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Thank you

This topic has 1 reply, 1 voice, and was last updated 17 years, 5 months ago by willie.

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November 20, 2006 at 1:38 pm #16100

J.claire
Member

I am so thankful for you people here on this forum. I am so much better informed as I go to get a “second opinion” than I would have been without you all. My hemo/onco, who is highly respected and a kind and good person, had strongly recommended BMT from the day of my diagnosis. He called it the only “cure”. But I have kept reading and, in my mind, at least at this point, there is no way I could take that risk. I don’t understand why they call it a cure when 20 percent relapse and the 5-yr survival is only around 50-60%. I in no way am trying to say what is the right choice for someone else, only just for me, now, with almost no symptoms, why would I even consider BMT? Of course, I don’t know what the future holds. But, I just wanted to thank you. No doubt, three weeks ago before I started reading the archives of this forum, I was expecting to proceed with the BMT, as recommened. Thank you so so much. I hate being at the mercy of doctors who know more than me, but because of this forum, I’m fairly well informed, and still learning. I hope Jeff Beck is getting stronger. I read his journal every day, and I pray for him.

November 21, 2006 at 2:53 am #16101

willie
Member

J.claire My wife was told that a BMT was the only potential cure and that she had a survival index of 3 1/2 years if left untreated. We did not rceive a good rundown from him of the potential help that is available short of the BMT
or in her case a PSCT. She might have opted to try the other options but wanted to go for the potential cure. After reading what many have experienced I think it would have been good to try more of the Vidaza (it was stretching out the time between transfusions). She was not needing any platelets although that number was declining. She was feeling much better than she had in 4-5 months the day she signed in to the clinic to begin the process. Also, she was 55 when diagnosed and they felt her age was on her side at that time. I do wish we could have read this forum during the initial phase but I really don’t think she would have changed her mind.
Willie
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