My husband Troy (59), had a related allo stem cell transplant on 11/16/04. He was treated at the University of Chicago where we have lived for the last three months. He has the good fortune to be one on only a few dialysis patients to have undergone a SCT. We know of only four others and Troy is the third for this Dr. This center uses a less toxic conditioning protocol(Campath, an antibody, and Melhalan, a chemo)for the transplant. The dialysis is necessary for Troy as the result of an MRSA (another of the supergerms, similar to VRE, as described by Jack on the Dorry’s Illness thread) infection that became septic and damaged his kidneys. He will most likely need dialysis for the rest of his life but we have not given up hope for improvement in his kidney function following the need for anti-rejection meds.
Troy is doing very, very well. Today is day + 80 and he has been allowed to leave Chicago early to return to Kansas City, our home. There is as yet no sign of Graft vs Host, his counts are normal except for RBC, engraftment is above 95%, he is eating and sleeping well and exercising as much as possible with arthritic knees. He has neuropathy in his feet but that is from chemo for AML prior to transplant. He will be seen at the clinic here by the docs that have managed his treatment for AML/CMML since diagnosis in December of ’03. These docs are transplant docs (they did Greg’s Mom’s transplant the same week as Troy’s), but Troy’s insurance does not have a contract with this transplant program. He will return to Chicago several times for BMB’s and follow up appointments.
I offer this update as encouragement to others considering transplant and as information for those that might have kidney failure and think that a transplant is not an option for them. Thanks for the prayers and good wishes that so many of you have offered for Troy. Cathy
Husband: Troy,59, dx AML from undiagnosed CMML 12/8/03, Induction; fungal infection of skin,lungs; remission; 4 consolidations, MRSA sepsis 4/28/04; kidney failure, began dialysis; relapse of CMML, 7/04; related allo SCT, 11/16/05; remission!
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