No wonder you’re concerned about the return of PG on your face. You’ve been through a huge ordeal with that disease the first time around! I sure hope the steroid injection helps tamp down the inflammation to prevent further development. I looked at the photos…!

All of this happening at one time is just adding to your stress level over the changing blood numbers with the CLL/SLL. That would take the wind right out of your sails! But there is hope on the horizon. The IVIG infusions you’ve received for the past 14 years were to strengthen your body's immune system. But in my understanding, they weren’t meds specifically treating CLL.

CLL is one of the blood cancers that can take many years to develop. So this may now be where your doctor will recommended one of the more targeted meds for CLL/SLL which can work very well to slow the progression of the disease. I have a young neighbor who had CLL for about 10 years before he needed treatment. He’s now in his 40s, been on his treatment plan for several years. He and his wife have 4 little kids and they are a crazy active family. I see him out riding bikes, jogs daily, plays football with the neighborhood kids…basically, taking his daily meds has not slowed him down one moment.

My gut feeling is to tell you not to put too much focus on finding information of a prognosis past 20 years. Here’s my logic. You’ve had CLL for 20 years before it progressed to the point where it may require treatment.
CLL/SLL, with treatment, now becomes your new set point from which to base your research. The survival rate for CLL/SLL is better than for many other types of cancer and is considered treatable. Five years ago I was diagnosed with AML and it was very aggressive. The prognosis was not in my favor. With chemo and a bone marrow, I’m now in a durable remission and nothing slows me down. The projected prognosis meant nothing! I now have an equal shot at a full life just as I did before cancer. So my suggestion is to talk this over with your hematologist oncologist and find what your treatment options are. Then take the meds and focus on your future…not in years, because no one can predict how long they’ll live even if they don’t have cancer. But focus on continuing to enjoy life to its fullest…you’ll get the wind back in your sails!

If you don’t mind, would you please keep me updated? On both the PG and your CLL/SLL. ☺️