[Nfbf-l] Jim's personal update

[Sherri]

This is part of an e-mail that Jim Ellsworth sent me regarding his condition 
and upcoming treatment. Also, we should all fill out organ donor cards and 
bone marroe donor cards too. Above all, prayers, prayers, prayers!!! Thank 
you.

Sherri
Here's the update.


I had some tests run this last Friday and will have more run next Friday. 
One of the tests is to determine if my heart can stand up to a very intense 
chemo therapy called Hyper-CVAD.  Essentially what that does is put me in 
remission but it also destroys my immune system leaving me open to all kinds 
of possibilities.  If I make it that far I will have two choices.  They will 
look for a possible match for a bone marrow transplant.  There are lot's of 
risk's involved with that.  The other choice is to use some sort of 
medication possibly a pill backed up with some sort of chemo therapy.  The 
transplant if it goes well with no problems should offer me a longer life. 
The real danger is rejection either by my own immune system or by the actual 
bone marrow that was injected into my body.  We are told that there are 
drugs to help with that sort of thing but we don't know much about them at 
this point.  The second choice that I mentioned above probably wouldn't 
provide me with as long of a life but it might offer a better quality life. 
As you can no doubt tell at some point I have a decision to make as to which 
way I want to go.  It is always possible that the transplant could provide 
both quantity and quality of life if it works at it's best.  If my heart isn't 
able to withstand the harsh Hyper-CVAD treatment then there will be no 
decision to be made except for me to begin taking some sort of drug orally 
to try to keep it from progressing so rapidly.



Well, there you have it.  That is what we face.  We never thought anything 
like this would ever happen but it has.  I hope to know the results of the 
test on my heart very soon.  If I am able to withstand the chemo it will be 
very hard but at least I will hopefully have a choice after that.



Take care,