Monday, January 4, 2010

It is a Happy New Year!

My 8th and final Rituxan treatment was last Monday, December 28th, and it feels great to be done. I'm in great shape now, and the Holidays were wonderful. I got to spend lots of time with Claire, who never ceases to amaze me. She'll be 2 this Saturday, speaks in full sentences and loves to keep us entertained by saying such phrases as "Hey, can I have more French Fries please, lady?" to the waitress at Outback Steakhouse, calling us with the redial button from Grandmas without permission, putting her bib on and walking into the kitchen to say "Grandma, I'm hungry", and saying things like "I don't have time to talk right now" and "I love you too, truly" when she pretends to call people on the phone. We also found out that baby #2 is going to be a girl. We're favoring naming her Grace (more like Amazing Grace). If she's anything like Claire, we're going to have our hands full in 4 months...

So far 2010 has been a good year, but I guess 4 days isn't much to go by. Still, the results of my last blood test were great, and that makes me optimistic. I don't look back on 2009 with disdain,I met too many awesome and wonderful people -- patients, doctors, and nurses, and I re-established bonds with friends and family. Isn't Facebook awesome? (ha ha). Likewise, I learned a lot, grew alot and lived a lot. I'm grateful to be doing so well at this point, and thankful for all the prayers and thoughts caring people like you have sent me.

Now, back to the blood. All the reds are back in the normal range (not just by remission standards -- we're talking normal normal). Likewise, my white count is strong and the neutrophils are awesome -- well into the normal range. Most of the remaining lymphocytes are T-cells and NK cells at this point, the B-cells having been wiped out for the most part. I'm hoping the latest FACS (from the post-treatment sample drawn today) will detail those levels, but it won't be ready until next week.

Here are my latest plots. Check out the massive increase in the neutrophils over the past two weeks. The Rituxan really went to town and helped me turn a marginal response to Cladribine into a complete, and what I believe will be a lasting, remission!









Happy New Year!