| Author |
|
cminich
New User
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 7
Location: Owasso, OK
|
 Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:21 pm Post subject: APL Case - Any info appreciated |
 |
|
My husband (Jim) was diagnosed with APL on Feb. 8th. He will be 39 on May 9th. The doctor immediately admitted him to the hospital and began chemo the next day. He did this along with a couple other meds (one being Atra) for seven straight days. Recovered a week, then sent home for about 4 days. Took a bone marrow biopsy and he was still saturated 85% with Leukemia. So they again checked him him, upped the dosage and after three days, he had a heart (his blood pressure dropped to nothing) and his lungs began bleeding.
We are now in our 7th week in ICU. Over the course of time, he has had holes puntured in each side of his chest to relieve fluid, a drain plug for the gall bladder, kidney failure and liver failure. At one time, his heart started going crazy - they shocked him almost 40 times till we finally said no more. As we all stood around him waiting for the worst, he pulled through it. He then filled with fluid and they began dialysis and finally put in a tube down into his small intesting to get some feeding. That is now working. The dialysis did well and it looks like his kidneys are producing a small amount. He actually started having bowel movements 4 days ao and is looking so much better. All his numbers are better. They did a bone biopsy and his cancer is in remission. Praise God. He is still on a ventilator. They take an xray of his lungs everyday and there is still fluid. The doctor went in and was able to pull a couple of plugs from his lungs and now it appears the fluid is coming up. However, they have discovered an infection in the lungs and are now trying to determine how to treat it. He is still on a respirator not a trake (not sure of spelling). He is very hard to sedate and when he comes up, he is very agitated He will wiggles his toes and feet for you and shake his head yes and no so I know he is still here. Sometimes we can talk him into being calm but for the most part, they give him more drugs to knock him down. It has been such a long road for us only to have these problems now. Does anyone have any insight they can share with us?
_________________
Cindy Minich
cindy_minich@yahoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
rlee
Site Admin
Joined: 15 Jan 2006
Posts: 245
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:47 pm Post subject: Re: APL Case - Any info appreciated |
|
|
cminich,
Patients with leukemia are prone to infections especially during treatment. The good news is that his leukemia is in remission. Continue with his care, and it seems the medical team is trying everything. Best wishes,
_________________
RLee, MD
Any information provided is NOT intended to provide specific medical advice to users but rather to provide users with information to help them better understand their health condition and related care. All readers are strongly encouraged to consult with a qualified physician for answers to their personal medical questions. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
cminich
New User
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 7
Location: Owasso, OK
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 6:55 am Post subject: More complications during Leukemia recovery |
|
|
He is now having mild seisures. He has been on a ton of sedatives - attavan, diprivan, phenobarbitol and I forget what else. He has been on the attavan for a while. He is now having seisures. The cat scan didn't show anything so last night they took him completely off the attavan to do a neuro assessment. The are going to watch him to see how many he has over then next 2 hours and start medicating him for that. He is now on a small amount of the diprivan and some phenobarbitol and has not awakened. He is also not responding to commands. He has been as of yesterday. It seems we take two steps forward then one step back. I think this is a big step back. Any insight is much appreciated.
_________________
Cindy Minich
cindy_minich@yahoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
rlee
Site Admin
Joined: 15 Jan 2006
Posts: 245
|
| Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:31 pm Post subject: Re: APL Case - Any info appreciated |
|
|
cminich,
Your husband's case sounds very complicated. I'm not sure I can offer much. People who become very ill can have seizures. Other causes include infections or leukemic involvement in the CNS. Many possibilities exist, but continue with the struggle as best you can. Keep us updated.
_________________
RLee, MD
Any information provided is NOT intended to provide specific medical advice to users but rather to provide users with information to help them better understand their health condition and related care. All readers are strongly encouraged to consult with a qualified physician for answers to their personal medical questions. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
cminich
New User
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 7
Location: Owasso, OK
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:38 am Post subject: Drug Induced Coma - APL Treatment |
|
|
They put him in a drug induced coma to give his brain a rest. They took him off the medicine this morning and we are awaiting results. We keep a blog updated http://www.todayskid.biz/jim.
The neurologists is really sharp. He said about 70% of his patients will pull out of this. We are praying Jim is among the 70%.
_________________
Cindy Minich
cindy_minich@yahoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
cminich
New User
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 7
Location: Owasso, OK
|
| Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 6:47 am Post subject: Jim went home |
|
|
Just thought I would let you know that Jim passed away on the 26th of April. He lungs just never got better and all his organs failed. I do have this $6000 bottle of medicine - vacsinoid that he never got to take. I hate that it will just waste. Does anyone know how to give medicine back or to a clinic or something that can use it?
_________________
Cindy Minich
cindy_minich@yahoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
brainman
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 5617
Location: Tennessee
|
| Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 5:11 pm Post subject: Re: APL Case - Any info appreciated |
|
|
I am truly sorry, Cindy, to hear of Jim's death!
I do not think it is legal to give leftover medicines back although you might try to contact the manufacturer either through your pharmacy of through Jim's oncologist. The manufacturer might take it back and give you at least a partial refund but they will have to through it away. I have never heard of it being done before, but it is worth a try.
My prayers and best wishes are with you and your family.
_________________
Jim
Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2405
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2528
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 3: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Twitter: @JimHawkins54 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
Search 
Email Digests
Register to post
Profile 
Check private messages 
Log in
What is this ?
We subscribe to the HONcode principles. Verify here. All content and posts are copyright.
