Sunday, January 15, 2012

TWO YEARS + 217 DAYS: Looking Better

Top Line: Susan's docs all feel she is making good progress

The most recent Dana Farber visit took place on Wednesday, January 11th. Susan saw Dr. Soiffer, her transplant case lead, as well as Drs. Marty and Dana for her MAC and eye condition respectively.

Let's keep it short and simple this time. All three felt Susan is coming along nicely. The main issue is when Susan can be weaned off of the MAC medications. Dr. Marty thinks this can happen in about 3 months. It is important because those medications have an uncertain interplay with Susan's other drug regimens (esp. the anti-rejection and GVHD meds), which themselves may now be candidates for reduction, but not until the MAC issues are removed from the equation so that her underlying, MAC-free status can be assessed.

It would certainly be nice to go from 30 to 3 pills a day. Those are made-up numbers, but you get the point: as her medication protocol can be reduced it is (1) indicative of real progress, and (2) makes daily living simpler and less difficult.

So, objectively, the measures that the doctors look at and their physical examination of Susan all indicate an improving condition, and subjectively, Susan is feeling somewhat better and less tired than she had been. Don't mistake this for normalcy yet, but we'll take it. Check back in a month for the next update.