Some updated charts

Charts show very clearly the harm that chemo does to her white blood cell count.  Having picked up before the latest ('CAT') phase, they are rock bottom again.
She is therefore very susceptible to infection and we have to be on guard for fever.  This can come from bacteria in her insides attacking her more than those from the outside....so while we can take precautions, there is an element of waiting for the near inevitable (at least, that's how the doctors characterise it).

Note that her haemoglobin uptick at the end is due to a blood transfusion.

27 Oct - Next Phase Starts...

....with a vengeance

This is today's schedule, to give an example:
- 8am Steroid orally
- 11am Meds injected into cerebral spinal fluid
- 12pm New iv chemo drug injected (cytarabine) via central line
- 12pm Another new one infused (cyclophosphamide) via central line
-12pm another new one (to deal with side effects) via central line
- 3:30pm Steroid (oral) and one to deal with side effects (oral)
- 7pm Another new one orally (6-mercatopurine)
- 8pm steroid (oral)
-12am cytarabine via central line

24 Oct - Blood Counts

Detail - Day 19

A more technical update on her condition

What is being measured?

• Key measure from her 'Day 19' bone marrow sample is the 'Minimum Residual Disease' (MRD) aka number of residual 'blast' (cancerous) cells in her sample.
• The higher the number (as a percentage) the worse the prognosis. 

What is Selina's number & what does it mean?

• She recorded 0.91%.
• Below 1% keeps her in the 'low risk' [of relapse] grouping.

What is next?

• She is halfway through the 'induction' phase, at the end of which (on 'day 46') her bone marrow will be reassessed and, at that point, a result over 0.01% moves her into 'intermediate risk'.
• So we're really only halfway towards the end of the beginning.  Over the next few weeks there are multiple trips to the hospital, although mercifully fewer than it could have been as the oncaspar (which replaced the leunase to which to she the allergic reaction) only requires a third of the frequency (with no apparent downsides).  
• There will be some overnight stays next week as a new phase begins - we will keep her in for some daytimes too as some workmen need to do some dusty work in our apartment.

What are the final outcomes?

• Remaining in low risk means we're looking at a near zero likelihood of relapse.
• Going into medium risk means ~20-25% chance of relapse.
• Dropping into high risk is a case of waiting for an inevitable relapse.

Notes:

Blood counts from day 19