My update...

So I guess I haven't given an update on myself and I got a couple of request to do so... So here goes.

I've been feeling okay lately. I still have days where I am so exhausted and get extremely light headed. And days when I just don't feel the best but those days aren't as many as they were. The new thing that I'm going through is my hair is falling out... When you are iron deficient for so long you start to lose your hair because the follicles become weak... I have a lot of hair and it's thick... but I get worried when I see how much is falling out.

I saw my oncologist at the end of November and he ran my labs. My iron level is still VERY low which in my case is great but my red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets all remain high. They are still right on the edge of where we start treatment. My doctor is continuing to keep me on the every month blood check and upped my blood thinner and said he would probably start letting my blood out soon. He said this will help with my headaches and hopefully with being so tired.

We found out when my grandma passed away that her sister actually had the same kind of cancer that my doctor is worried about mine progressing to. She was diagnosed in Jan 1991 and they did chemo at the Cancer Treatment Center of America. Unfortunately she lost her battle with cancer the September of the same year. My doctor told me not to worry about that because the treatment options have come so far since 1991. Because there is a family history it does raise my chances of mine progressing to a more severe kind he told me that the medical field is on the verge of finding a cure. We did contact my insurance company and if I do need a bone marrow transplant it would be covered under our insurance - we just don't know how much the copay would be. But at least it will be covered!!

The Mayo Clinic is going to be doing a a clinical trial with a new Interferon that would help keep my counts down. The doctor said it would be pretty intense and I would have to do several bone marrow biopsies during the study which I would not be looking forward too :) but it would be worth it if it works and it wouldn't be as bad as the transplant. Right now it hasn't been approved by the FDA so my insurance wouldn't cover it right now and it would be VERY expensive to pay out of pocket, but if my doctor can get me into the clinical trial it would be covered! He said the study should be starting in a few months and I'm a perfect candidate for it! He said I should do well with it since I'm so young! So we are praying that I can get into the study group!

So that's where things are for now. My next blood draw is right before Christmas so hopefully we will get some good news that my blood counts went WAY down! :) Thanks for all the continued prayers - they help so much! It's hard not being able to work but I'm enjoying being able to watch Triniti and Keegan grow up and be with Hunter before and after school!