Coping with CML

During the last trip (16-May-2009) to Kuching, the doctor was amazed with the speed of recovery from the medicine and also the amount of side effect he got.
I would say that his blood condition is now almost normal. But the side effect of the drug is also causing other problems which need monitoring, especially his kidney and liver function. On the side effects he had so far were headache, joint ache, pain in the bone in his legs, nausea, low grade fever and the most serious of all is the cramp in his legs which caused him to be wheelchair bound for 2-3 weeks. Everyone was so shocked to see a heavy looking boy in one week and falling everywhere the next week. I sent message out to ask everyone to pray for him and I would testify that it is God's hand at work.
Regarding the muscle cramp, he found his own relieve - by using hot water bottle or cup filled with hot water. He just massage the affected areas with the hot surface.
Avoid cold and oily food is another thing. Otherwise, they will make the nausea worse.
Today, he is complaining about tiredness.
Chronology of events:

27-March-2009: He got into a serious car accident. He got out unscathed but hospitalised for a day for observation.
While in Miri City Medical Centre (MCMC), doctor found a slight temperature of 37.4 degC and he ordered a blood test.
28-March-2009: Found that his while blood cell count is 70 against the norm of 11.
Sample was sent to KL for further analysis and suspected that he has CML due to certain alleviated enzymes.
Blood test result came on 30 Mar 2009 with the report:
Hb is 10.9 g/dL, low for 18 year old. Red cells are macrocytic normochromic. Platelets are plentiful. Leucocytosis - increase in neutrophils and myelocytes, basophils. Impression: to confirm CML.
We quickly came back and check out on the internet all about CML. In two days, we knew about this disorder "more than anyone else"! Everyone was devastated but just as quickly, we regain our composure and prepared ourselves to fight this battle. Instead of retreating into a hole and blame God, we thanks and praise Him because we know that all these have been miracle one after another. Messages went out asking people to pray for him.
2nd April 2009: Our first trip to Normah and he went through a battery of tests. Confirmed that all his organs are in perfect order.
20 April 2009: We requested for a 2nd opinion at Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya. We talk to Dr. Ng Soo Chin who is one of the leading Haematologists in Malaysia.
The report came back: A normal male karyotype was observed in 53% of cells analysed. All other cells has the 9;22 translocation.
Recommedation for a permanent cure is Bone Marrow Transplant. I asked for divine healing!
HLA typing was also done for him. So many samples were taken off him to do the various tests.
He also started on Glivec.

The trip to Normah will be done every two weeks from now so that his condition can be monitored closely.

Details of the above events can be found on my other blog.