Dear Friends and Family November 1, 1999
Dear Assumption friends....
Rachel finished her pre-transplant chemo sessions on Friday, October 29th. She did very well but was unable to come home because her temperature was still too high. I am heading out to Kansas City today to take Diana's place with Rachel.
Right now we need Rachel's temperature to go back down to normal. That can be hard to do sometimes as the chemo medicine is very strong and can really bang up your body. A high temperature is a sign that
your body is "heating up" to do battle against infection or heal itself from a battering. Most of the time it's a good sign that your body is still functioning well and doing what it's supposed to do. Rachel has been VERY lucky in not having bad side affects from the chemo medicine so really the higher temperature isn't too bad.
Rachel's older brother, Kenny, and sister, Amanda, surprised her Halloween night by driving out to the hospital, dressed in costume, to see her. She had been sort of down, not being able to be home at Halloween, and was very happy to see them. Amanda went around the ward, dressed as a fairy, giving
candy to the other kids in the oncology/hematology wing. It was a big boost for Rachel's spirits (and what better day to talk about "lifting spirits" than Halloween?).
The whole trip was Kenny's idea. We all know that most 18 year olds would rather be out with their friends on Halloween at parties or creating mischief.... we were very proud of them both.
If all goes according to the doctors' plans Rachel will begin the bone marrow transplant in late November. She will go into the hospital and for a week take drugs that will literally kill off her own bone marrow... all of it. Then her sister Amanda will give Rachel some of her bone marrow to start up a whole new bone marrow system in Rachel. What an amazing thing! Rachel's blood type will change to Amanda's blood type too.
We talked to the bone marrow specialist Friday evening and he said that a lot of these treatments
of leukemia patients are very new and the research is constantly changing methods of treatment.... meaning that the cure rate is slowly climbing. 10-15 years ago the cure rate for Rachel's form of leukemia was very
low. It has increased dramatically since then because of this research.
After Rachel has received Amanda's bone marrow she will have to stay in a "total isoloation" room for about a month. The medical staff will monitor her body constantly to see if Amanda's bone marrow is moving into its new home (the insides of her bones) and setting up shop to start producing new blood cells that are free of leumkemia. It's a big gamble.
The doctor said that Rachel's body will fight the new bone marrow cells from Amanda. Some fighting is good, as it shows that Rachel's body is still tough and willing to do what it is supposed to do. People whose bodies fight a bit do better in the long run than "passive bodies."
They then will give Rachel drugs that will make it easier for her body to accept the new bone marrow cells
and their blood cells.... the whole process blows me away! I had no idea that medical science could do all these things... and am most grateful that they can.
Rachel will be kept in total isolation because she will be at a point where any infectious virus/germ can do a lot of damage to her body. The room where she will stay has filtered air, is constantly kept clean and only hospital staff and her parents will normally come in to see her. The major worry is fungus. I didn't understand that at all. Fungus grows on old bread not people. Obviously I didn't do my homework in my science classes.
After the month in isolation Rachel should come home. She will continue to be monitored by the home health nurses here in Topeka. She will be unable to attend school for a long time... perhaps a year. That was something that surprised us, but in life we do what we have to do.
As always we thank you all for your prayers and gifts. During the month long stay in the hospital in December cards would be greatly apprectiated if you have the time. We would suggest that the cards not be "get well" cards.... funny cards, Christmas cards, etc are great. Post cards are really great things.
Rachel and I have sat and talked about all the different things in a photograph on a post card.... and she goes back and looks at them again. Also postcards are cheaper to send! I will give out the address of the hospital right before Rachel goes in for her month long stay. Thanks in advance for your kindness.
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