Tim has a very difficult Leukaemia that has meant he has had more than 50 hospital admissions since Sept 01. This includes a number of 10 or 11 day admissions where Tim has been seriously unwell with major infection in his leg and lungs.
He relapsed in July 02 after a period of about 4 months in remission. Further chemotherapy got him back into remission but in October 02 he again relapsed. Gerri and Philip were told his chances of cure were diminishing and he may not have much time left as the disease became more drug resistant.
Further chemotherapy commenced but it could not get on top of the leukaemia and Tim spent several weeks in hospital with a very weak immune system and risk of infection threatening his life.
He recovered enough to be allowed home, but the outlook had deteriorated. Gerri and Philip had to decide between letting Tim go and stop looking for a cure, or trying high dose chemotherapy as a final attempt to get Tim well again.
This chemotherapy is very high risk and Tim is on the very low end of success.
Late November they decided to push on and Gerri, Tim and Matthew flew to Brisbane to commence treatment.
The challenges facing Tim now are enormous. He must firstly get through some heavy duty drugs which will make him very sick and threaten his life over a 4 to 6 week period. Then we will pray that as his body recovers the new cells created by his fragile bone marrow are good cells—and not more leukaemia cells, as more bad cells would mean further treatment is not possible. He then needs a remission before total body irradiation starts prior to bone marrow transplant. Then he needs to make it through the next 4 to 8 weeks of severe sickness and hopefully get home. He then faces the risk of the leukaemia returning anytime during the following 24 months.
It is a battle his whole family will do whatever is necessary to help him through. They will be at his side keeping his spirits up knowing that it is a very long road.
This WebSite will be updated regularly with Tim’s progress from November 30 onwards.
