Shoot For The Cure

I have been diagnosed with CML(Chronic Myeloid Leukemia) on Oct 23, 2009, after spending two nights in the Holy Cross ER. Finally in the afternoon after my blood smear was compared to the bone marrow biopsy. Lets Back up and educate you if you are not sure what Leukemia is or the types. The following is a lot of information but will give you a full understanding of what specific cancer this is.

Here is a picture of my marrow-----> ------>>>






What is CML (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia)?
CML (chronic myeloid leukemia or chronic myelogenous leukemia) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow (soft tissue within bones). Blood cells are made in the bone marrow.

Within the bone marrow, stem cells (an early cell that matures into various types of blood cells) divide and mature into 3 types of blood cells:
Red blood cells (RBCs), which carry oxygen to other cells in the body
White blood cells (WBCs), which fight infection
Platelets, which help blood to clot
To understand more about CML, it may be useful to see how blood cells normally develop.

*There are several kinds of white blood cells, but neutrophils and basophils are among those commonly monitored in CML.
CML is a slow-growing blood cancer that develops when DNA (genetic material) of a stem cell is changed. This change causes the bone marrow to make too many WBCs. The crowded cells cannot do their jobs very well. Over time, WBCs crowd out healthy RBCs and platelets. This causes the signs of CML.
In the very early phase of CML, many people show little or no symptoms of illness. This is because the WBCs are working normally, even if there are too many of them. A routine blood test called a complete blood count (CBC) may be able to detect the first sign that there are too many WBCs.
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Possible signs of CMLMany of the signs of CML happen slowly over time. The following and other signs may be caused by CML:
*Not feeling well
*Feeling very tired
*Losing weight without dieting
*Fever
*Sweating at night
*Pain or an uncomfortable feeling on the left side of the abdomen because of an *enlarged spleen
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Who gets CML?About 4,500 people, mostly adults, are diagnosed with CML each year in the United States. The median age for people receiving a CML diagnosis is 67 years. Some of them will have signs that tell them something is wrong. Others may not have any signs or symptoms, especially in the beginning.
The phases of CMLCML has 3 phases:
The chronic phase (when symptoms are not severe and, with treatment, a person's WBC count can be nearly normal or normal)
The accelerated phase (when WBC and platelet counts may be abnormal and the person may feel ill)
The blast crisis phase (when WBC and platelet counts become very abnormal; bleeding, infections, and other problems can happen)
Most people find out that they have CML in the early, chronic phase. Advances in treatment are helping many more people remain in the chronic phase without moving to the more advanced phases of CML.

So with all of that said, here is how it all started and don't blink because that is how fast it went- Monday the 19Th of Oct, I went in for a routine check up and had the works including my blood drawn. No big deal just standard procedure. Wed the 21st I get a call from my Doctor saying that my white blood cell count was abnormally high and they wanted me to go in and get another test done. The next morning I went to the local hospital had them draw the blood and went on my way, my doctor called me shortly after and advised me that my WBC count was 78,000 and a normal persons count would be 4,000! 10,000 is a number that someone would have if they where really sick! I didn't quite understand what he was saying but the little he said was that he wanted me to go to the Holy Cross Hospital in LA. Not really understanding why I couldn't just go to a local Hospital, I got in my car and took Milo (my doggy) to my assistants home to watch not knowing what was in store. I was speaking with my assistant and asked her to go find out what this specific hosp my doctor was being so vague about, she came back and told me that this was specifically a cancer specialist hospital..

Now I'm freaked out and had to commute from Santa Maria driving up the coast to get to this Cancer Hospital. I'm sure you can imagine the thoughts that ran through my head!!!! I get the the ER and there where so many people waiting to be seen but luckily my own doctor showed up to assist me, so I got a room and that's when the poking and prodding started.. I was admitted on Wed at 2:00 PM and that's when all the testing began. I was extremely lucky that I didn't have a stroke being that my blood was so thick, so between the Bone marrow biopsy (painful)!!!, blood thinners, CT's, needles, I had had enough.. I was given all the literature on Leukemia before I was diagnosed so I was sure that is what was going on inside of me inside room 333... It was just a matter of time before I was told what type it was and the plan of action.

On Friday Oct 23, I was given the diagnosis where I would wait for my Oncologist to get me the low down on what we where doing to get me better. They gave me a low dose prescription for Chemotherapy and discharged me later that evening. I was told by the doctor I was to come back on Wed, Oct the 28Th for more Chemo. I still not to sure what will happen as I'm going through this day by day. I will keep all of you in the loop as to what is going to happen as I know.

So here we are and these are my first days of healing from this sickly disease they call cancer, Please join me on my recovery! I hope to encourage all those out there that are going through the samethings as I to stick in there cause we will beat this!!! Also I want everyone to be aware that this can just creep up on you and statistically chances of beating this is easier in the early stages! SO GO GET CHECKED UP!!! I also encourage all of you that can and are able to donate blood and bone marrow ,do it cause each donation of blood can help save 3 lives! True Statistic!!! For more insight on why it's important, follow this stat link, it will blow you away!

Thanks so much for the support and love you all have given...
PLEASE HELP US IN FINDING THE CURE, Awareness is everything!!!