What Will Be My Next Step?

We are weighing the merits of my next treatment. I've failed two so far, meaning my CLL cells are quite resistant to treatment.

My plan at the beginning was to use less toxic treatments with the idea that this would preserve my immune system as long as possible, and save the more powerful treatments for when I needed them. The downside to this approach is that mild treatments won't give a long remission, and meanwhile the clone is more and more unstable, leading to a complex karyotype, meaning a mixture of more and more chromosomal abnormalities, i.e. 6q del, 11q del and perhaps a mixture of even more abnormalitites.

This can make treatment more difficult.

The positive news is that I have not had any more real problems, I continue to work, I've not come down with any additional infections, and I've gotten permission at work to move to a more isolated part of the building, where I will come into contact with fewer sick people. This is one strategy I am attempting to prolong a healthy life.

I have an appointment June 6th to consider my next move. Dr. Kipps says he does not want me to get into an emergency situation with my growing abdominal nodes, perhaps requiring intervention here in Sacramento.