“WEINBERG BUILDING, 5D, CODE BLUE”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3511986
“Among patients given syngeneic transplants, actuarial disease-free survival at 7 years is 20%. The major causes of death were relapse of leukemia and idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. Among allogeneic recipients, 9 (23%) are currently alive, and actuarial disease-free survival at 7 years is 11%.”
Yesterday afternoon we got to witness what happens what someone suffers complications from Bone Marrow Transplant. We have one fewer BMT patient among our number today, but he did not go home.
I was admitted at the same time as a young man diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Yesterday we were talking with his wife, and he had a severe reaction to two platelet transfusions and a severe reaction to Vancomycin. He looks really rough, and he was dismayed that he didn’t lose his hair after Cytoxan and Irradiation only to lose his hair in patches this week.
He left the question dangling as he stared at the short stubble on my head. I was quiet for a beat and replied “I never expected to keep my hair. I still don’t. The day that Cellcept or any other drug they give me causes hair loss, I’m prepared to shave it all off.”
Cancer is hell. Anyone who tells you that Bone Marrow Transplants are easy isn’t being very honest with you.
Ken, I didn’t see this until tonight. I can’t imagine how it must be to lose a fellow traveler. Stay stalwart. Stay strong. Stay with us. Stay alive.