Dane Tessler/Post DLI Update

November 15, 2005

Hello all....I hope everyone is doing well.

I am now one week post DLI and feeling fine with no signs of GVHD as of yet,

though it is still a little early for that. I am having my blood tested

once a week by my local onc and will be going back to Houston on the 22nd

for a post DLI consultation at MDACC.

The DLI went very smoothly. I had to have a BMB before the procedure so my

onc could have a pre-DLI baseline number on the BCR-ABL level. I had

sedation for the BMB, but asked if they could install a stent in my hand for

the sedation IV, so that it could be used the next day for the infusion.

They agreed, and this saved me an additional hit with a needle the next day.

Things did not go quite as smoothly for my sister I am afraid. They had to

install the catheter in a vein in her inner thigh for the apheresis. She

opted for no sedation and I the installation turned out to be a little more

painful for her than she expected. She was a trooper though and got through

it.

I sat next to her in the apheresis room while she got hooked up to the

machine to extract her leukocytes. The bed next to her was empty, so after

about an hour, they made it up for me and let me lie down while I was

waiting.

I promptly fell asleep and when I woke up I found out that the doctor had

already been in and had performed the DLI while I was asleep! (Thank you,

Ativan!)

We went home the next day and for the past week I have felt just fine. As

previously stated, no signs of GVHD as of this writing.

Once again, it is a game of " Wait and See " .

Regards and Prayers and Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Dane Tessler

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