Some Hopeful News re: Hans

[Ensnee]

With all the terrible news happening here on the board, I thought I’d share some relatively good news.

Hans is coming home tomorrow! It’s been a long 4 1/2 weeks, with a lot of drama going on, on his floor. Hans received the new experimental drug
AEG 35156 for 3 days, followed by 4 days of Idarubicin, which he had not received before. This drug is normally not given here as a first try, but since he has relapsed after two rounds of the standard treatment (which were both different) they had to try something else. He is still receiving the AEG 35156 every Monday, and will continue to receive it once a week for up to 6 months. (Hopefully he will have made it through 2 rounds of consolidation chemo and gone on to the stem cell transplant by then.) AEG seems to have had very low toxicity; the Idarubicin gave him pretty bad mouth sores for a few days, and he was tired while receiving it; other than that he seems to have suffered no ill effects. Other than the mouth, the toughest thing this round was being surrounded by drama and patients with some nasty side effects. I won’t go into the details, but the depressing nature of the place was keeping ME awake at nights this week, and I was at home. Imagine what Hans was going through. I’m so glad they are letting him out. I was afraid the atmosphere was taking a toll on him. Also, one patient was isolated with TB the other day. Before that he was walking around.

Anyway, Hans is feeling good, his appetite and taste buds are recovering and aside from losing his hair, which had pretty much grown back, he’s looking good, too. (Not that he looks bad without hair, but it’s not his regular look!)
The next big hurdle will be an upcoming BMB. Our biggest wish for Christmas is that he’s in remission.

Even though I’m happy about Hans doing so well, my thoughts are also with all of you who are experiencing such heartbreak and pain right now.

many hugs,
Esme

[patti]

Esme,

What a blessing to have Hans coming home! I am glad to hear he’s doing well. Sometimes being in a hospital is almost as depressing as being sick at home. Oy, and the germs that fly around hospitals! I’m glad he’ll be leaving all that. I am especially glad Hans is feeling so good. I know that’s been a struggle.

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and healthful New Year!

Patti

[karenkay]

So glad to hear things are going in a good direction for you and Hans!!! It is great to hear he is coming home. Enjoy. I will pray for remission for him.
God bless all of us!
karenk

[sugarwhale]

Dear Esme,
At last: Some good news! I’m so glad to hear that Hans is coming home! Yes, we are all in pain. But we have to take one day at a time. Your good news cheers all of us up!
~~~ Janet

[Jimbob]

Thanks Esme, as I posted to Karenkay, we do share the joy when there is good news. I hope and pray that it gets better and better for a great Christmas present.
Jim

[Luke and Margaret]

Go Hans Go!

Margaret (and Luke too, somewhere out there)

[Kathy G]

So glad you have good news – thanks for sharing it makes all of us feel better! Enjoy your holidays.

Kathy

[Suzanne]

Hope the good news continues into the new year!

[shirlsgirl]

Hi Esme,

That’s wonderful news! I’m so happy for you, Hans and Martha. Wishing Hans continued improvement. Happy HO HO to you and your family!

All the best,

Jody

[CarolineG]

Hi Esme,

Wonderful news!!! I’m glad to be able to share your joy with you. Hans must feel relieved to be coming home finally…and I am sure you feel the relief too.

Blessings,
Caroline

[Terri]

wonderful, It is so good to hear

[Ensnee]

Thanks, everyone! Hans is safely home, after getting a bag of platelets before leaving PMH. I had taken him juiced pineapple Monday and Tuesday, and his platelets went from about 5 to 29. I didn’t go in on Wednesday, consequently no pineapple, and his platelets were back down today. That stuff really works! He got a glassful tonight, before dinner.

As we were driving home, Hans said that he hasn’t felt this good coming out of the hospital before. Even though he felt very good after the 2nd induction, I got quite a jolt when he said he feels even better this time. He has always said he can feel in himself if he’s okay, even the entire year before he was diagnosed, when he was told there was nothing wrong with him by a hematologist. He was not surprised when told he had relapsed before this round of chemo. I certainly was. I feel I can be cautiously optimistic, if he felt he could divulge to me how good he feels. He is German, after all, and very circumspect with his optimism! His saying that to me is a big deal!

His next hospital day is Monday — blood tests, any needed transfuions, another bag of AEG35156
AND a BMB. Three whole days of at-home time. Wow!

cheers,
Esme

[momofmdschild]

Dear Esme,
I am so glad your husband was able to come home today. It’s so hard to find a sight to talk about MDS (pediatrics). My 23mo old son was diagnosed with MDS and Monosomy-7 at 18mo. My husband and I are both in the Navy in Norfolk, VA so they sent us to John’s Hopkins Hospital Baltimore, MD for treatment. Due to his age and not having had Leukemia he was able to get a BMT from an unrealated Cord Blood donor. I know this is nothing what you are dealing with now but I needed an avenue to talk. Waldon is +38 now and on Monday we will know if the BMT took. It’s hard to see a seemingly healthy little boy get filled full of toxic drugs to make him sick just to get him better. We were supposed to be back home (outpatient in MD) 2 Saturday’s ago but he contracted RSV, his Central Line was accidentally pulled out, he got very dehydrated and now they think he has MILD GVHD (graft vs host disease). Now we are working on getting him well enough to have him home for Christmas this next week. Well that’s all for now. You have a GREAT Christmas and New Year with you HANS home and enjoy eachother.

Sincerly,
Dana

[patti]

Dana,

I’m sorry to hear about your little boy. I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through something like that. I’ve often looked at my three little ones (not much older than yours)and couldn’t imagine what would happen if they got seriously ill. Hang in there. These little guys are pretty resilient.

As a side note, thank you and your husband so very much for your service to our country. It is very commendable. God bless you.

Patti

[patti]

Esme,

Yay! I’m so glad to hear Hans is home. Gotta love that pineapple juice, huh? Have a wonderful weekend!

Patti

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