KESJ: 17 July 2009

Friday, July 17, 2009

17 July 2009

Jeremy had a massive nose bleed this morning because his platelets were low - it lasted over half an hour, and stopped once he had a platelet transfusion. We needed 2 nurses to try to control the bleeding, and it was quite traumatic for Jeremy. Thankfully he had no more upsets this afternoon, and was able to sleep for the rest of the day.

1 comment:

Wendy said...: Dear Ken & Eleanor,

We have not left comments up till now, but be assured that we are reading the posts as soon as they come out and are praying for all of you - for strength, patience and healing.

Love & prayers,
Wendy & Geoff; July 18, 2009 at 9:10 AM

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Definitions

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) - a rapidly progressing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. ALL affects the type of developing white blood cells known as lymphocytes. It is the most common form of childhood leukaemia, and the most common type of childhood cancer. It also occurs in adults.

Blast cells - immature blood cells normally found in the bone marrow. Blast cells normally constitute up to 5% of all bone marrow cells. These cells divide and replenish all the normal blood cells in the marrow and circulating blood. Acute leukaemia is characterised by an accumulation of abnormal blast cells that take over the marrow and spill out into the blood stream.

Bone marrow transplant - the process of replacing bone marrow cells (stem cells) that are unhealthy, with stem cells that are healthy. The healthy stem cells are re-infused intravenously through the central line, after very strong chemotherapy and/or radiation to kill unhealthy stem cells. The re-infusion of healthy stem cells essentially rescues the patient from the chemotherapy and/or radiation, by enabling his or her bone marrow to start producing new blood cells.