Patrick Languzzi Patrick's Journey

On Tuesday, August 21st I was diagnosed with AML (acute Myeloid Leukemia). A diagnosis that would turn my world, as I knew it, upside down.  My physician asked me to pack my belongings, and within 48 hours I found myself in a 12 x 12  hospital room at Massachusetts General Hospital over looking Boston. Not the way I would have chosen to view the skyline. 


Over the next 7 days, I would receive a potent cocktail combination of two chemo regimens called induction therapy, delivered 24/7 in an attempt to eradicate my leukemia and help put me into remission. The goal being to wipe out my body's bone marrow from making these leukemic cells as well as my body's own healthy cells. And honestly, if this wasn't happening to me, I would never have imagined it could.  See, I've always been so healthy.. 


My biggest fears and insecurities tend to set in during the early evening, shortly after sun set. The anxiety at times feels insurmountable, but in the end, I know it will make me a stronger individual. 


The next step in the process will be to have a bone marrow biopsy (ouch) on either Thursday, Sept 6th or Friday, September 7th. The reason for this is to see if there's any leukemia cells left in my marrow. Should the biopsy come back clean, then they will prepare me over the next several days/week to get healthy enough to return home and wait for a bone marrow transplant.


Should the results come back showing signs of leukemia, then I would require an additional 5 days of intensive chemo as well as an additional bone marrow  biopsy before being allowed to be released in preparation of a bone marrow transplant.