It has been a year since I posted here, and I think it is high time I gave an update for any current or future sufferer of leukaemia that might be reading this and thinking, "so what happened".
Well, the answer is rather satisfyingly that nothing has happened, at least nothing related to cancer! Today I had an appointment at the clinic, which I now attend at six month intervals. Sadly, the nursing staff seem to have rotated, so there were no familiar faces there, but the consultants are still the same.
The likelihood of a relapse is now very low (1 or 2% at most), and to all intents and purposes it is like I was never ill. However, they continue to take a BCR-ABL test every six months just to be sure nothing has happened. My ferritin level was still slightly high six months ago, and if it has not dropped I will need to have more venesection (i.e. blood letting), I will find out next week.
My message to anyone suffering from leukaemia, and undergoing the chemotherapy regime and bone marrow transplant that I had, is that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and to keep a positive outlook. And of course to do what they tell you, however difficult it seems!
I think that surviving an aggressive cancer has made me treat life with even greater equanimity and optimism than I did previously. I am not saying for one moment that leukaemia is life enhancing, but there is a lot of truth in the clichet "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger"!
Hi Ian I just want to say thanks for publishing your blog. I started following it when I was diagnosed with ALL B cell ph - in September 2011, I am now 3 years 5 months post allo transplant 9sisters cells). I have chronic gvhd and having photopherisis treatment. I work full time and have done so from 6 months post transplant other than the gvhd I am well.
ReplyDeleteYour blogs gave me hope when at times I didn't believe this disease could be beaten. Many of my hospital friends didn't survive and I sometimes thought it was inevitable that I wouldn't make it. However reading your post and knowing that you were surviving gave me the hope that I needed and I knew that others were surviving and beating this disease. Thanks for inspiring me and for taking the trouble to share your story, it has certainly made a difference to my progress. I am really glad you are doing well and hope this continues for many, many more years, By the way I was 45 at diagnosis and I will be 50 in January. Thank you Maria
Thank you so much for writing Maria. I am vey happy that my blog helped you. I hope that the photpheresis works, and that you also have a long, happy and pain free life from here on.
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ReplyDeleteHi Ian, so happy to hear that you are doing well (and since you are not on FB, that you finally updated your blog)! I hope you and Rose will come visit us soon! We have no plans to visit London as yet although we keep thinking we may want to spend Christmas there! XOXO ~ Anna
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