The good news is, I don't have leukemia or diabetes. What I have is complicated, according to my new internist whom I saw yesterday for a physical.
My health is like one of those children's songs with multi-layered parts. Think: Farmer in the Dell. I'm the chesse, and I stand alone.
Those not interested in medical jargon should skip the next paragraph, which will be most of you.
In a nutshell, I do have very high cholesterol, for which I can't take drugs or change my diet. The true reason is iron overload in the liver. I got that from the transfusions needed to boost my red cells over the last four years. Iron from the transfusions is stored in the liver. I've had about 100 of them, so my liver is heavy with it. The other reason for for my bad liver is chronic graft versus host disease. I thought it was just in my skin, but I was wrong.
I can't treat the high cholesterol until I address the iron and liver issues. See above. The iron will have to be drained out of me, which should help my liver function. Then I have to be patient until the GVH diminishes. When my liver straightens out, I can take Lipitor, if I still need to.
The Farmer in th Dell takes a wife who takes a dog who takes a cat who takes a mouse who takes the cheese. The cheese stands alone.
Hi ho the derrio.
That would be me.
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4 comments:
I'm commiserating along with you in regards to being the lonely cheese. Will you be given Exjade for the iron overload, or will your doctor go old-school with phlebotomy? The things we do in order to be entertaining. I got your message and I'll call you Wednesday afternoon. I'm neck deep in midterms until then. Try not to sing-a-long with any strange mice you may meet in a dell. ;)
Let's talk late afternoon as I see my oncologist at 2:45. I hope I get the Exjade over leeches!
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Take care, Dennis (beingcancer@att.net)
I had to have phlebotomies for about a year. One every 2 months to reduce my iron levels. It takes a bit of time but my liver enzymes snapped to attention and some of my GvH symptoms cleared up as soon as the iron numbers dropped.
Hang in there!
Marie
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