Welcome Dids to the club no one really wants to join (a phrase I tagged from here on my welcome).
You will get support and encouragement and real life stories. I am now after 7months, 19 days post a transplant I have been waiting for for since August. I have learned a lot in my journey. I am high risk, FLT3 and had a transplant that had collaboration across continents. A little bit of a trailblazer here.
My initial experiences were not good in terms of induction,, but each round brought a different experience. I consider myself a soldier against AML. I have consulted with innumerable physicians. I pray for everyone on our site. I look to each of these people to guide me through this journey.
I am a 48y/o otherwise very healthy woman that was blindsided by the diagnosis. I have been re-admitted with neutropenic fevers. I am diligent with mouth care all the time- mucositis is no fun. Eating is a job, not always enjoyable. Exercise is necessary. Positive outlook required.
Everyone, based on their cytogenetics and physicians ultimately make their own decision regarding chemo vs. transplant. I did not have that option, so the path was paved for me. In any event, we have people who have gone chemo only and waited it out and others that do fine regardless. Make sure you buy in and have confidence in YOUR plan and YOUR physician group.
Be blessed. Be strong. Peace, love and hope,
Andrea

Dids,

I pull from your post what we all have felt and are living on this site:
" I am ready to conquer AML. "

Good for you. We are all your fellow soldiers on the front lines and are here to help you with any questions you might have. There IS a tremendous amount of support and Lord knows - wisdom in this group. We are here for you and cheering as you have joined an army of people who are fighting the battle against AML.

Ed

Thank you, I am a firm believer of the Lord's promise and everyday I am thankful. I am 39 years old healthy tennis fan and just like Andrea blindsided by AML. Things happen for a reason. This is a battle that I did not chose. Cancer can happen to anybody, rich, poor, good or bad people, to healthy and unhealthy etc. Well, I am fully geared up with God on my side, excellent physicians, supportive friends, loving famliy, daily strength family ( i have been reading your posts for almost 2 months) and a great positive attitude.

Dids -- my take is that you have already conquered it -- at this point it is sort of what they call a mop-up operation. I am a three year survivor of AML with MDS and at 69 (now) they felt that I had as much a chance with chemo only as with a transplant. Your health, age and type of AML will determine the decision. I would never recommend going against you med team's recommendation. I didn't and things are working out/have worked out well for me. Glad you have joined us and please keep us up on your decision and how things go from here. As you can see, you are adding to medical knowledge. All of these threads should be mined for the information that they contain -- I am convinced that the combination of all of this documented experience can contribute heavily to medical knowledge. Thanks again for coming aboard -- dave

Dids,

First of all, I am so happy that you have joined and are doing well after chemotherapy. I don't know where you live, but I was treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NY. I also was blindsided and had absolutely no symptoms at the time of a routine physical exam. However, my counts were like yours and the rest is history. I had two episodes of bacteremia, one with sepsis, but otherwise have done very well since my transplant on Sept 8, 2011.

I too was in the intermediate category, since I had no discernible chromosomal abnormalities. They immediately recommended bone marrow transplant as my best alternative. Although I am a physician myself, I never once questioned their expertise. I have met many at the hospital during my visits who have also had transplants. They seem, on the most part, to be doing very well.

As most on this site know, I have never asked for percentages of survival or other statistics. I have chosen to take a positive attitude. I believe in God, as you do, and I am satisfied with my course.

I had a T-cell depleted transplant, and think I am the only one on this site to have received one. The plus is that I have not had 1 minute of GVHD. The potential issue is that I am still waiting for my CD4 T-cells to reconstitute so that I will have some defense against viruses and fungi. Nevertheless, I have had fewer colds that others in my family and feel great.

The bottom line is that your doctors know what they are doing. Our role is to answer any questions you might have from our perspectives of having gone through the process. We are here for you 100%.

Cliff

Dids, welcome to the site ! Everyone here is always willing to help as much as they can. I have had so much support thru my ordeal with AML. Long story short I will hopefully be getting discharged today after having my transplant back on the 8th. God has been so good to me I haven't had really any bad complications. As you said keep your faith in god and you will do just fine :)

Dids, Welcome to the group. You sounded so calm and rational. Amazing. In fact, I've been amazed and inspired by many people in this group being so loving, courageous, positive, understanding, and supportive to each other.

I was diagnosed with AML in dec 2011 at age 60. After two inductions and one consolidation, I received SCT in June2012. I am doing fine but still being monitored for GVHD and etc.

Violet

Hi D,
I was like you reading the boards for at least several months before venturing in. I was diagnosed in Nov 2011, my AML was also considered moderate risk, my cytogenics were t (3,11). I reached complete remission with my first induction, my brother was not a match at the time so we made the decision to go chemo only. I was treated with 4 rounds of consolidation and stayed in remission until Oct 2012. My relapse was caught on a routine bone marrow biopsy, my cytogenics had changed back to t (3,11). I just had a unrelated donor stem cell transplant, a 22 year old young gentleman from Europe, bless him. I still feel I would of made the same decision to try chemo only at my first diagnosis , at the time it made the most sense. God has carried me through so far and I am so thankful to him., trust him to guide you in your decision making. His promises are true. Will be praying for you on your up coming meeting. Standing with you on conquering AML!
Take Care,
Suzanne

Dids - welcome! To the place with the best support that I've found and still, it's a shame you had to join...
Thanks for the detailed description.
Fill us in as to the decision about your treatment.

I was diagnosed August 2011,(42 years old) and after induction there was doubt about the % of blasts I had. Different doctors saw different % and eventually, after a tough week or so, the decision was made to view it as remission (some saw 5%, others 7%, others more). And I remember one expert who told me exactly what you were told - that even if there's 7%, he'd go with consolidation, since it's powerful and can get me in remission.

I had intermediate/favorable risk (again, different doctors referred to it differently), and coupled with the fact that my siblings didn't match as donors and I had no available 10/10 donor MUD, the decision was made to go the chemo-only route (I had normal chromosomes, FLT3 negative and NPM1 mutated).
I finished 3 rounds of consolidation January 2012 and have been in remission ever since.
Fear of relapse is there all the time, but I live a full and very busy life, and happy with each day.

Abby2

Thanks for the support everybody. I have my share of bad news, good news, bad news and bad news. Well, I have to take the perspective of being positive and ownership of your own health. The good thing about it " Being positive is free" and focus on the things that I can control and the things I can't control I let God handle that. In fact I let God handle everything. This is a very insightful thread with a lot of medical info and personal touch.

The Jan. 30, 2013 BMB was moved yesterday. That was 2 weeks of waiting due to my low platelet counts. As of today I am officially on remission and on the process on getting a BMT (no identified donor yet). I feel pretty good today and as always praying for everybody. Soon, I will be joining the TEAM TRANSPLANT 2013 which comprises of extraordinary people and indomitable spirits. I have never missed a day without reading daily strength since Nov. 2012. I think I have read all the posts. I have shed tears and cried out prayers.

By His Stripes We are all Healed,

Dids

Dids, Congratulations! So Glad to hear you are in remission. Every day is a blessing. Every day brings us closer to recovery. A baby step every day. Looking forward to hearing your transplant date. You are in my prayers.

Violet

Congratulations on being in official remission! I will pray for a quick, successful donor search. Welcome to team transplant 2013! That is awesome news!
Take Care,
Suzanne

Dids -- Major milestone. I am sure they will find a donor -- we will track you on the Team Transplant thread. Take care and the best to you -- we will be praying for you -- dave

Dids,

If you get a double post, it is a computer glitch. Not actually chemo brain. There is no reason to shed any tears. You are in remission and Team Transplant 2013 is well on its way to being cured. We should all dance and sing and celebrate. "Don't worry, be happy."

Cliff