OUR LITTLE JESSIE BEE

My treatment road map:

I have six rounds of chemotherapy for my type of leukemia. I have to plan to be in the hospital for about three weeks and then I get to come home for a week for each session. I start each round getting chemo through my central line. The type of chemotherapy I get changes each time. Sometimes the drug changes, sometimes the method and sometimes the order. This is to make sure that the cells are getting destroyed at the right time and aren't able to regenerate. This lasts about four days. I have to stay in my hospital room and don't get to mingle with any other patients. My white and red blood cells are destroyed along with the leukemia cells with each session so I am really vulnerable to disease and infections. After my chemo treatment, I just have to wait until my blood counts are high enough to allow me to go home. This is a VERY long wait... and my mom is NOT a patient person. :) They complete blood tests on me every day to look at my numbers and sometimes I have blood and platelet transfusions if my counts are too low.

Overview of my treatment:
Chemotherapy - The intitial phase of chemotherapy is called "induction therapy". This involves simultaneously using multiple drugs or a planned sequence of treatments. For most AML subtypes we are treated with an anthracycline (daunorubicin) combined with cytarabine (AraC). The anthracycline and cytarabine act in different ways to stop AML cell growth and lead to AML cell death. These drugs are given in combination over 4 days. The goal of induction therapy is to rid the blood and marrow of visible leukemic blast cells.

Session 1 (Induction 1):
Continuous infusion of Cytarabiune (AraC)/Daunorubicin and 6-Thioguanine for four days.
Bone Marrow test on day 14

Session 2 (Induction 2):
Most intense round of chemo drugs. Infusions were broken into two sessions. Infusion of Cytarabine (AraC)/L-asparaginase, VP/AarC (Etoposide/Cytarabine - AraC) and IT AraC (Intrathecal Cytarabine)
Bone Marrow test

Session 3 (Induction 3):
Same as session 1
No Bone Marrow Test

Session 4 (Induction 4):
Continuous infusion of Cytarabine (AraC) / Daunorubicin
Bone Marrow Test

Session 5 (Intensification 1):
Continuous infusion of Etoposide / Cytarabine (AraC)

Session 6 (Intensification 2):
Same as session 5

Treatment complete and follow up sessions monthly for the first two years.