October 12 Email

One and all,

It took some doing, but I now have a dial up connection to the internet in my room and can write this email. I thought it might be a good idea to send out a bulletin every day or so. Let me know if you agree. If you do, are there others that should be added to the addressee list?

Well, the diagnosis is official: acute myelogenous leukemia. Of the 7 subclassifications, mine is M1, myeloblastic, without maturation. Operationally, this means very little. All of these are treated in the same way save one, and that is not the one I have. The standard chemo is Daunorubicin and Cytarabine, administered over a 7 day period, folled by rest and recover of the bone marrow and blood. If the cancer cells are gone, a "consolidation" chemo treatment is given. This consists of two doses of the same chemicals but at a higher dose for a shorter time. I have an informative little book by the Leukemia and lymphoma Society that explains all of this. Let me know if you want one. To this standard treatment I will be adding an experimental drug that is in a phase III trial. The drug is "Genasense" an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide that gloms onto the DNA of the multiplying white blood cell and prevents it from reproducing. I get this continuously over a 10 day period that began today at 1:45 p.m. I have a nifty little portable pump that goes with me wherever I go and is really no problem. After 3 days of genesense alone, the regular drugs will be added.

I feel fine. Eileen went to the house and got our bedside lamps, new sheets (colored) and a quilt for her aerobed. She also brought one of our collages so that we have color in the room. The attached picture of Rob and Christie Silbajoris, who came to visit yesterday, give you some idea of the room decor. Pictures of all of you are also on display. I have lots of books and many hours of listening to lecture series on "the history of rome", "classical archaeology of greece and rome", and "how to listen to and appreciate great music". So we are snugged in here for a while and comfortably so.

Today I feel quite normal. I am told that my white cell count is low (effective white cells) and so wear a face mask if I leave the room. Otherwise, no sign of sickness.

Future editions of this will be confined to the facts and will be shorter.

till then............