[Loretta]

On Dec. 19, and then again on Jan. 31, I began chemotherapy sessions of Ara-C and Idarubicin for the AML. When these drugs would not bring my leukemia blasts down to 5% (11% was the lowest counts went), I was sent to talk again to the BMT or Stem Cell Transplant doctor. We began testing and getting ready for the Stem Cell Transplant, scheduled for April 17. However, a bone marrow biopsy results showed an increase of blasts to 75%. So, again, the stem cell transplant was halted until the blast are down. So, on April 4, I began a 4th session of chemo (5 days of Clofarabine and Idarubicin) inpatient at M.D. Anderson. I went home to Houston apartment for a few days, but was readmitted via ER, with temperature and a bad case of mucouscitous (blood blisters, ulcers in throat and mouth.) Perhaps these side effects are signs of the chemo really attacking the leukemia blasts this time.