Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
is a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. In AML, the bone marrow makes many unformed cells called blasts. Blasts normally develop into white blood cells that fight infection. However, the blasts are abnormal in AML. They do not develop and cannot fight infections. The bone marrow may also make abnormal red blood cells and platelets. The number of abnormal cells (or leukemia cells) grows quickly. They crowd out the normal red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets the body needs.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Day 58

Wednesday.  Biopsy Day.  Riley and I headed down to the hospital at 7:50 this morning.  We went directly to the hem-onc clinic to get blood drawn.  They needed to make sure that Riley's numbers were going in the right direction.  (That his platelets were high enough to go through the bone marrow biopsy).  We waited for awhile... chatting with the transplant nurse.  Then our social worker came by.  Finally around lunch the numbers came in. 

Labs today:
White blood cells:  2.7  (normal 4.5 - 13.5)
Red Blood cells: 10.2 (normal 13.5 - 17.5)
Platelets: 122  (normal 150 - 425)
ANC:  702  ( < 500 = severely neutropenic)

WHAT!!!!??!!
Our brains can hardly comprehend what those numbers mean!!
ANC   702... really ??
White... 2.7  !!!
I can't help but scan the paperwork for blasts.  With that number of white blood cells, ... is he producing blasts? 
Or is this a good sign?  He did NOT do anything like this last cycle. 

Oh, the waiting game. 

Riley got in "line" for the biopsy.  We went through pre-op.  I waited in the waiting room.  I went to see Riley in recovery.  He did awesome!!  We waited for a bit at the pharmacy.
Now we will wait for the results...

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