Hey Group: FYI . . .
I have been emailing off list and chatting via phone, sooner or later I am always asked about BMTs. All of my brother & sister survivors know my opinion regarding this. . . but here it is again:
At diagnosis, with 15 fatal/terminal diseases. . . all of which I call Chronic Illnesses. I had 800,000+phillies per Million and was given a morbid mortality of 2-5 months on 12/18/2003 by the Cancer Center in my area. Side effects. . .been there/done that. . .
and still having them. I spent the children's inheritance, and lived my lifetime. I'm broke but I AM SURVIVING (hehehehehe). In fact with our Gold; my 2nd RT-PCR is 0.00136. Thanx God, Dr. Drucker & my brother & sister pioneers.
My personal opinion on the BMT, for which I was never a candidate; is that it is being 'tooted' as a Cure by Transplant Doctors and some Hematologists & Oncologists. Which I don't believe, with BMT survivors
relapsing and being put back on our Gold to survive and GVHD is a KILLER. The statistics aren't in on the BMTs, I was given +30% die in the first 3 months and +50% die in the first year. That was for 2003, and in 2005 the same Doctor told me that the rate is up .05% for 2004. This information is from a Hematologist/Oncologist Doctor at the Cancer Center in my area. I know just as the pioneers were there for our gold; someone has to be a pioneer/guinea pig for the BMT. I guess I am being selfish because I don't want to lose another brother or sister who would otherwise by a survivor. The patient I personally talked too, told me that the 'darn thang' last a total of less than 9 months and she was back living the Gleevec life after surviving GVHD when the CDC Doctor had told the family that she wouldn't survive and was out-of-pocket +$90,000. With the cost of a BMT being $100,000-$250,000 and more. After diagnosis, my insurance companys' nurse advocate called me on
12/23/2003 and informed me "I have good news and bad news, we will pay for your care, but we will not pay for a BMT". . . "Merry Xmas to me"! ! ! The 'tooters' for the BMTs should pay for them`~100%.
Dr. Drucker stated at the ASH Conference in December that a newly diagnosed person has a 25-tear median and our bug is truly a Chronic disease (much like diabetes). We have our Gold, the AMS & BMS medications, the Vaccine, and other medications on the horizon. I read that there were 18 medications that could be researched for our bug.
I urge any brother or sister considering the BMT to research ALL information pro and con; your personal family issues; talk to BMT survivors; your quality/quantity of life, etc. After all is considered, remember the stats aren't in and we are Surviving on our Gold and the other medications available pre-BMT.
Take care, I have all in my prayers.
"K"
"I AIN'T FINISHED YET"!!!
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
[CMLHope]
A support group of http://cmlhope.com
-------------------------------------------------
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CMLHope" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/CMLHope
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
