Molecular Remission

To detect the t(15;17) (q22;q11-21) translocation that is characteristic of acute promyelocytic leukemia, flourescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed. Two probes were used in the analysis; one detects the PML locus in G-band 15q22 and the second detects the RARA locus in G-band 17q21.1. The five hundred analyzable interphase nuclei showed no statistical evidence of a PML/RARA fusion signal pattern.

That, my friends, is taken from the lab report, summarizing my bone marrow study. In other words, not only am I in remission, I am in molecular remission. I still feel like crap from last week’s chemotherapy, so the real celebration won’t begin until I can actually crack open a cold one (and I may actually wait until they remove my hickman line), but there’s no denying the wonderful feeling of relief accompanied by this news.

This morning, before leaving for the hospital, we noticed that our little monarch chrysalis was about to transform. Unfortunately, we didn’t see the butterfly emerge, but she was there waiting for us when we came home. How fitting, even though quite cliché, that we witness this final stage of metamorphosis upon our return.

Monarch Metamorphosis (Milo)