Wallace's medical travails halt on-campus college for now

EVERETT - Former Royal City resident and leukemia patient Michelle Wallace has found that on-campus college is not in the cards for now.

Wallace moved to Vancouver in December to start classes at WSU while doing treatment of interferon. Her doctor thought this would be manageable since interferon was self injected.

Things did not work out as planned. So Wallace move back to her grandmother's house in Everett to be closer to her medical treatments. She will start an online course.

The purpose of the Interferon was to kick start her transplant. It was used 20 years ago with adequate results.

"They were trying to find something that would work for her and allow her the freedom to pursue her dream of school," her mother, Kathie Wallace, said. "The side effects of the Interferon were awful. She had insomnia, depression, anxiety, body aches and mouth sores from it."

Wallace had monthly bone marrow procedures done, with results that were positive. Her last bone marrow was done in April, and the results proved the Interferon was no longer working. The leukemia was taking over again.

Wallace returned to WSU for finals, then the doctor said she needed to move closer to Seattle and start chemotherapy. Her treatment plan at this time is two injections of chemo daily for seven days and 21 days off. During the 21 days off she'll have weekly blood draws in Seattle.

On May 10, Wallace's parents rose at 3 a.m. to drive from Moses Lake to Vancouver to move her back to her grandmother's house in Everett.

"We arrived in Vancouver at 9:15 a.m., rented a truck, got her all loaded and on the road by 1 p.m.," Kathie said. "We arrived in Everett about 5 p.m."

Wallace has already talked to an online university and will start classes in June.

"We all felt with the interruptions of treatment, going to school would be too hard," Kathie Wallace. "This seems like a good option."

Wallace came to Moses Lake week and will still be there this week.

"It'll be nice to have her here and for her to hang out with friends," Kathie said.