Getting Things Started

Ok, so I'll officially check in as Dad's first "ghost writer" ... this is Jim, his youngest son (and favorite - sorry John and Mike, but the truth has to come out sometime). But I digress ...

Dad checked into Shands Hospital at the University of Florida on Friday, August 28th after being diagnosed with AML. You can check out all the websites on the right for the specifics, but it's basically a form of Leukemia which requires intensive chemotherapy for an extended amount of time. Initially, they say he'll be here for at least a month.

Here's what Dr. Cogle (AKA "Dr. Chris") relayed to us when I got here on Wednesday (9/1):

• Dad will be getting a round-the-clock, 7-day chemo treatment to treat the disease. For the first three days, he was "treated" to a double bag of goodies, but for now he's only hooked up to one IV bag of rat poison.
• Dr. Chris said he's got about a 30-50% chance of the first round of chemo wiping out the AML.
• At the 14-day mark from his original Bone Marrow Biopsy (which was taken on Wed, 8/26), they will conduct another BMB. This, combined with a different test taken two weeks after the start of the chemo (which started when he checked in), will let us know if the Leukemia will respond to the chemo or not.
• Based on the gene abnormailities that present themselves in the above tests, he may need additional chemo treatments. If the "bad" type of gene abnormailites are detected, then the chemo wouldn't be capable of doing the trick. In that case, he could be sent shopping for a Bone Marrow Transplant (AKA Stem Cell Transplant).

Despite this most recent set-back, Dad's spirits are pretty good. I have to hand to the Big Fella, he has handled this like a champ so far. Of course, all the nurses and doctors have already told him the worse is yet to come! But, for now, he still has a full head of hair and is able to get around pretty good. A slip-up during the BMB last week has left his butt and right leg in a great deal of pain, but he'll manage .... somehow!

Calls are great, but as the treatment wears on, I suspect he's going to need his rest more and more. With all the poking and proding they do in here, sleep is a valuable commodity. I set this up so he can let us all know what's going on. Please check in and leave comments for him to read ... there isn't much to do in sunny FLA when you're trapped in a 10x10 hospital room.

If you can manage a visit, please do. Priscilla could use a break from the hospital setting and Dad really enjoys the company. Don't forget to bring some sort of OSU paraphernailia, since everywhere we turn there is yet another reminder of those hated Florida Gators!