June 2011

What a difference a couple of weeks make.  I am feeling much better, energy level is coming back and no rash or welts.  They are weaning me off the Prednisone, have restored my arthritis medication and I start the two drug therapy week(s) this coming week (6/12). the numbers continue to rise, which is a very good sign (so the doctor says).  Now she wants me to begin to think of the next phase... A T-cell transplant. She (Dr. Angevine) explained the entire process to me which made me feel as this was my next big challenge.  What they do, it take a group of T-Cells out of your bones (they live in the bone marrow) freeze them and then give you high doses of chemo to knock out the cancer cells.  then they reintroduce the T-Cells they froze back into your system to rebuild healthy T-cells.  Sounds pretty easy...but the chemos kills all the cancerous T-cells which includes lower your white blood count to dangerous levels.  Of course, all of this is done in hospital, so it is at least a two week stay.  Only three places on the east coast do it: Dana Farber in Boston, Sloan Kettering in NYC and Yale New Haven in CT. My choice was only one since my insurance will only cover Yale NewHaven, but Dr. Angevine assured them it is an excellent choice. So I have my "consultation" with the doctor on June 20th at Yale New Haven.