Blin-ah-toom-oh-mab

This crazy word is the new drug that Luke started today. It is a monoclonal antibody that activates Luke’s immune system to fight off the remaining leukemia cells and to push him into MRD negative status. It is given as a continuous IV infusion over twenty eight days. He will be monitored in the hospital for side effects for at least ten days and then he will get to go home with a stylish man purse and come in every two days for a new bag of medicine.

The idea behind this therapy is to get him to MRD negative status before going into the stem cell transplant. The goal is to improve long term outcomes and decrease the risk of relapse. We are three hours in and so far so good with the new drug!

Last night Luke spent his first night back in the hospital and I went home. Sleeping alone for the first time in almost four weeks was a lot harder than I expected. It’s just not home without Luke there. It’s good to be back here with him today.