Best options

[Guest guest]

Dear Marri,

Before getting a BMT, I would look at all my options. If you are waiting to

get into your husband's insurance plan, why not try to get into a trial. There

seems to be no rush for you at this time. Your expenses would be getting to and

from a treatment center. LLS reimburses you up to $500 per year for expenses

incurred in getting to and from the treatment facility. You can also inquire

from them what other programs are in place for assistance. You can email Dr.

Druker and/or his nurse, Carolyn Blasdel and they will answer you.

Keep a folder with all the advice you get from everyone and in the end, you

will have to make the final decision, but it will be an informed one. Go with

the best under your present circumstances. Unfortunately some doctors do push

for a BMT; however, today's drugs have far greater promise that in the past and

they are improving all of the time. Reistance and intolerance will soon be a

thing of the past with the new testing guidlines. Perhaps the side effects are

the result of getting too much of a good thing. Checking for PK levels would

assure you that you are getting the right dosage for your body.

You can start searching for different trials here:

http://www.cancer.gov/search/ResultsClinicalTrialsAdvanced.aspx?protocolsearchid\

=4345290

There is a plethora of web sites where you can access information. I always

look at the bottom to see if there is a date and if it is too old, the

information may be outdated. You can also call the LLS office nearest you for

information. If you need to travel out of town for treatment, the National

Cancer Society will assist you in getting a complimentary room or at least one

with a good medical discount. Your church may be associated with a group who

helps pay for rooms at a discounted rate and you would only require that you pay

a small co-payment. The facility you contact should have a social worker who

would be able to assist you in the programs available locally. There are Angel

Flight pilots will also fly you to your destination and the wives of pilots pick

you up at the airport and bring you to your hotel. Please do not overlook any

options out there, even if you think they may not exist. I go to MDACC, so I

can only give you names and places in Houston, but they are available elsewhere.

If anyone else has additional information, please do pipe in.

Blessings,

Lottie