Maybe false alarm, maybe false hope

Monday 20 February

This morning Lara and I had an appointment with the hematologist, expecting to hear what we were looking at in terms of treatment protocols, time lines and outcomes. We were in for a surprise.

Since the doctor told us on Thursday that the leukemia had returned (la maladie est revenue), lab specialists and technicians as well as hematologists had poured over the bone marrow results several times again and had reneged on their original findings. The doctor, slightly embarrassed it seemed to us, apologized for sending us on an emotional tailspin over the weekend while now stating that perhaps we are looking at a false alarm.

What is the matter, we asked? First of all, the bone marrow sample showed that production of new blood cells is poor overall. Why, they don't know yet, but the blood samples were further evidence of it, all major values coming down too low. Secondly, they had seen irregular cells that had not reached full maurity yet and that did not look like typical AML cancer cells at this stage, nor like a different kind of leukemia. They were somehow blocked in their growth. Again, they didn't know why. (Perhaps the two nasty flu's Lara is just getting over?) Thirdly they had seen chromosomal aberrations , but in a very small number of cells. Fourthly, the flow cytometric testing (Google it if you really want to know) was not dispositive either way.

All in all, upon reflection, evidence of a relapse was too thin to now launch a fully-fledged chemical assault. They preferred showing the samples to other specialists  at an independent lab and get their reading on them. As the most likely outcome they would wait for one or two weeks more, to see which way the cells were developing. She warned that news in two weeks might again be bad. She had no idea which way it was likely to go, not even a hunch.

In case the irregular cells turned out to be non-leukemic, we asked, what other disease would they be pointing to? They had no idea.

So it seems we are being granted a one or two-week reprieve. We are not putting our hopes up too high, but the present situation - even if resembling a roller-coaster ride - beats going to the hospital tomorrow and being hooked up to four different kinds of poison.

After having given another blood sample, Lara took me by the arm and we floated out of Saint Luke. Tonight we expect to hear further news.