My Journey starts unsuspectingly by a routine annual physical by my general practitioner on October 19,2010. My diligent GP decided to order a CBC, Blood chemistry, urinalysis, etc. A week later the nurse called and said there were some elevations in my white blood cells. She said we'd need to re-test in a couple weeks. She then offered a copy of the blood work which I picked up soon thereafter. I have some background education in blood in my schooling as a Veterinary Technician. That being said, seeing the immature white blood cells on my results blew my mind. Since I didn't have any infections or fevers or even colds the elevation in my white blood count @ 16,800/uL was mind boggling. I started looking for answers on the web and I what I found over and over again was Leukemia. A day or so later, my GP saw me and tried to not upset me. She tried to be a voice of reason. My gut told me otherwise. I started taking more anxiety meds to deal with myself.
I went to a recommended hemotologist/oncologist and that day they did a bone marrow biopsy. About 2-3 weeks later ( November 19th, 2010) I was officially diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. I don't remember much from that day at the Oncologist getting those results. I just know she told me we caught it super early, I won't lose my hair, I take a daily pill, and I won't die tomorrow. As anyone else that has faced cancer treatment of any kind knows, they suck blood from you regularly and often to monitor you. You see more doctors on a regular basis than you ever did in your life prior to this. You become a total germaphobe.
I started taking my chemotherapy pill (sprycel) on December 1st, 2010. I take this one pill daily for life until a CURE is found. My side effects have been minimal compared to what others people I know have to endure. I get skin rashes, headaches, heavier menstration, longer clotting time for cuts, I am more prone to infections, and occasionally I find new aches and pains that I blame on the meds. One year from my start date of my chemo I was in a cytological remission and I think a cytogenetic remission. I now am awaiting a Molecular remission.
