My Leukaemia Story - Part 3

Still in Great Ormond Street Hospital, I started treatment. High dose steroids, taken alongside some even higher dose chemotherapy. Some of this high dose chemo was so powerful it even made my pee go bright red!! The steroids gave me a HUGE appetite, honestly, I was hungry all the time, nothing could fill me up. As fat fighters on 'Little Britain' would say, "I luuuuurve de cake!!"

After a few weeks of being in hospital, having doctors explain my treatment plan, and nurses make sure my chest was healing up ok (after the operation going so well, it didn't take long to heal), they said I could go home.

I was sent home with a large bag of tablets and a book describing the treatment plan, and for my blood results to be recorded in. They call it my "shared-care book" as it is used by Great Ormond Street Hospital as well as the community nurses and doctors in Ashford.

I was told to go back to GOSH once-a-week for Lumbar Punctures and Bone Marrow Tests, and so that the doctors could review my progress. Dr Webb said I was to be treated on Regimen B (which is like the medium strength chemo) for a few weeks, and that the doses could be lowered or raised, depending on how I responded to chemo.

I had gone home. What a feeling. Yes, I had been delivered some pretty hefty news, but I couldn't be more sure that I was in safe hands. I met my community nurse back in Ashford, Suzie Jamieson, a really lovely lady, and I'm sure the people that know her will agree. She would be coming to my house weekly to take some blood for testing, check that my Hickman line was working ok, and to sometimes give chemo.

After a few weeks of this cycle the doctors told me my dosages would be raised, as I had not yet hit remission. I was now on Regimen C... the hard stuff.

By October I had been for more visits to GOSH, and the news was starting to come back good. I was starting to realise all of the sickness was worth it when I heard the news that I had hit remission. That means that the cancer cells were no longer present in my bone marrow. The Orange-sized mass found in my chest had completely gone!

The doctors told me that the race was not finished yet though, as they wanted me to start another treatment cycle. One that they had been testing, as it was successful in America and Germany. This was called "Protocol M". It consisted of an extremely high dose of a particular drug, and was said to be very effective. I was told that I was to stay at GOSH whilst the treatment was running so the doctors could keep an eye on me. I signed up to the trial.
The doctors told me that "Protocol M" was to be starting on firework night on Lion Ward.

Protocol M is the next part to my story, but i'll give you a hint as to say there are plenty of fireworks.

Andrew

:)

P.S. I had the good ol' support of friends, family... and my lovely Morris cat

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Glossary

GOSH - Great Ormond Street Hospital

Lumbar Puncture - Where doctors surgically remove some of the fluid around your spine and brain, and inject chemo into the same area.

Regimen - A treatment plan. e.g. Regimen C is the highest dose treatment plan.

Community nurse - A local-based nurse that performs home visits for various purposes.

Remission - A state of which all cancer cells have been destroyed.