AML: Chemo Round 7.... Can I get a donor?

OK, so here is am back for round 7 of chemo @ Sanford hospital in Sioux Falls.

The point of this round of chemo is to get me back into remission so that I can have a transplant. The chemo regimine is a bit different this time. Since I relapsed, they are hitting me with some different drugs. Mitoxantrone, Etoposide, and Cyterbine. I'll get these over the next 5 days. 14 days from now I'll have a bone marrow biopsy, and we'll hope that I am in remission.

At the same time, they are searching for a matching bone marrow donor. The interesting thing is that the cost of seatching for a donor is not covered by my insurance, but the cost of the transplant and procedure is. We've been provided an estimate of $8,000-$10,000 for the cost of the search. There is a grant I can apply for to offset the cost of the search. I should know in a few weeks where we end up with that.

I've been asked by several people how to become a donor. It is real easy. Just go to theis website: http://marrow.org/Join/Join_Now/Join_Now.aspx and sign up. The test is just a swab of your cheek. You can ask to be taken off the list any time should you want to once a match is found for me. If you get matched with someone donating the stem cells are as simple as drawing blood. The sort story is that if you are matched with someone, you'll get a shot of Neuopogen which causes your bone marrow to create excess stem cells which get shed to your blood stream. They can take the blood, filter out the cells that are needed and that is basically it.

So, if interested, please consider joining the registry. About half the people that need a donor, can't find a match.

I had a bunch of tests today because the Mitoxantron can affect my heart. I had an EKG and Echo done to get a baseline for my heart. Everything looks good. I've got a PICC line again.

The chemo has started again, I feel OK. They will give me lots of drugs to manage the nausea. It's not very fun to be away from Andy and the kids again, but I am confortable and in a familiar place. So, that's as good as it can be for now.