My leukemia's back.

[Blooie]

I would imagine that the words, "life threatening" would get anyone's attention. I guess in the overall scheme of things slathering on some sunscreen and plopping on a hat is a small price to pay for a successful transplant. Have a wonderful weekend and be safe heading back to Portland on Monday! Prayers!

I know I said that I'd not mention Ashley on your thread again, but just thought I'd share that my granddaughter, Katie, is saving pennies for a class project. It's a campaign to raise money for (of all things coincidental) leukemia! Every year we take her back to South Dakota to visit - been doing it since she was 5 months old. Her maternal gramma has MS, and traveling out here to see her grandkids is almost out of the question. So this way Katie gets to see her, her other aunts and cousins, and then all of my family as well. When we are back there we stay at my sister Linda's house, and Linda is Ashley's gramma. Katie loves to play with Ashley and sister Addison so Ashley's leukemia really hit home with Katie. She's determined to bring in the most pennies, and on the final day of the collection period all of the pennies from each class will be weighed. Katie plans to wear her "Team Ashley" t-shirt that last day, and she's told her class that her "friend/slash" cousin has leukemia. She said last year she helped her class win but this year she doesn't care if she wins or not - she just wants to help everyone who has leukemia. I do believe that would include you, my friend!


Katie with her pennies...we still had to sort through the big jar and get the pennies separated from the silver, and that little box she's holding is what they gave each child to bring pennies to school. Ultimately, with what she took out of her own bank, what her parents have tossed into their change jar, and what we had, she filled both of those smaller jars and half of another tall one. Um, they don't know this family very well - we do things in a big way here! So every day after school she brings her empty little box over and fills it up for the next day.

 

[3goodeggs]

Rachel,
I understand your affinity for the sun. I always tanned quickly and dark. I usually got away with being reckless and ignoring the sun. Then ..wham. I got old. One day i woke up and said, "Why is my mother looking at me from the mirror?"

My husband has always been the hat wearing sun screen pushing photophobe. So, no sympathy from him, but he already knew the shirts that breath and aren't sweltering to wear in summer in a green house.
The fishing shirts are great. Lots of vents and the fabric -even though it is not cotton- really does breath well. Any of those sport stores that offer camping and fishing gear will have them.

I have long hair and work with a thick braid, so hats are Still uncomfortable for me to wear, but If you keep your hair short, there are some nice sun hats by coolibar.

Neutrogena 70 sunblock for face and hands.
if they can figure out how to make 100% fragrance free, it would be perfect. Goes on light feels dry, not oily and it won't make you hot. I hate sunscreen, but this is wonderful stuff.

And, those big patio umbrellas. Five gallon bucket, concrete, and a short piece of PVC and you have shade that moves with you. It makes weeding easier that way.


I am glad you are cleared to go.
We are all thinking about you and rooting for you. We are pushing the prayers for you and your family.

This must all be so scary and like looking into a thick wall that you have to make your way though. You can do it. You are a superhero. You are 'Rachel the strong.'

 

[lazy gardener]

Rachel, I'll keep you foremost in my prayers through the weekend. Do I understand that you are getting a transplant next week? Monday? I'll pray that: you and your family will continue to have excellent health. No colds or other little bugs. That you will be blessed with good traveling. That God will hold you tightly in his embrace, and remove all fear. That you will encounter knowledgeable and compassionate care givers throughout your entire stay. And that you will return home healthy, and ready to move on to the next chapter of your life, cancer free.

 

[donrae]

Ron--I don't think it's because of the drugs. They try to have you off those in about 6 months, they're not necessarily a lifetime deal like when you get say a kidney transplant. I think it's just the new immune system. Apparently even after you make peace with it, it can hit a trigger that makes it think you're the enemy and need to die. And I guess the sun is one of those triggers. Who knew?

Blooie--Katie is adorable! I love seeing kids get involved in fundraising or otherwise supporting causes dear to them. Too many young folks aren't civic or volunteer minded, we need more like her!

3goodeggs, thank you my friend! I've always, always hated sunscreen, or even just lotion cause it always feels greasy and icky to me. I'll sure look at this and give it a try. I know I'll have to look into shirts eventually. I'm getting my mind around the fact I'll still be able to be outside, just not in direct sun in the heat of the day. Hey, as my Sugar Monkey keeps telling me when I complain....at least you'll be around to be unhappy with this! Hats should be okay, the hair's not an issue right now

. I've always had thick hair, we'll have to see how it grows back. I'm thinking to keep it short short for a while, it's so easy to not have to worry about your hair!

LG--I admit to the hospital next Tues (17th). I'll get a week of chemo starting on the 18th, then actual transplant will be the 24th. I'll be doing a countdown, then a day tracker to my 100 days and hopefully freedom!.

I so appreciate the prayers for my family and me. Please say a prayer for my donor, that he has continued good health and his donation goes well, and blessings on him for doing this. I can't hardly think of someone doing this for a stranger without crying. I hope he knows how much his gift is impacting my life.

 

[jgoldy2]

Rachel, I know what cancer can do to people, you don't deserve to have that done to you, my grandma's friend passed on Saturday from lung cancer.

 

[sourland]

Rachel, the ability for that person to help save you is as much a gift to him as it is to you. I hope that at some time in the future he/she gets to meet you and realize what a great person YOU are. Enjoy this weekend, stock up on LOVE, and then on to next week.

 

[Redneek]

I also have leukemia and wondered if I could ask you about your treatment?

 

[donrae]

I also have leukemia and wondered if I could ask you about your treatment?

Sorry to hear about your joining the Cancer Club

. Feel free to ask away, I'm pretty much an open book. I'll give a quick summary and if you have questions you can ask here or PM me...

I was diagnosed with AML in 6/13. I forget the exact genes that were translocated, but I'm thinking 21 was involved.
I had induction chemo with idarubicin and 5fu and cyterabine. Probably mangling the spelling of the drugs, fyi. Then 4 rounds of consolidation chemo with hi dose cyterabine. I had a clean bone marrow in 2/13 and was declared in remission. Relapsed 10/13. Induction chemo again, this time with mitaxantrone and etoposide plus cyterabine. Then consolidation with just the first two, not the cyterabine. Admitting next week for an unrelated donor stem cell transplant.

I know different types of leukemia (and there are tons of different types!) have way different treatments, so mine may be way off from yours.

Spell check sucks at drug names. Bugs the crap out of me to have all those words underlined in red on my screen, but for instance when I go to the suggestion for cyterabine, it wants to say cabinetry.....that's no help.

 

[seminolewind]

Welcome to BYC, Redneek!

Rachel is a great person to talk to about this cancer. But I'll be you already know that!

 

[Redneek]

AML too.