Good results

I got the results of Wednesday's bone marrow biopsy on Friday and it confirmed I'm still in remission. That makes it a year that I'm in remission. I'm happy!! Where are those emoticons when you need 'em. 

I feel good today. It's good to know that the fatigue that makes it impossible to pass up a nap on many days is due to the drug (Dasatinib). It lowers the number of red blood cells. At the end of July I had to stop taking it due to very low platelet levels. In some ways I was lucky. I was off the pills for 10 weeks, including most the time we were on our road trip. I felt normal! 

By mid October, my platelets recovered to a level where my doctor re-started the Dasatinib. My hemoglobin has slid from 15.5 to 11.7 since re-starting 10 weeks ago. Normal is 14-18. So I'm anemic and my body has not adjusted to it. I get winded easily. I'm supposed to take Dasatinib until June and some days I don't know how I'll make it. The situation is complicated by the fact that there is no evidence yet that taking Dasatinib at this point is helpful. That is one of the goals of the clinical trial, to begin to test that hypothesis. I agreed to participate so I'm reluctant to drop out but I've decided I won't start in on blood transfusions just to stay on the drug. I had too many transfusions already and the level of iron in my blood is sky high. I may have to take additional drugs to lower my iron levels after finishing with the Dasatinib. Unpleasant side effects from iron lowering chelation drugs are common. Yuck! Well, given the alternative, I can't complain too much. Looking at the statistics, my chance of a relapse has gone from 40% at the outset to 10% today. So far, none of the 45 patients in the clinical trial who are less than 60 years old have had a relapse! It appears that Dasatinib has worked well!

We are in the midst of a powerful nor'easter and 10-14 inches of snow are expected. I have new x country boots and I'm itching to try them out. Gina got some nice new skiis and I want to try them out too. We ski up to the top of Buttermilk Hill on an old abandoned road thick with trees. At the top you can see Mt. Washington on a clear winter or spring day. Then we ski back down a broad slope on its north east side then through the woods to some lower fields. From there, we ski past the long abandoned foundations of a house, barn and some outbuildings, all over grown with big trees and loop back up to the West Road through tall pines. I'd like to ski it...hypnotically beautiful after almost 30 years. It's only 2.5 miles, but in deep new snow it's a lot. I'll be pooped, not sure how far I'll make it.