Gigantic Update (from Lauren's facebook post today)

GIGANTIC UPDATE (Goodluck reading it): I always know when to do another one of these because a lot of people start messaging me asking how I am going so...

last update was that I found two swollen lymphnodes (one in my neck and one near my sacrum) that were filled with leukaemic cells. For those of you who are going what the hell are lymphnodes - they are part of the immune system and are filled with lymphocytes (usually white cells in the blood) which help tackle any viruses or bacteria that enter your body. These lymphocytes often swell when they are working extra hard or if something else (like leukaemia cells) clog them up, hence the name lymph-node. Because of these nodes I could no longer continue with the next dose of Inotuzumab. And after talking with my doctor the Inotuzumab isn't a complete failure - my bone marrow still to this day only contains 0.1% of leukaemia cells which is fantastic - it's just a shame that the disease progressed to my tissue/lymphnodes and the Inotuzumab was ineffective in the tissue to prevent this. 

So what's the plan now?
Well when we first found out about the lymphnodes we thought we would be needing to go to America to receive cutting edge 'Carr T Cell' treatment BUT GUESS WHAT... It's been doing so well in America that the trial has just been brought to the Royal Children's in Melbourne - that's why I was up in Melbs last Wednesday. So after talking to the doctor up there, fortunately I'm not too old to qualify for the trial as the cut off point is 22, but unfortunately, I don't qualify for the trial just yet as I don't have enough leukaemic cells in my bone marrow. (I know, talk about backwards) So because this treatment is so new there needs to be a disease marker so they can see how well the treatment works against the disease and this marker is 5% of leukaemia in the bone marrow. However, I can take the first step and at least get my 'T cells' (a specific type of white cell in your blood) harvested and frozen ready to be sent and genetically modified when I do eventually end up on the trial. Hopefully that will happen sometime in the next month or two.

As for now it's just living life. My blood counts have been pretty good so I've been trying to get out and about as much as I can. In Melbs on Tuesday night, caught up with some family friends in fed square for dinner and almost laughed my head off, last Friday helped out selling bandannas in Adelaide CBD for CanTeen's national bandanna day, can finally do 10min at 9.7km/h on the treadmill and last night had the chance to catch up with all my third year actor peers around a gorgeous bonfire in Charleston!!

Not gona lie - the past 2-3 weeks have been tough because of not knowing a plan and when people say I'm so strong and optimistic it's because I only allow you to see what I want you to see - did you know I broke a light bulb/fixture with my shoe the other day because I was so angry at everything and everyone?? Well I guess now you do but I believe if you were in my position you would also somehow tap into this weird strength that people seem to see so vividly because you simply have to in order to live. There's no choice really, unless you really want to die.

Anyway I think that's enough soppiness for one day!! Haha but yes for now just trying to get out and do as much as I physically and mentally can! ‪#‎FUCKLEUKAEMIA‬ ‪#‎FUCKCANCER‬