Comments on: 2 million cells lighter

by: Melanie Swan

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 19:56:20 +0000

I hope the treatment goes well for your sister. Thanks for sharing your experience.

by: trillwing

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 06:14:53 +0000

You are an amazing sister and very generous (and brave) human being!

Your post reminded me about how I had to be on IV antibiotics for about 24 hours post-delivery of Lucas, and at first the nurses didn’t have my IV bag on a stand. And I kept raising my arm above the bag level, and blood would come out of my body and head for the bag. So then I’d have to lift the bag up and let the blood drain back into my arm. Way to make a new mom queasy!

Best of luck to your sister on beating the tumor.

by: MsPhD

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 02:21:21 +0000

Thanks for sharing, it’s useful to know how it’s done nowadays. I had read My Time on Fire a while back, but this sounds like actual progress. Good luck to you both.

by: unbalanced reaction

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 02:31:40 +0000

Wow, you’re an awesome sister! Thanks for sharing all the details. Parts made me cringe, but it’s amazing to hear what you went through.

by: Alethea

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 12:57:56 +0000

Just another thought: there is currently a clinical trial open here http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00469729
that is looking for participants who do *not* have a matched sibling, like your sister does, to test ex vivo expanded cord blood hematopoetic precursors in the context of leukemia. You might want to spread the word if you think it’s worthwhile.

by: Alethea

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:03:05 +0000

Good for you!!! and good for your sister. That does sound rather freaky. I’ve had some unpleasant hospital experiences and each is - well, unique from the user side. And I had the same impression it was same-old, same-old from the professional side. Strange, that, living it in your own flesh. Anyhow, you did something really worthwhile and are justifiably proud! I hope some of your science skills *are* in those stem cells of yours.

by: Lab Lemming

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 11:08:15 +0000

That sounds worse than the hip bone carving! Good on ya for doing it, and best of luck to your sister.

by: SciMom

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 01:03:31 +0000

I appreciated your comments Shellie. I haven’t blogged in quite awhile. First because I left academic science and went to biotech and have been working quite hard to make that a successful transition. But in the last two months, I haven’t been blogging because I have also been ill. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and have begun chemotherapy. Being a cancer researcher and now being a cancer patient is an extraordinarily strange experience. I don’t think I’m going to blog about my experiences. I just appreciated your comments on what it’s like to be a patient and not in the abstract. When you are walking around a hospital and you see the glazed eyes of patients, realize they are going through a personal hell and afford them your kindness.

I wish your sister success in her journey and commend you for going through your ordeal to help her.