Update #2 by Lauren

I've decided I'm going to keep these weekly updates from me. Up to you whether you read them or ignore them.
So guess what... My hair is pink!! This morning I was able to get some time out of hospital to go down to the Beyond Blonde Salon to get my pink pixie cut. And wow, what an amazing cut. I'm so happy with it. So thank you to Ross for being amazing and pampering me for the morning and to my other hairdressing friend John who gave the awesome colour. As I finished my chemo cycle on Friday unfortunately this awesome hair will probably be gone by the end of the week, but yolo right?
So the plan is that this cycle of chemo I finished on Friday will work it's magic over the next 4/6weeks and get me into remission (cancer free). And, if everything works and goes to plan, from there head straight into another bone marrow transplant which will be done at the RAH. They've already begun looking for another donor and I think they have found 4 possible donors that they need to tissue type further. So now it's just a waiting game to see if the chemo can do it's stuff. I've begun to feel quite tired and lethargic and often have to have an afternoon nap so the likelihood of visitors over the next 2/3 weeks I'll probably just keep to close family and friends. Otherwise I've been feeling good and have been occupying my time making 1000 origami cranes, teaching the nurses how to drip pole dance, reading, watching movies and YouTube cat videos.
Again, thank you for all the messages of support and love that I've continued to receive. They help so much during the times where I feel abit lost and it means the world to know I have people outside rooting for me.
Anyway I think that's it for this week. So yeah I will continue these weekly updates but completely up to you if you follow them or not. You can also update yourself at laurenkupdates.blogspot.com.au and in the meantime ‪#‎fuckcancer‬
Lauren


From Dad: A few photos from this week incl Lauren's week 2 quote and pink hair by Ross:

Chemo Day 4 finished

Chemo started for Lauren on Monday - 6 days straight and then a break for a week (I think). Plan is to get her into remission as soon as possible via the chemo and then go straight into a bone marrow transplant (to be done at the RAH) - after one possible detour - after remission and before a second bone marrow transplant she'll possibly be having her remaining 3 wisdom teeth removed. Minor in comparison to what's going on for the cancer stuff. Is a glass half full or half empty? - what would your call be if it was you in the picture? - basically it's a 50/50 chance the chemo will get her into remission. Lauren has the view the glass is half full as she's determined to knock this over this time. No doubts, just do it #fuckcancer.

Her friends are carrying her this time around. Their visits are all important to her - just remember no visit if you're not well or recently had a cold/flu and aqium must be used entering the ward and her room - also, just check with her via her mobile before coming so she can manage visits and treatment and rest time. Nice to see her managing her treatment and visitors etc. Some highlights this week (for me anyway) was seeing the 'fuck cancer' cookies from Julia H - awesome!

I believe the lady baking them has had a sharp increase in sales for 'fuck cancer' cookies in the last 24 hours alone!!! (see facebook - Alyce in Cookieland)

Last Sunday (her last night before chemo started) her friends from AC Arts stayed until 10:30pm and turned her room into a fairy light, poster crowded walls.

Put Lauren on a nice high before starting treatment - that high is still continuing with other friends visiting her. As we've been saying, she doesn't look 'sick' as per the photo Sunday, so come in with a smiling face and enjoy the visit. BTW, she loves the 'big monkey' Leo.

Also, was impressed with her white board quote and garden.

Some of you around when she was seven and first diagnosed would know the story of the garden and weeds to describe what cancer is and what's happening - have to dig up the SAFM interview with Amanda B, I think - does anyone know how to put and interview from a CD onto this blog? Contact me or Lauren if you know how.

Update #1 from Lauren

So I've found that a lot of people are asking me the same questions and because obviously it's a pretty overwhelming time for me I thought I'd start a weekly update to keep you all up with it.

But thank you for all the love and support I've been receiving over the past week - it means so much to me to know I have people there behind me if I ever need them! And if I don't immediately reply to your messages it's not because I don't love you or appreciate your messages it's just that I'm in a hard place at the moment and sometimes I don't want to look at my phone.

Anyway so update #1: today I start chemotherapy... Yes I'll loose my hair, yes there will be good days and there will be the shitty days. I am allowed visitors now except just check in with me on the day to make sure I am up for it because there will be days where I just don't want to see/speak to anyone. Also if you've been sick in the past two weeks you're not allowed in and also if you're sending gifts no flowers or plant products. Just thought I'd clear that up.

Some things to look forward to is this weekend I'm hopefully getting a pink pixie haircut to celebrate my hair falling out and I have all these movies I've been meaning to sit down and watch for ages and now I have the time to do so, so looking forward to that. I'm also planning to win something out of a puzzle book just for lols and giggles and to keep my brain working. I have plenty of stuff to keep me occupied and already a cupboard full of chocolates and goodies for those midnight munchies. smile emoticon

Anyway I think that's all for update #1. Again thank you all again for all the kind words and heartfelt messages - I do read them and I do enjoy them it's just I receive so many I can't reply to all of them smile emoticon I think you'll understand. So until next Monday ‪#‎fuckcancer‬

Some home time today

Hi folks,

Lauren is coming home for 2 hours today - from 2:00pm - - 4:00pm. Then she's having take-away in hospital tonight for dinner with some friends. It's the last time the hospital will allow her to have take-away for a while. Home cooked meals are OK going forward, just not take-away. She starts chemo tomorrow. Aim is to get her into remission and then all going well, straight into a bone marrow transplant which will be done at the RAH. Very different system to the children's treatment protocol. Grandma arrives Tues morning, which Kate is over the moon about. She's already organised to stay here Monday night so she can go to the airport and get to school on time - Kate - the new organiser!!!

Results of bone marrow biopsy - 90% blast cells present in the marrow - not a good reading. I think it was 20% in the blood from last Saturday's blood test (different test to the marrow test).

She's fine in herself. On Friday she had lunch with her AC Arts Colleagues which was good for her. We decided to take some extra time out and grab a coffee before heading back to the RAH. (Coffee shop had an interesting sign on display - appropriate!!

Got to run again as she's keen I'm there before 2pm so we maximise the time at home - time to clean her room!!! Imagine a picture of a bomb going off - that's her room. Clean clothes on ground, others in wardrobe, hidden I guess!! Can we request someone with a marrow this time who's tidy? Maybe it might help her keep room tidy cells! :)

mmm, we might be a little late back to hospital today!!

Lauren was so thrilled about seeing her AC Arts friends today at lunch, I'm thinking of being late (on purpose, for a change) so she can spend more time out. Was like seeing a bird discover its wings for the first time this morning when she left the hospital

Pre-treatment testing finished

Lauren has had numerous tests this last week. She's still 'healthy' and active. Just stuck in a hospital whilst they do these tests. Today she's coming out at 12:00pm to have lunch with her AC Arts colleagues - she was in her third and final year of the course this year. She's looking forward to getting out and spending time with them

Chemotherapy commences on Monday for her. Basically to get her into remission. Lauren is managing her own treatment this time and holding all the discussions with the medicos - who are all totally professional. We were a bit concerned coming from Women's & Children's Hospital since last treatment to Royal Adelaide. Have to say it's different as you'd expect, but just as caring with equally dedicated staff. In fact, haven't seen a hospital yet without dedicated, professional staff. If any government thinks it's fair to eliminate penalty rates for nurses they're in for a rude shock as I for one will stand up for the nurses. What they do and how hard they work in under-recognised in our (& many other) society.

Then at some stage, will mean another bone marrow transplant. Have no idea when yet. I guess they'd be searching the donor list globally again to find a suitable donor. There is s new drug out which targets a certain rogue cancer cells which carry a certain protein. I can't remember the name - Lauren's the expert this time!! Anyway it's been found she has that protein in her cancer cells but being a random selection for the trial of this drug, she hasn't got onto this program. It would still mean a bone marrow transplant, but because the drug can target just the rogue cells with the particular protein, it means not all her cells are killed off and therefore she wouldn't have lost her hair etc. Anyway not to be and Lauren is comfortable with the treatment regime.

She might be coming home over this weekend as she is able to get out and about. We'll find out later today if this is the case. (If spelling errors etc, I'll correct them later, have to run!!). Once treatment starts she'll be in for at least 4 -6 weeks - I'm assuming that's ignoring the transplant time frame. Will find out more next week.

Michael

Quick update

Lauren has been having tests this week. No treatment started yet. Bone marrow biopsy yesterday. Results not in yet. She's getting a PIC line in right now - this will allow the medicos to 1) obtain bloods for checks going forward 2) Allow the insertion of drugs easily once her treatment is decided on and starts. Lauren is in charge of her treatment choice this time. At 20, she's an adult and determines what they do and how. Very proud how she's managing it all. I'm biased, but she impresses me like no other. Will update when more known.

Bugga!! Laurens relapsed!!

I never thought I'd ever be publishing a post about Lauren ever being treated for cancer again. Unfortunately I'm wrong on this front. Saturday morning just gone, Lauren had a wild nose bleed which she eventually stopped. However in her panic she rang me and then her Grandmother. Lucky her Grandmother rang me and strongly suggested I go home and see to her. Anyway, took her to the Medical Centre and it was only whilst there I noticed how pale she looked. (In hindsight, I was trying to work out why I hadn't noticed that paleness previously, but whilst we live together, we've been like ships passing in the night. She's been getting home late from Acting classes & her dancing and I'm already asleep, and by the time she's up I'm gone in the morning). I remember once thinking she looked a little pale, but she's so active, you don't think anything is wrong......like the first time in 2002, maybe she's overdoing things and just needs to rest up. Something she seems to resist!

Anyway blood results came back abnormal within a few hours. Later the Doctor rang me back and advised I should get her to hospital that night. So Saturday night we're in Royal Adelaide Hospital for the first time. Numerous tests run past midnight and then Sunday morning (early hours) we were transferred into the Haematology ward (incl blood cancers). I think when that happened she got an inclination it might be her Leukaemia back. Sunday morning they were able to confirm, she's relapsed!! Fu%K Blast cells!!!

So here we go again, round 3. I don't know how she does it, but she deals with it in her time so well. I can only marvel at her strength. I wish I had just 5% of it!!

As usual, I'm already getting calls and requests for updates. I just can't update everyone individually. One, it takes too long per call and I'm already getting tired explaining what's happened and where to from here. So the old blog from the transplant on 2008 is back in operation for those who want to follow it themselves.

Thanks,
Michael