Dear Gelder,

So sorry for your sisters dx; however, I'm here to testify AML can be beat, cured when. I have plenty of positive to tell you. I was DXd 4 years ago on match 22, 2013 at age 48, close to your sisters age. I had induction chemo with very little complications and because of favorable Cytogentics, Inversion 16, i was able to stay in remission with four rounds of consolidation sessions.

I teleworked full time for all but the induction phase for a full year, raised my daughters, 8, 10, 12, walked 4 miles everyday and avoided illness throughout. Not even a fever.

Not everyone had this easy of a journey; however, it is possible. Do you know what subtype of AML does your sister have? Where is she being treated?

My life today is not degraded in any way, in fact more abundant as my faith in Almighty God's grace, mercy and peace have grown. My love for family and friends Jane grown. Life has much more meaning. We are here to help.

Blessings
Julie

Hi Julie,
Thank you so much for your response. This post gave me hope and that's what I'm living on these days. Wonderful news on your remission! I pray you stay there!
My sister is located in Southern California and was taken to the University of California Irvine in Orange, California. I flew home from Texas to be with her right after her diagnosis and admission to UCI. I stayed with her through her first week of chemo (7&3) and besides us all being emotional and confused, she is doing well. I asked the doc several times about her subtype and he said she's between M5-M6 - but that is all we've gotten about subtypes. Im back home in Texas awaiting the next BMP and praying for remission. I mean, she's feeling great and responding properly - that has to be a good sign, right?
As I've said, this just came out of nowhere. She was fine on the 22nd of December and horribly sick on the 28th. Our mom passed four years ago from bladder cancer and our dad about 30 years ago from brain cancer. No one in our family has ever had leukemia. Just devastating.
While we are faithful Christians and know we should never question why something happens, I want God to tell me why this has happened to her/to our family!
Thank you so much for your wonderful post. Blessings to you and your family always,
Gloria

Dearest Gloria,

First, I'm so happy your family are people of faith. This is so critical. Second, whenever questions about "why" enter your mind try to think why not. I always thought of innocent young children with cancer when i began to feel sorry for myself. Third, do not be surprised if this bmb is inconclusive or even if a second round of induction is needed. That is not uncommon. Fourth, your sister is relatively near city of hope. They are fabulous. If you are not being the answers you need, be your sisters advocate.

Blessings
Julie

Please see great info about subtypes. The FAB classification, M5 etc. The WHO designation indicates cytogenetics.

Push for these results along with any mutations such as FLT3 or CKIT. some are positive stone negative

https://www.lls.org/leukemia/acute-myeloid-leukemia/diagnosis/aml-subtypes

Hi Julie, I have a few more details about my sisters AML. The doc said they ruled out flt3 but that her complex kerotype is +2. My understanding at the beginning of this was they planned to give her two 7&3 induction treatments but today they told her they only do one 7&3 treatment and wait a week and then bmb. It's all confusing. Does any of this make sense to you?

Hi Gloria. Julie has become quite an expert on AML but I thought maybe I would chime in with a few words.

Two 7&3 inductions are uncommon, in fact I've never heard of it. The second round, if necessary is typically 5&2 using the same drugs, usually Ara-C and daunorubicin or idarubicin. In any case, waiting a week before taking a BMB seems like standard protocol based on what I've seen over the years.

Do you mean her FAB classification is M2 or does she have 2 abnormal chromosomes. Usually 3 chromosomal abnormalities define a complex karotype.

And I have also heard good things about City of Hope, a very caring staff is the overriding sentiment. I also know that Stanford, although not so close, is a cutting edge center along with the obvious choice of Fred Hutchinson in Seattle, but much further away.

Stick around and let us know how things are going.

Lou

Hi Gloria, my sister is now 54 but was diagnosed when she was 51. She was like your sister in that she was fine at Thanksgiving and really sick by Christmas. She has had a somewhat tough road but she just finally got to ring the bell for the end of chemo. It's tough but your sister will get through it. I am hoping she has a smooth treatment plan and that all things go well for her. My prayers are with you and your family.

Thank you all for your notes and kind words. As my sister continues this fight, she woke up with a lot of hair on her pillow. Broke her heart......
She undergoes her second BMB on Wednesday and we are all praying so hard for remission. Here is my thinking....and I know I'm crazy obsessed with this:
She did her 7&3 induction and has to wait a full week for the BMB. In this time, she's had to have 3 (so far) blood and platelet transfusions and her hair is falling out. My thinking is the chemo must STILL be working in her body because its still killing her good blood cells and hair follicles too. This has to be a good sign, right?
Since her 7&3 induction she has had one low grade fever but no other poor symptoms or sickness. She has handled the 7&3 like a champ with no nausea or anything....
This too, has to be a good sign, right?
Praying until my knees bleed....
Gloria

Gloria,

You have every reason to be optimistic until you have reason not to be. Losing hair is hard. Mine was at my waist when i had to shave it. My husband and i tried to make it positive for our daughters so we let them shave mine and my hubbies head and we donated it to locks of love who make wigs for children fighting cancer.

The BMB may be inconclusive and need to be redone. Mine did. Also, as my buddy, skinny fly paper Lou said, another round of 5+2 may be needed. Not that unusual. Feeling good is great.

So happy you are a prayer warrior. I lifted your sister up in prayer at church Sunday. I asked for prayer for "Gloria's sister" may i have her name so i can join you in prayer.

Blessings
Julie

You're so sweet, Julie. Her name is Frances. She was named after our paternal grandmother! Tomorrow is BMB day. We are all nervous yet anxious. Not sure how long we will have to wait for the results but I promise to come back and post her results. Please my dear new friends, please drop to your knees and pray for a miracle for her. I can't lose her!
Love you all already,
Gloria

Gloria,

My family will be on our knees offering up prayers for Francis. For an ubber clean BMB. Also, my women's prayer group is praying.

Blessings and xoxo
Julie

Also, preliminary BMB results are usually avaliable 24 to 48 hours with further details days later. But remember, sometimes the first BMB results after induction can be wonky due to blasts dying off. Was Francis WBC very high at dx? Do you know what percent blasts she had?

Thank you for your continued prayers, Julie, it means so much to our family to know there are others praying for her. I don't recall her WBC count at diagnosis but know that her blasts percentage was between 80-90%.

Faithfully praying.....
Gloria

Hi Gloria,
Like your sister I was diagnosed at age 48 with a then 12 year old daughter. I had been sick for a few weeks with what I suspected was the 'flu' but it didn't get better and finally had a blood test which confirmed AML. Within a few ours of blood test I was diagnosed and admitted to hospital as my WBC was 157000 and they suspected I may have the FLT-3 mutation which is why they delayed my 7+3 induction by a few days until the full results came in - was on oral Hydroxyurea which reduced my WBC to 4000 within a few days. I was FLT-3 negative and didn't go on the trial but I went into remission after the induction and went through 2 consolidation rounds both of those as outpatient and got to celebrate Christmas with my family at home. I was classified M5a (monoblastic) and had a stem cell transplant using my identical twin sister's stem cells as there were no other donor matches for me as I am bi-racial and that is normally a difficult matching class. That was 3 years ago and I just had my oncologist checkup yesterday and she is so happy with my results she is moving me to 6 monthly blood draws and annual checkups - yay! Please tell her there is hope and life after AML. I was lucky to have gone through all treatment relatively unscathed and am here to see my daughter start Year 10 in a couple of weeks. AML can be beaten - have hope.

Hi Gloria sorry to hear the news about your sister but want to let you know there is hope - I've been in remission for a little over 3 years, AML, went through 4 rounds of chemo, no bone marrow transplant and I feel great today- I work full time and lead a very active life- will be skiing this weekend! Keep in touch thinking of you and your sister- best of luck from snowy Montreal Canada.