Inherited Leukemia

[Guest guest]

Thank all of you who responded to my post about my sister. She is 85 years old

and very depressed. Her daughter also told me she was suffering from dementia.

This doesn't surprise me, because when I talk about things that happened in the

past few years, she denies it. She always injects into our conversation that she

does not want to live, she wants to go to heaven and find her deceased husband.

Her husband died of lymphoma, but I was never told what kind and not knowing

anything about the disease, didn't know that there was more than one kind. My

oldest brother died from complications of a 2nd stroke. His first stroke left

him with aphasia and he also had 3 open heart surgeries, the last one to cut out

the bone necrosis in his ribs.

My own medical history is rather colorful. LOL. I did have a PET scan of my

brain and was told there was no dementia or alzheimers. Sigh of relief noted.

My one remaining brother is 88 and still has a good memory, so maybe we don't

have that gene. I am learning about more things than I would like to know

about on a personal level. LOL Thank you Marcos, your posts are always

enlightening and informative.

I'm sorry to hear about your mom, Gay, I remember you told me some time ago that

she had a blood disease. This worries me about my sister, because she is losing

blood and having to get transfusions and the doctor does not know the cause.

She said her next appointment was in 2 weeks. I would think that if she was

bleeding internally, she should be getting tests and being watched more closely.

She never calls and tells me these things, because of her memory, and she

forgets what the doctor says. They now have to give her the medications at the

home for assisted living, because she was either over or under medicated. Now

she is upset because she wants to maintain her independence. You can't reason

with her, so I just go along with whatever she says. Jackie and Eva, I know she

will appreciate your prayers, she was always a very spiritual person, and still

is.

I'm sorry you lost your mother to lymphoma, Aloha Sharon. I'm sure you must

have wondered when you were diagnosed that the two might be linked. As to

Suzzie, I'm sure they didn't tell you what kind of leukemia it was, either and

I'm sorry for your loss. Our auto mechanic's mother has 3 myeloprolific

diseases. I am pretty sure she wasn't told it could morph into leukemia. I

questioned her as to how much she knew about her disease and all she knew was on

a little index card she held in her hand with the names of all 3. I asked if

she had done any research on the internet and she said she didn't know how to

use a computer. I saw one in the corner and told her I would come and show her

and then she could get a second opinion. She was aghast and said she didn't

want to do that, she might hurt her doctor's feelings. She then said her son

died of leukemia when he was about 12, but upon further questioning, didn't know

what kind.

Now that I know more about the differences and ages in which one contracts

these blood diseases, if he did have leukemia, it was probably AML. When we went

to pay the bill, I spoke to the owner of the shop about what his mother told me

and he said his brother died of lymphoma. That was a shock as there was no

unison on what he really had, but he then said he would like to know what his

brother really died of. I told him he could access that from the death

certificate and then call the doctor. It seems not to be important if no one

ever took a step to find out. I was not about to get entangled with a family

who lived in denial and didn't want to really know anything.

Bobby, just when I think I know every thing about you, you reveal something new.

There was some really bad karma going on in your household. Someone must have

really put a pox on you. LOL. I know everyone feels as I do, that the new

Ariad trial will be the charm for you and end this dynasty of going from trial

to trial. I don't know what you could have done differently, you have seen the

creme de la creme of doctors and gained new friends wherever you went. I hope

you like your new nurse. Hee hee.

Thanks and blessings to all,

Lottie

[Guest guest]

Wow, Marcos - that is interesting. My father was involved in the

atomic bomb testing on the south Pacific island of Anewetok (? not

sure of spelling) in the 1950's and also in the atomic testing in

Nevada a few years later. He was in the Air Force. My father has

since passed away (from head and neck cancer, as he was a heavy

smoker), but it makes me wonder about my CML. I wasn't conceived at

the time he had the exposure (I was born in 1965), but I suppose you

never know.

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much Marcos! My father passed away before I was

diagnosed, but if he were alive I know he would blame his radiation

exposure. My sister has chronic migraines, and he always blamed those

on it as well! It was just his way.

His cancer was most certainly due to his smoking. He had no known

effects from the radiation, but over the years had heard of things

happening to some of the men he served with. I am not sure if any of

their children had any health problems. I do know that about 20 years

ago he tried to get some of his military records, and he was told they

were destroyed in a fire where they were stored. Makes you wonder.

Thanks again for the link.