Kait M’s Story

I had Lymphoblastic leukemia that was diagnosed on 01/16/2007 at 12 years of age.  I was initially categorized as high-risk due to my age.

I received the following chemotherapies on this regimen per the University of Minnesota:

1.  Cytarabine intrathecally with a cumulative dose of 39 mg/m2.

2.  Cytarabine intravenously with a cumulative dose of 1800 mg/m2.

3.  PEG-L-asparaginase intramuscularly with an anaphylaxis after the 3rd dose.

4.  Erwinaze asparaginase intramuscularly.

5.  Vincristine intravenously.

6.  Prednisone orally.

7.  Dexamethasone orally.

8.  Daunorubicin intravenously with a cumulative dose of 100 mg/m2 (anthracycline equivalent 50 mg/m2).

9.  6-mercapatopurine orally.

10.  6-thioguanine orally.

11.  Methotrexate orally.

12.  Methotrexate intrathecally with a cumulative dose of 345 mg/m2.

13.  Methotrexate intravenously with a cumulative dose of 610 mg/m2.

14.  Cyclophosphamide intravenously with a cumulative dose of 3 g/m2.

15.  Doxorubicin intravenously with an accumulative dose of 75 mg/m2.

I was in remission for approximately 10 months until, unfortunately, I had a relapse of ALL in my bone marrow.  I was then treated as per protocol AALL01P2, which was started on 04/23/2010 and was completed with my bone marrow transplant on 10/01/2010.

I received the following chemotherapies on regimen AALL01P2:

1. Cytarabine intrathecally with an accumulative dose of 35 mg/m2.
2. Cytarabine intravenously with an accumulative dose of 8 g/m2.
3. Methotrexate intrathecally with an accumulative dose of 12 mg/m2.
4. Methotrexate intravenously with an accumulative dose of 1 g/m2.
5. Vincristine intravenously.
6. Prednisone orally.
7. Doxorubicin intravenously with an accumulative dose of 180 mg/m2.
8. Erwinaze asparaginase intramuscularly.
9. Etoposide intravenously with an accumulative dose of 500 mg/m2.
10. Cyclophosphamide intravenously with an accumulative dose of 2200 mg/m2.
11. Mitoxantrone intravenously with an accumulative dose of 48 mg/m2 (doxorubicin equivalent 480 mg/m2).

I went on to receive a match unrelated cord blood transplant on 10/01/2010 as per the marrow transplant regimen 2006-20. My donor was from Belgium. I received the following conditioning regimen:

1. Cyclophosphamide intravenously with an accumulative dose of 3600 mg/m2.
2. Fludarabine intravenously with an accumulative dose of 75 mg/m2.
3. Total body irradiation, which was started on 09/24/2010, was completed on 09/27/2010 in 8 fractions at 165 cGy per fraction for a total dose of 1320 cGy.  

I have undergone many surgeries and have had many complications along the journey.

I just recently have been diagnosed with heart failure due to the very strong Chemotherapy treatments I named above. I am currently being monitored for that at the U of Minnesota as well and attending ongoing cardiac rehab at Hutch Health.

Throughout everything, there is definitely one thing I’ve learned. I am a SURVIVOR 💪

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