Remission

Sarah started the day as much as she had ended the previous one, sick. Unfortunately, the lumbar puncture had caused an extreme nausea and headache and Sarah couldn't keep any food down. So, in the afternoon she was admitted to the hospital for 24 hours to keep her on fluids but if Sarah's nausea subsides she maybe allowed to come back to the hostel (so it may not be the last night at my London crashpad!)Special thanks to Helen (sister-in-law) for being a great comfort to Sarah during the day when she was at her lowest.
However, there is an upside to all this: Sarah's bone marrow and CT scan results came back and she is in Remission! Her blood and bone marrow no longer contain any trace of Leukaemia, so she is back to normal exactly two months since she was first diagnosed, a truly remarkable feat.
However, the next two cycles of Chemotherapy (consolidation) are required to ensure that the leukaemia doesnt have a chance to come back and it is extremely unlikely that she will need a transplant. Although, we must be cautious that Sarah doesn't pick up any infections that can impede her recovery as the Chemotherapy will reduce her immune system to nothing. It also means that Sarah is allowed to continue with the AML 15 clinical trial, however one of the courses of Chemotherapy (MACE) involves being on a constant 24 hour drip for 5 days (something which isnt appealing); so tomorrow we shall see what we are randomised to, and if it is MACE, Sarah will withdraw from the trial and have the standard Barts treatment (which can be administered as a day patient meaning that Sarah can stay in the hostel without being admitted to a hospital ward).
So, Sarah is in the Lawrence Ward and I am writing this in the hostel, spookily Sarah can see my type this as the ward overlooks the hostel so I best not divulge too much. Anyway, hopefully day 1 of Cycle 3 starts (Thursday) and we start all over again.....