My name is Tatyana Kuzmina. I have two sons 8-year-old Vladislav and
21-month-old German.
In April German started daycare, and in June he was already diagnosed with
bronchial asthma. He is allergic to all kinds of plants.
For three months, German received hormonal therapy with costly drug, Pulmicort.
In mid-September my son started limping on his right foot, and then could no
longer stand on it.
Many times, the doctors of Children's hospital No.5 saw him, but could never
determine what was wrong.
Once German's foot turned red, he had surgery, but nothing was found. After
three weeks of treatment, we were discharged home. Two days after the discharge,
my son developed fever and both of his legs gave way. We were taken by ambulance
to Pediatric Academy. The next day we learned that German has a terrible
disease, leukemia. We were urgently transferred to R. Gorbacheva Pediatric
Hematology Institute. There the diagnosis was verified to be acute lymphoblastic
leukemia.
Currently, German is receiving chemotherapy. I stay with my son at the hospital.
My husband is the only breadwinner, and he also takes care of our older son. The
treatment is very expensive, and we also pay for our rented apartment. The
treatment has just started and we don't know what is ahead of us.
We will probably need very expensive medications. If someone responds and helps
us overcome our troubles, we will be very grateful.
Update as of January 10, 2010.
Gera is now undergoing a cycle of chemotherapy (two injections a week).
His blood counts are now low (low platelets and hemoglobin), but not
critically so, and Gera stays at home. He comes to the hospital for tests.
Gera takes antibiotics and receives inhalation. Gera's four teeth
broke at the same time and they need to be taken out, as they can
cause infection, but it cannot be done at this time due to low
platelet count and risk of bleeding. He still needs Vfend.
Update as of February 3, 2010.
German is feeling well and is now getting ambulatory treatment.
The boy still needs Pulmicort.
Update as of March 26, 2010.
German was hospitalized for scheduled chemotherapy. The treatment is
proceeding as planned.
Update as of May 26, 2010.
After the last chemotherapy cycle Gera had serious neurologic problems.
He started having pains in his legs, could not get up and stopped walking.
After treatment by neurologist, he had improved and can walk again.
However, the next chemotherapy cycle was postponed so that the boy
could recover. Gera is taken off Vfend for now. After the next
cycle of chemotherapy he will have CT scan and then it will be
known whether he needs to continue Vfend therapy.
Update as of August 18, 2010.
German is done with the basic chemotherapy course and is now at home
on a maintenance protocol. His basic disease is in remission.
