Jane Martinez Jane Strong

Jane has ALL, Acute T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia. This is what she was diagnosed with on the evening of Saturday, August 13th . 


A week earlier we noticed that Jane’s belly was a little bigger than normal and had made a joke of it looks like her belly button is about to poke out. By Wednesday, we were noticing a lot of bruising and she had been resting a lot, compared to her normal very active self. So Friday we made her a doctor’s appointment thinking they’ll probably think we’re crazy and tell us it’s just a little virus or she’s about to hit a growth spurt and needs some iron. Mark took her as I was at work. He called me after work, as we always do if the other can’t make to the appointment. He called and said, I’ll just text you. Seconds letter I get an message that said “they are sending us down town, Dr thinks it could be leukemia.” I turned to my co-worker and said I have to leave, but why would my doctor say that without any blood work that doesn’t make any sense. I called the Doctor to find out what was going on as Mark couldn’t get any words out over the phone. She stated based on the symptoms it could be virus or worst case scenario Leukemia, and with it being a Friday she wanted us to go to the ER at Children’s to be safe. We make it to the ER after what feels like hours, but in reality was only 40 minutes, and get checked in. I tell the ER nurses what’s going on and they pull the fax sent to them from our Doctor. They get some blood for labs, then a call for more blood for labs, and then the ER Doctor comes  in and tells us, at this point they can’t rule out Leukemia and it’s very likely it is, but they can’t say for sure until the Oncologist look at the labs. We’re sent for chest x-rays and EKG’s. Then, another ER doctor comes in and tells us they’re sending us to the ICU and he’s 99% it’s Leukemia. We get downstairs and 4 doctors are in the room with two nurses. They introduce themselves and within 30 minutes Jane is rushed off to surgery to get a vas-cap.  She then received plasmapheresis, by 6 a.m. (x-apple-data-detectors://4) she was able to get some rest. Her white blood cells finally started to come down and her platelet count started to climb. By Saturday evening (x-apple-data-detectors://5), we had her diagnosis and an action plan on how we’re going to treat it.


 

The next month we will be difficult. We will be living here, she cannot leave the hospital for the next 30 days. The goal is to remove 99.99% of the cancer. Then, we’ll be able to go home and the outpatient procedures will begin, likely two treatments a week. This will continue for 2.5- 3 years to kill the remaining .001%. Everyone knows the risk associated with the treatments that could potentially impact her for the rest of her life. So we ask for prayers, lots of prayers. God is good and can heal all, we need his holy spirit to watch over and protect her.