a visit from TJ

TJ came to visit this evening with my parents. They were pretty happy to see each other, as it had been a couple of days. TJ was bouncing off the walls, talking in English and Spanish, and trying to give everyone the pound. Normal TJ stuff. We have to watch him, as he can be a bit rough at times.

She felt pretty good during the day. We both think the steroids are helping her to regain some strength. She had her first blood transfusion today. The blood transfusion helps to replenish her low hemoglobins and helps with the fatigue. This is a normal part of the treatment plan and it will continue periodically depending on the results of her daily blood work.

I've received a few questions from different people and rather than respond individually, I think they are relevant to share with everyone.

Question: What stage is the cancer?
Answer: A blood related cancer like Leukemia does not have the type of stages that the non-blood related cancers exhibit (ie. breast cancer). With this type of Leukemia, you either have it or you don't have it (for my geeky friends - it is binary). When people ask this question, they are generally trying to get an understanding of the "prognosis" or likelihood of recovery. In Anna's case, she has several things that help provide for a favorable prognosis. First, is age... she is under 35 (will be 32 in a couple of days), she's female and her white blood cell count was around 18k (normal is around 5-10k... so she is roughly 1.5 - 2 times normal. This is discovered in some individual's when their white blood cell count is somewhere around 50k-100k. So, if we were talking about an 85 year old man with a 100k white blood cell count, then the prognosis would be much more negative. She has quite a few positive medical facts going for her, plus a strong belief in her faith, and a great supporting team of friends and family.

Question: Can I send something?
Answer: The doctor is concerned about infection once she starts chemo... so if you were thinking about sending flowers or fruit, please hold off. Something like a card or a note is always appreciated, though posting comments here is just as effective at helping keep her spirits high. So far, she's been pretty entertained with the Telenovelas on Univision and talking on the phone, but maybe at some point she'll want a couple of books or something... we'll keep you posted.

Question: What is the best time to call?
Answer: There really isn't a best time, as it does change from day to day... however, generally between 11am-9pm she seems to have the most energy. She's been a little slow in getting started in the mornings, plus she seems to have a few doctors and nurses stopping by.

Question: Do you have any new pictures of TJ?
Answer: For those of you that were on the TJ picture distribution list, we're a bit behind... give me till next weekend and I'll try to get something new for you.

I'm heading home tonight and looking forward to a night in the king size bed. The pull-out-1-inch-thick-8-inches-wide cot at the hospital for the past 3 days has been a little rough. Plus, I'm amazed at how often they come in to check blood pressure, temperature, etc... they really don't let you rest.

Thanks for the comments. Please do keep them coming. Also, thanks to the many visitors and callers.