Eggs & Eczema

The last time I left you, I was scheduled for an MRI of the brain.  Fortunately, it came back clean.  I also developed a rash on my wrists and hands and had two skin biopsies courtesy of UCSF Dermatology, which only show eczema (not graft-vs-host disease).  I have now had a total of five skin biopsies since October and quite frankly, I think I'll protest the next time.  I'm tired of having skin removed and stitches for "eczema"!!!!!  Especially on my WRIST!  Finally, I also had a CT scan on Wednesday to check in on those little buggers in my lung, and although they are still existing (expected), they are no larger than a month or so ago (good).  So I'll continue on receiving Brentuximaub and hopefully be off of the immunosuppressant in a couple weeks.

On a more spiritual note, Nicholas adored coloring Easter eggs yesterday.  It was his first "project"!  It's not entirely clear in the pictures but his torso and arms are covered in Glad Press 'n Seal underneath that apron!

A Not-So-Brief Brief

It's been a while since I've posted an update about the status of my Hodgkins, and since I saw the doctor today, it seemed as good a time as any!

• Re. my bone marrow bi-bopsy in February, the results showed that the cells were 100% Leah, so that is great news.
• My hip/leg have healed well, and while there is still occasional stiffness and I'm unable to completely relax in Indian Style, I'm happy with my progress.
• I'm still receiving Brentuximaub in an effort to keep the disease at bay while my new immune system ramps up (it doesn't really kick in until 6-9 months after transplant).  My immunosuppressant has also been reduced quite significantly over the last 4-5 weeks and levels are now undetectable by lab tests!
• I had a PET scan a couple of weeks ago to check how everything was going "in there."  They found that the activity and abnormal cells in my chest (which had been the main problem area since day 1), had more or less disappeared.  This is GREAT, because this area had been so unresponsive to treatments the entire time prior to the transplant.  Also, the prior activity in the top of my lung had greatly decreased as well.  There are a couple of nagging little nodes at the bottom of my lung, which had originally appeared back in October and then maybe shrunk and have now grown a little (my brain is a little fuzzy, I can't remember exactly what the doc said). The medical team thought it could be an infection, so I was tested for "fungal markers," but those tests came back normal.  So, it's likely Hodgkins, but the doctor isn't too concerned because:  1) they are very small in size, 2) the rest of my body is responding so well right now and 3) my new immune system has not yet really had the chance to take hold and fight the disease itself!  Also noted in the scan report was some "asymmetrical activity" in my brain.  My doctor doesn't really know how to explain this (he did ask if I was "thinking a lot" during the scan....), and isn't really concerned with this either, but I do have to have an MRI to rule out any problems.  YUCK!
• My retinal hemorrhage has repaired itself.  My vision in the right eye is still 20/30, but hopefully that will improve once I'm off all these meds!