Chronicle of a Stem Cell Transplant (and on through to the other side)
Kirsten has asked us to send this message if she was not well enough to do so. She would like those who can to light a candle for her. She takes comfort in the thought of this.
posted by Kirsten (not Kristen) at
3:13 PM
I am a 32-year-old (now 36) female with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer affecting the lymphatic system. I was diagnosed in April of 2006 after an x-ray revealed a 10cm mass in my mediastinum (the cavity between the lungs and the chest). Subsequently, I've had five months of chemotherapy, but the disease has proved to be refractory, meaning it is "restless" and not responding fast enough. The next course of treatment is a stem cell transplant, the likes of which I will try to chronicle here for family, friends, and, well, voyeurs if you don't fit into one of those two catagories... In my "normal" life, I am a writer, animal lover, pseudo runner and paperphile (don't ask...) In general, an aficionado of little, but connoisseur of much... UPDATE - March 2008...After a stem cell transplant, 20 rounds of radiation, 10 more months of chemo and 5 more rounds of radiation, I am now doing clinical trials. UPDATE - November 2008...One trial down (MGCD0103). UPDATE - May 2009...SGN-35 trial (12 cycles). UPDATE - Feb 2010...Bendamustine (6 cycles). UPDATE - Oct 2010...finished Bendamustine and hoping for continued stable disease. Jesus, who's writing this stuff, anyway?
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