05/16/2013

(From De Anna)

I had a chance to talk with Cindy last night.  In an nut-shell, the doctors offered very little hope that their treatments would work for Hannah.  They have been so loving and supportive of the Take-Home Care and are working with Cindy to put together the best scenario for Hannah.  I was able to share with her how much we love both her and Hannah, how our hearts ache for the decisions she and Mark have been faced with, and how we support their inspired direction without judgment.  Yet Cindy wanted to share a bit more detail about the path not taken – the Chemo and Radiation – to help anyone who might want to more fully understand, or who might be confused by their decision:

(From Cindy) Remember that these drugs are given in concert with each other.  Also consider that, if she survives induction (first 28 days), she will undergo a regime of 8 different drugs given over the course of 42 days, with the potential of repeating that regime up to 5 additional times (for a total of 6 full courses for 242 consecutive days), again with several drugs on board at any given time.  This coupled with cranial radiation, a barrage of drugs to deal with side effects and almost assuredly  infections, so add in antibiotics and all the gut issues arising there from).

Re-Induction drugs;

Dexamethasone

Vincristine

Peg-aspargase

Mitoxantrone (this is a new poison)

Methotrexate (given via a spinal tap into the spinal fluid and brain)

Intensification drugs: (Given for up to 6 - 42 day courses)

All of the above drugs, plus

Thioguanine

Leucovorin

Cytarabine (ara-c)

Methotrexate (by mouth)

Etoposide (VP-16)

Cyclophosphamide (CPM)

MENSA

Plus cranial radiation given each weekday of the first 30 days after Intensification Phase.

This is what they offer, without real hope.  Remission not achieved?  Things get worse, with no place to go. Bone marrow transplant is not a good option for Hannah.  It is a very dark place to go for a parent of one so innocent.

So, I guess what I am saying is two things, one--become informed before forming a bias, and two, DO WHATEVER IS POSSIBLE TO AVOID CANCER. The 89th section https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/89?lang=eng is a good place to start.

And we were worried about caffeine.....silly us.

 Cindy