The prisoner (me) has been given a temporary release from house arrest. Nine days without going to the hospital or clinic feels like a vacation. And I don't have to return until next Monday for lab work. Blood counts were good today. White count 3.1 (NORMAL, which is unheard of for me. Platelets up to 58--not near normal but clearly on the rise. Hematocrit and hemoglobin were 8.2 and 24, which would usually mean a transfusion. But today Rifkin gave me the option. Hmmmm. Spend a day at the clinic getting 2 units of blood or go home, go for a walk, etc. Not even close. The doc thinks the red cells will go up over the next week and I decided to make my bone marrow do a little work. We'll know on Monday. I'm still in line for the new drug, carfilzomib, to be given under "beneficial use." Rifkin estimates 30 days before the final paperwork is processed. We ended the exam with him accessing the internet to see what info he had on a new drug I asked him about: ACY-1215. For those in the now, this is an HDAC inhibitor. A new stage 1 and 2 clinical trial is beginning at Dana Farber in Boston. He promised me he would return from his latest conference this week with more info. Then he asked me to do a review of new convection ovens, given my apparent proficiency on the internet.
I am wondering whether my new diet has anything to do with my normal white count. I have drastically reduced my consumption of beef, pork and chicken (not totally eliminating it as I need some red meat for my red cells). I also am drinking a daily juice cocktail of carrot, apple and beet juice--recommended by my mother. And I'm taking a whole host of herbs and roots, which I compiled from a variety of resources I've acquired over the years: curcumin, Omega 3, 6 and 9, flaxseed and olive oil, selenium, red clover blossoms, yellow dock, burdock root, vitamins D, B-6 and B-12, and probiotics. Whoa! Susan wonders whether this is too little too late. I say it's just in the nick of time. Whatever. My energy and white count are up.
Had a nice weekend. Brother Mike (the donor) came for a short visit. We took in a Rockies game and had a relaxing weekend just catching up. So that's the status.
Best to all of you.
Dan
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4 comments:
That is good news, so glad to hear! I'm thinking about you Susan and the girls!
Love,
Amanda
Good to hear this news and I am continuing to intend that you are guided to eat these healing foods and continue to see good results! This IS for the highest and best good of all concerned... so be it and SO IT IS!! whooooo!
YA... Sounds like things are looking up. Keep it coming friend....
Steven
Dan -- i recently read something by a MM patient who took PolyMVA and got herself into remission using it on a daily basis. She runs a blog called healingcancernaturally I think. Anyhow, just a tip I'm passing on for your consideration. Blessings...
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