November 25, 2025

-

Just over a month since we have been back from Toronto.  So much has happened since then.

Another hospital visit and all is well.  For blood work at his visits they have been using his PICC line.  Because he no longer has it (he is so relieved the line is gone), he went to finger poke this morning.  He waited around for 45 minutes (they were doing other things, not helping patients) only to be told he needed more blood work than just the CBC (complete blood count).  Up to the clinic and they sent him to the out patient lab.

I was frustrated by the wasted waiting time but they were good at the clinic and moved him through promptly.

He needs extra blood taken for the virology - to test the Epstein-Barr virus.  So far it has pretty consistently been positive but not a high level so no cause for concern

They still haven't received approval to give him the dasatinib so he is starting on imatinib.  He will be on one of these two chemo drugs for the next year.  This is to make sure that the leukemia remains a thing of the past, never to return. 

I am heading back to work soon and Marlon will be back in school for the second semester.  In the meantime, he is working on his online courses, and feeling thoroughly frustrated.  He expected more clarity and learning from the online courses and has a rant pretty much every time he logs on.


The bright colours as the setting sun shines on the trees

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

November 10, 2022 (2)

-
Image
Today, I dropped Marlon off at outdoor school and met up with a friend I have only seen a handful of times in the last 20+ years.  She was in the area for the passing of a family member. i then went for a walk with Mina.  I watched and she poised herself in hunting position and pounced.  I saw a squirrel run up a tiny little tree but also heard this pitiful whining.  At first, confused, I wondered if she had pounced on a nest in the ground.  But the dog ran to me, crying and whining, holding up her paw.  We were a ways from home and she hobbled carefully home after we sat for a while and she calmed down.  She will often run the perimeter of fields, running this way and that.  I saw her longing to run the field as we made our way back but she was uncomfortable and limping. A short while later, I went to pick up Marlon and watched in amazement as he hobbled to the car.  Yes, he had hurt his foot within an hour of the dog hurting herself.  ...
Read more

April 17, 2025

-
Image
It is shocking to see how sick he is. Not sick in the vomiting sense but so zapped of energy that he will wake up, walk to washroom, back again and sleep. Sometimes awake for 20 minutes like when the doctor came this morning to let us know his treatment plan. Chemo has started and I hope he comes back to life. Right now the leukemia is destroying him and it is so hard to see. I still can't believe he is back here again. The doctor said that in the past, they may have blasted the relapse very aggressively with chemo. Now it isn't nearly as aggressive a treatment. Well until you get to the bone marrow transplant (BMT). Chemo and steroids have begun and will continue for four weeks at which point they will check his marrow again. Once levels are better, immunotherapy will begin and continue for two months. Then comes the bone marrow transplant.   His brother and sister are first choice as possible donors. Blood needs to get typed and see if there is a match. All three ...
Read more

July 5, 2022

-
Image
Decision was made that Marlon was to go check blood counts on Monday.  We drove down to Hamilton together, quick finger poke, and then leave again.  A couple of times, we drove around the parking garage for almost a half-hour looking for a spot, but Monday was smooth.  Busy place. Blood counts are good so dental work begins.  Marlon's doctor was impressed with the dentist when she spoke with him last week.  In support, I sit next to him in the dentist's room and hope my own anxiety, discomfort, and fear don't affect him. Halfway through the drilling of four teeth which was quite intense, they took a little break to check in with Marlon and see if he was up to continue.  He agreed to do more but said he was most concerned about the tastes of the filling material.  With the pain and discomfort of the first part, one would think that would be the least of his worries but he is very sensitive to taste and flavour.  As it turned out he didn't gag or re...
Read more