system is severely compromised, so we ask you not to visit with young children or if you are ill. Currently she is an outpatient.

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) is a bone marrow disease much like cancer. If left untreated, it will eventually lead to the failure of the bone marrow (requiring transfusions) or Leukemia.

The only way to prevent this is undergoing a bone marrow transplant. Presently, her blast counts are increasing faster than expected but have not reached the level of Leukemia. Her blood counts are lower now and she has had a transfusion to help with this. She is to proceed with the bone marrow transplant now because of how rapidly the MDS is progressing.

Diane will enter the LDS Hospital's Bone Marrow Transplant Unit on Wednesday, December 17^th. She will undergo alternating rounds of chemotherapy for about 2 weeks. The chemotherapy will kill the blood producing cells, as well as her immune system.

Once the blast counts are reduced enough, then Diane will receive a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant. Diane’s sister, Tracey, is a half match and is to be the stem cell donor. However, effort is still underway to get a full match in time for the transfusion. The purpose of the transplant is to have the healthy stem cells replace the unhealthy ones killed by the chemotherapy (in the bone marrow). Once the transplant is done she will be on medicine to prevent rejection for some time (estimated 6 months to a year).

Mid term bone marrow biopsy coming up on (day 17) Friday, Jan. 2 nd. Find out if more chemo might be needed after the results of that test come back. Then another biopsy about day 35. Transplant could take place around day 42 the doctor said.

At this time (June 30) no transplant is scheduled. The disease became active again about mid June. Her blast numbers increased rapidly within just a weekend. Had they been able to do transplant (June 8) it would NOT have been successful, and she would have gone thru much trama for nothing. She has started another round of chemo aimed at controlling the MDS to lower blast levels.

Both the chemotherapy and the stem cell transfusion will be very hard on Diane. We ask for your prayers of strength and comfort on her behalf.

This site will be updated with Diane’s progress.