Love and Marriage

Although it is disappointing, it is not uncommon for leukemia to recur after a bone marrow transplant.  Years ago the only hope for patients who had relapsed after a transplant was a second transplant.  That’s not a desirable option.  A newer and more promising therapy is the donor leukocyte infusion.  In this treatment, lymphocytes from the original donor (Roger’s brother) are infused into the recipient’s body much like a blood transfusion. These donated white blood cells augment the patient’s immune system so that it can recognize and destroy cancer cells. The goal is to induce a graft-versus-leukemia effect and hopefully lead to remission.

The last few weeks we’ve been discussing this option and learning more about it.  Roger is getting prepared with standard chemotherapy treatments.  This will reduce the amount of leukemia cells so that the donated lymphocytes stand a better chance.  We are still looking for a long-lasting remission – perhaps even a cure.

We know that graft-versus-host disease comes along with graft-versus-leukemia effect.  You can’t have one without the other.  That means complications and a necessarily circumspect life.  But we are going for the cure.  We have to.

It hasn’t been scheduled yet, but we know the treatment will occur in Salt Lake City fairly soon.  On Tuesday Roger will have another bone marrow biopsy.  Based on the results his medical team will decide to send him to Salt Lake right away or have him go through another round of chemo here in Missoula first.  

Waiting is the hardest part.