Good morning, Linda. Knowing what an arduous battle AML can pose, I’m really thrilled to hear that your treatment with “old people chemo” (love your term!) is really maintaining remission. That type of news looks so promising to future patients who are perhaps beyond the comfortable age of a bone marrow transplant or for some other reason, not able to have the standard chemo.
From experience, that was pretty rough and thankfully worked to get me into remission. But my doctors told me the 3 mutations I’d acquired put me in a high category for relapse within a short time and a BMT was my only option. Fortunately I was younger at 65 and in excellent health otherwise with no comorbidities. But your news is so encouraging!
Since having AML and the transplant, I’ve met so many incredibly compassionate and caring people! The staff at my local hospital and Mayo-Rochester have become second families. These people saved my life and have allowed me the opportunity to give back. So it’s my pleasure to be able to help calm fears, provide information based on first hand experience and to just let others know they’re not alone in these journeys. There are very few things others haven’t gone through too! We just have to find each other. ☺️.
Speaking of finding each other, I just have a share a story of a young woman I mentored who had AML and required a transplant at Mayo Rochester. We were actually able to meet in person with her family and have kept in touch since then. She’s a remarkable young woman, now healthy and living her life to the fullest. Mayo decided to do a little article on our story… https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/newsfeed-post/mayo-clinic-connect-brings-together-2-women-with-leukemia-46-years-apart/
You have no idea how many people will read about your experience, Linda, and it will give them hope. ☺️
Please keep in touch, ok?
Great article, Lori! Thanks for all you do!