30 replies to this topic

[GerryL]

Just wanted to let you guys know I've just got my latest PCR results from my GP. I've got a Quantitative result of Negative. I'm a little bit excited, but I guess I should really wait till the next test just to make sure it is definetly an "undectable". I see my Specialist next week, so the badgering/convincing starts re a reduction in dosage if I can maintain a PCRU for the next 2 years.

Phil,

I wish you luck with your next lot of results as I know you are due to get them soon.

[Trey]

Hi Gerry,

Nice.

I would wait a while before dosage reduction.  Keep driving them down.

[PhilB]

Hi Gerry,

Congratulations on the brilliant result.  I agree with Trey that this isn't the time to be thinking about reducing dosage (yet), but it's definitely time to up your dosage of something else.  I prescribe a bottle or two of Carrington extra brut and a kilo of prawns (a frequent lunch when we were on honeymoon about 80 miles south of you).  Don't forget the lemon and black pepper.

Phil

PS thanks for the good wishes

[hannibellemo]

Gerry,

Never, ever, wait to celebrate! Take every opportunity available to you! Even if you aren't PCRU at your next test, for this one little moment in time - you are. So celebrate!

Congratulations!

Pat

[GerryL]

Thanks Trey,

If I can keep getting negatives for the next 2 years I'll be looking to see if I can do a dose reduction. The only reason I bring it up with my specialist, is that he is currently very anti dose reduction. Would rather switch medications if I don't like the side effects. The only problem with that is my major side effects from Gleevec are fluid retention and skin issues which Sprycel and Tasigna cause more of. LOL. SO I figure I have two years to convince him of it.

[GerryL]

Hi Phil,

Trying to work out where you were on your honeymoon - perhaps Byron Bay? Which would be a lovely spot for a honeymoon, if you ever got outside the room .

Keeping my fingers crossed for you and Teds.

Cheers

Gerry

[GerryL]

Thanks Pat,

You're right - I'm off to the pub at lunch time to celebrate with a few friends - not quite up to Phil's standard, but it will be fun anyway.

[Pin]

Ye-ah Gerry! That is fabulous news!!

[GerryL]

Thanks Pin,

Now all we have to do is wait for you and jjg to get to a "safe place", so you can both be okay to have your babies.

Gerry

[Marnie]

Gerry. . .I am taking Pat's advice and celebrating for you.  I have a glass of wine in hand, and tomorrow my colleagues and I are doing a fondue social event.  Luckily, my recent cholesterol test came back excellent, so I can eat all the cheese and chocolate that I want.  And tequila.  And bubbly.  And bacon and eggs. . .Oh yeah. . .this was about celebrating for you.  Sorry. . I got carried away. . .

Marnie

[hannibellemo]

Hmmm! Big question, can I be in CO by your party tomorrow, Marnie? Sounds like fun to me.

Pat

[GerryL]

Thanks Marnie,

Have some extra cheese and chocolate for me - I had to go off my cholesterol medication due to the Gleevec causing my liver to store it up.

Can I ask what exactly do people dip into the melted cheese? A friend of mine used to make deep fried cambebert - I swear my cholesterol went up just looking at it.

[Marnie]

When my husband and I do cheese fondue, he makes a "to-die-for" cheese fondue out of Jarlsburg, Gruyere, and kirschwasser (I think that's right. . a German cherry liqueur).  We dip cubes of crusty bread.  Yum.  I'm not sure what tomorrow's cheese dipping sauce will be, but I hear that it has beer and tequila in it (I'm bringing the tequila).  I also heard something about vegetables, so I think that's what we'll be dipping.  I have a feeling that it won't be nearly the heavenly treat of my husband's cheese and bread, so I may have to talk him into making that on Saturday.  But maybe I'm wrong. . .certainly good cheese with beer and tequila in it must be pretty good. .  .I'm a bit of a cheese snob, so if tomorrow's dip is a low class cheese melt (velveeta, gag!!) I'll stick with the chocolate on fruit and caramel on fruit (I'm bringing the chocolate and caramel. . .though the grocery store's candy supply was a bit limited this close to halloween!!)

Marnie

[GerryL]

Hi Marnie,

I had to google Velveeta as though we have Kraft here, I don't think we have Velveeta - after reading about it I don't blame you for gagging. If you're going to eat cheese and risk you cholesterol (as in my case) it had better be darn good. LOL.

Are you heating the chocolate and caramel in the fondue set or can you buy them in a soft form (for dipping) in the states?

[PhilB]

Hi Gerry,

We have visited Byron Bay on a couple of trips and it is indeed nice.  We travelled around a fair bit on our honeymoon, but the real 'holiday' part was spent at Kingscliff - which was a lot less built up then than it was the last time we went.  I don't think I'd ever been to a beach with waves that had water so clear - when the water's up to your neck you can still see your toes.  We had planned to keep going up as far as Fraser Island, but we liked it so much at Kingscliff we just went on strike and became beach bums.

We used to make it out to Oz every couple of years until we had the kids.  Very much looking forward to being able to get out there again soonish, though I doubt we'll make it too far from Newcastle on the next trip.

Phil

[Tedsey]

I just saw this!  So happy for you!!!!!!!  Long, long, long, life to you and many more!  Please allow yourself to celebrate.  All we really have is now, AND you have something NOW to be thrilled about!  Don't wait!  I think it is OK despite what may happen in the future (And I only expect the best for you!).

All the best,

Teds

[GerryL]

Hi Teds,

Thanks very much, I did a little bit of celebrating yesterday.

I think I was lucky that I took the comment made by my GP that she didn't know what elevated Basophils meant and went home and Googled it myself. Then pursued it with the doctors again, who still weren't seeing any danger signs in my blood tests.

I'm hoping that you and Phil both get good results from your own tests this month and then I'll do some celbrating for the both of you as well.

I truly believe they will have a cure in a couple of years and we just need to be there for it - so I am being extra careful when I cross streets. LOL.

[GerryL]

Hi Phil,

I'm assuming your lovely Aussie wife comes from Newcastle and that you'll visit there to see family.

Will you need to be extra "sun smart" when you come out again? Though I get skin issues from the Gleevec, sunburn hasn't been one of them. Possibly because I already had some "pale English" skin, so any possible loss of pigmentation didn't affect me.

[Marnie]

HI, Gerry. . .

Sorry for the delay in replying.  Didn't get home until well after my bedtime last night.  We ate until we exploded, and cleaning up the mess and putting the parts back together took some time.

I melted the chocolate and the caramel in the fondue pots on the stove along with heavy whipping cream.  You could also use milk if you wanted to be more healthy (or at least feel like you're being more healthy).

The cheese fondue was, indeed, a disappointment, though it was not made from velveeta.  It was good, but not superb.  It had a Mexican flair with salsa and tequila in it.  We dipped raw veggies, carrots, cucumber, cauliflower, etc, in it, along with bread and chips.  Quite a different cheese fondue than I'm used to, but o.k.

Now we are off on the motorcycles (not much snow left here), in search of the perfect bike to bike communication system (to replace the not so great system that we already have).

Have a great weekend!

Marnie