Acute Myeloid Leukemia, My Mom

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Nov 24, 2004

Oh my, Leslie.... what a year it has been for you .

I am so VERY sorry.

The news I have is not good, as you have already suspected.. my only experience with this ca was with the husband of our sweet unit secretary who is my age.. her husband was in his early fifties?

He was diagnosed several years ago at this very time.. she took him to Houston to the ca clinics there numerous times.. all in vain. I signed up as a marrow donor for him just in case there would be a match. All to no avail.

He passed away two years after dx. much to all our deepest regret.

Again, I hate to hear this.. for you... and for your mom. :crying2:

leslie :-D · Nov 24, 2004

Oh my, Leslie.... what a year it has been for you .
I am so VERY sorry.
The news I have is not good, as you have already suspected.. my only experience with this ca was with the husband of our sweet unit secretary who is my age.. her husband was in his early fifties?
He was diagnosed several years ago at this very time.. she took him to Houston to the ca clinics there numerous times.. all in vain. I signed up as a marrow donor for him just in case there would be a match. All to no avail.
He passed away two years after dx. much to all our deepest regret.
Again, I hate to hear this.. for you... and for your mom.

thanks jnette.

i've been specifically reading about aml prognosis in the elderly. so if this gentleman, in his 50's died 2 yrs after dx, from what i'm reading it's usually a few months....but truly, thank you for your input. i just need to prepare myself and my family. i can't be hospice nurse and dtr at the same time. :crying2:

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Nov 24, 2004

thanks jnette.
i've been specifically reading about aml prognosis in the elderly. so if this gentleman, in his 50's died 2 yrs after dx, from what i'm reading it's usually a few months....but truly, thank you for your input. i just need to prepare myself and my family. i can't be hospice nurse and dtr at the same time.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Between Kat, JayJay, and you, and perhaps untold others this year, it has been heartbreaking, indeed. Special prayers going out to all of you tonight.

mattsmom81 · Nov 24, 2004

I'm so sorry for your family as you deal with this diagnoses...sending good thoughts and wishes your way.

akcarmean, LPN · Nov 25, 2004

Leslie,

Sorry I have not information to give you just my thoughts and prayers. I will continue to keep you and your family in my prayers.

It has been a hard year for several of you on this thread. I know I don't know many of you that well but my heart and feelings truly go out to each and every one of you and your family members.

Angelia

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Nov 25, 2004

Oh, Leslie, I am so sorry........what a year it's been for you and your family.

I wish I had some words of wisdom for you, but I don't, so just know that you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Nov 25, 2004

xoxoxo.

sigh.

I'm sorry to hear of this. I hope your Mom is comfortable, and that she gets the best care available. God bless you all, Les.

oldnewnurse · Nov 26, 2004

Earle,

My thoughts are with you. While we all know families who seem to be faced with one thing on top of another, it is especially sad when someone like you, whose posts we read frequently, is affected. I am so sorry.

My neighbor (70, female, generally good health) was diagnosed with AML on Father's Day this year. She was treated with chemos oncovin, daunarubicin, doxarubicin, cytarabine, and the ever present prednisone for eight weekly treatments. While her white counts came down following the treatments, they never stayed down more than a day or two. The side effects (memory loss, neuropathies) were devastating to her as she had been a "sharp tack" all her life. She had a PICC then a mediport. Both went bad. She developed clots at the sites and three DVT's. We got the information together for her to consider a BMT, stem cells, a clinical trial (yes, we found one at the Cleveland Clinic that would take a patient beyond the normal 55 year old cutoff) but she felt that her body was not strong enough to go down any of those paths and that with her mind becoming clouded it was not how she wanted to live.

I was very disappointed with her oncologist who did not recommend hospice earlier on in the treatment. The oncologist said she "just knew" my friend was going to go into remission and there was no need to be hasty in considering hospice. Had my neighbor known the details of the things they offer (for one, a fabulous facility in our area with incredible care) I believe she would have gone there long before she did and lived many of her last days in pampered peace (she was a widow). As it was, she went to hospice October 3rd and died October 6th, only four months from her initial diagnosis.

She had the dry cough (which the family doc blamed on her ACE inhibitor) plus two trips to the ER with epistaxis in May.

A more positive sotry...

I had a male patient (50 something) In March of this year who was an airline pilot having a flight physical when his AML was uncovered. He had daunarubicin and cytarabine qod x12. Initially his WBC's came down and then went back up but after chemo number 6, they came down and stayed down. Right away he started pursuing the cord blood route (University Hospitals here in OH is where he went) but I saw his wife at the mall last week and she said so far so good and that he had no side effects of the chemos. A remission!

Both he and my neighbor lady had the M1 variety. Their paths progressed so differently and I am not smart enough to know if it was something other than their age differences. I don't know anything about the differentiation other than to know it exists and that both of them were M1.

M1, Myeloblastic, without maturation

M2, Myeloblastic, with maturation

M3, Promyelocytic

M4, Myelomonocytic

M5, Monocytic

M6, Erythroleukemia

M7, Megakaryocytic

I think your decision to do the legwork with hospice early on in this battle is the right move. With all the services they have to choose from, it can only help your family to know what's available if/when the need arises.

Again, Earle, I am so sorry.

Jane

futurenp · Nov 26, 2004

My dad was diagnosed with leukemia in 2001. He had M3 Promyelocytic leukemia which is the easiest to cure. From what I heard, adult leukemia patients only have a 25 percent cure rate. He spent half of 2001 at Fred Hutchison cancer center in Seattle and has been in remission since May 2001. He's doing great. They said that they don't expect to see him back. It's not hopeless - especially if your mom has one of the more curable types.

I'm so sorry to hear of this. I know EXACTLY how you're feeling right now.

presC. · Nov 26, 2004

very sorry leslie,.. prayers of comfort and peace be upon your family.

weetziebat · Nov 26, 2004

Leslie, I am so very sorry to hear the news about your mom Now, I better understand your remark about this being such a crappy year for you. Forget rain, its been a monsoon in your area.

Don't have any info for you - just wanted to give you a big (((((Leslie))))).

Both you and your mom with be in my thoughts and prayers.