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With all of the thoughts and prayers coming in, I feel as if I owe you guys an update. Maura's been in the hospital for 9 weeks. She is now at Columbia Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. These doctors at THE CATS for leukemia. we met with one of the team, who stepped us through what is ahead. She is very thorough, confident, calm and kind. Our beloved internist (also a drummer) attended the meeting as well - along with a very smart friend who took notes. Maura and I knew we wouldn't really hear or understand everything that was said. In a nutshell, they are going to begin getting our insurance to approve a bone marrow (aka stem cell) transplant. There are donors all over the world and it is unlikely that Maura will not find a match. If she doesn't find a match, then there are more alternatives. Right now, we are hoping she gets her leukemic cells down to 5% or less. This current (third chemo) course will pan out (results will be in) within a month. And BTW, this third course is a bit of an experimental one, though it has much groundwork in the tried and true way (as has gone before). Again, there are alternatives to do if her bad cells don't drop. She very well may be able to go home for a little while then. In a month. Maybe only for a few days - maybe not at all - maybe she will have to wait for the donor.. many different things can happen. As soon as the insurance OKs the procedure and the donor is found, we're going for it. There are alternatives to bone marrow or (also called) stem cell transplant, but the only way she gets cured to outlive us all is to do this procedure. Everything else is a badly made band-aid. The transplant will take approx. 6 months until she is cleared to come home. if you have been reading some of my posts (and most of you have), it is obvious I need to pace myself emotionally a little better through this year. Yes. there are risks - but i feel great about this. I actually felt happy going home from the hospital for the first time since she got admitted! Thank you