Since arriving in Seattle on Saturday, we have yet to adjust to the time change. By our standards, we’ve gone to bed early every night, only to be wide awake by 5:30 – 6 a.m. I have fallen back to sleep, but Dave has really struggled with the new schedule. Adding to that, today is a big day. A bone marrow biopsy is on the slate to see how active the cancer is. As I pointed out in previous blogs, leukemia must be at least five percent active for SCCA to proceed with CAR-T Cell therapy. If he is in remission, he is ineligible. In addition to the biopsy, he will undergo a lumbar puncture, as they will test his spinal fluid for evidence of leukemia. Doctors will also do intrathecal chemo, which has been done in the past as a preventative measure. Intrathecal chemo rarely goes well for Dave, so he was sleepless in Seattle for good reason.

Dave’s blood counts have been holding steady, although he did need a blood transfusion yesterday. The added red blood immediately vaulted his energy level. The doctors have been extremely positive and have precise plans for him returning to remission. They have emphasized that each case is tailored to the patient’s needs and side effects. The timeline is broad so as to accommodate even the tiniest setback. Of course, Dave plans on zero setbacks, the shortest stay in the hospital and returning to Michigan by mid-May to watch baseball and enjoy spring and the warmer weather.

Contrary to past springs in Seattle, the weather has been extremely beautiful. The temperatures have tipped into the 70s and the skies have been cloudless. We walked along the water and enjoyed watching boaters, families with children, and people sliding out of work early to soak in the sun. We have spent as much time outdoors as we can knowing it will be short-lived in a normally cool and rainy Seattle.

I will update the blog on Saturday with the results of the bone marrow biopsy. For now, we hope to sleep better tonight as we wait for our next steps leading to remission.