Other blogs about transplants

I wrote this answer to a patient on ACOR or Association of Cancer Online Resources to her questions about other's experience with transplants and CLL with the bad prognostic marker of 17p del.

It sobered and depressed me to have to divulge so much bad news. I believe it is better to know. Not every one agrees,

Hi La Verne

A HSCT is narrow road, but sometimes it's the best road and sometimes it's the only road, but it is always a narrow and difficult road.

Have you contacted BMT-TALK@LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG? That's a start.

Here are some blogs:

Mine is bkoffman.blogspot.com ( not 17p but 11q CLL). I am here and doing OK 3 years post a rejected HSCT.

Wanda Zimmer is still in first 100 days with 17p del CLL at http://m.caringbridge.org/visit/wandazimmer

Chonette Taylor and Dennis Bayer have done pretty well, but they don't have a blog that I know.

And Susan's with CML http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/susanleigh is many years out, not without challenges, but living a big full life.

Another friend has done super well with both CLL and MDS post transplant: http://www.carepages.com/carepages/MyTransplantForCLLandMDS/updates/3020524?client_code=mdanderson&ipc=mur

Paul's story is helpful and pretty calm, but with some recent bad news: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/paulplunkett

IF YOU DON'T WANT ANY REAL BAD NEWS, STOP HERE.

Robert was good friend with 17p who died suddenly post transplant: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/robertpassananti

So did PC VENKAT, a hero of mine. He was also 11q del like me. See http://www.journal.clltopics.org/ Tough stuff

Prepare for a wild CLL/ transplant ride with Greg: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/maddog23 He's a great writer too.

Another whom I know is Aaron who has had a tough time: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/aaronstransplantjournal

My friend Ron didn't make it. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/rongottula

My memory is distorted. As a doctor, I am often guided by the worst cases, as they are the ones you must learn from to best avoid repeating the dangerous moves.

I am sure that I have forgotten other voices that have guided and comforted me by sharing their trials and trails. Please forgive me.

I am so sorry to have included so many tragic stories. I personally know or knew many of these brave souls, and yet I still chose to do a HSCT and will likely do a second one. 50% or 60% odds of being alive in 10 years are way better than 0-10% if you are 17P del. Then again, statistics never predict for an individual but only for a group

Still despite all this bad news, actually odds are in your favor, but it is never easy. It is alway complicated and tough to decide and tougher to do.

Stay strong

We are all in this together. Let me know if I can help- if I haven't too scared or depressed you too much.

Brian