The Calm After The Storm
This MediQuick doctor hit me with heavy, heavy news, but a call the next day brought hope. It turns out, a hematologist took a look at my results. She felt that my results looked more typical of CML than AML. CML, although still serious, moves slower than AML. CML also happens to be a type of Leukemia where patients have benefitted hugely from a relatively new drug called Gleevec. CML and the potential to use Gleevec meant great things. No chemo, no bone marrow transplant, and best of all, no hospital!
But did I have CML? And what stage was I in? According to the doctor, my spleen was "huge" (another symptom of Leukemia). The only way to really find out was a bone marrow biopsy which was performed the morning of July 21 after four days of sitting and waiting.
The biopsy was not fun, but the pregame drugs were GREAT and I highly recommend. After three rapid fire shots in the left butt cheek, I was feeling fine. Even my assless gown didn't bother me. I just laid on my side in the lab room awake, but in this weird, dreamy state for about 45 minutes until the nurses stormed in. It was showtime.
I'll spare the gory details, but looking back, the procedure was not that bad. There was some pain, but the worst was not knowing how painful it would get. After about 25 minutes boring a hole in my lower back (actually hip) bone, they were done. I was "a bleeder", so it took longer than normal to get back into my street clothes. It was nice to be done and to see Wendy and Laina in the waiting room.
All I had to do now was wait for the biopsy results, which would pretty much define my future.
