Good News !!!

Below is a copy of an email that I sent out yesterday to friends and family, but I wanted to share this wonderful news with the friends that I have made through this blog. The picture above was taken in 2005, and is one of my very most favorites! It was taken up in Washington, when we spent eighteen glorious months in the Pacific Northwest. Some day we hope to go back to spend more time there.

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Greetings to all –

Just got back from the doctor visit today, and Gary’s blood value markers are all UP! His platelets were the biggest winner, going from 46 a few weeks ago, to 64 two weeks ago, to 77 last week, and now 110 this week, which is just astounding. Only once since his transplant have they been that high! “Normal”, mind you, is 150, but 110 is very much welcomed.

He’s still off the meds for another week to get him in tip top shape, and then he’ll be going back on the meds, but at a much reduced dosage – 10mg. instead of 25mg.. And there will be about three months on, and then two off for as long as it looks like this will be effective. There was no talk of another transplant today, so that was good.

He goes back next week to make sure everything is continuing to climb, and will get a bone survey to make sure there are no plasmacytomas building up anywhere like it did in his sinus cavity last fall. At the end of September, there will be a bisphosphonate infusion, and, if everything is still crankin’ along okay, we may be able to take off for the month(s) of October and/or November. Not sure how far we will try to go; maybe just to New Mexico or northern Arizona, but we sure hope to go SOMEwhere in our poor, neglected motorhome!!!

Rejoice with us! ;->

Virtual hugs,

Judie