Preterit

I had clinic yesterday and they gave me some very good news. I am currently considered CMV Free!

Hopefully I am all done with the nasty Cytomegalovirus but they will continue to check me for it in the coming weeks as the virus can return when the super dosage of drugs that I am currently on is adjusted back to more of a "maintenance" level.

Dr. Waybill told me yesterday that she believes it's possible that I have had CMV since the transplant but it is often difficult to get a positive test result and so it went undetected for a good 6+ months. They all said how much better I look relative to past months (they really don't tell you when you look like hell) and almost all of my blood levels are much better. My white blood count is back to normal, and my red blood count is also back in the normal range for the first time in ohhhhh.....seven or twelve years. Joy!

As I've mentioned, other than a few persistent issues that I'm dealing with, I've felt better lately than I have for quite some time.

I wasn't officially attended to by Dr. Yang yesterday but before I left, I asked one of the nurses if he was in and she asked if I needed to see him. I told her I didn't "need" to, but that he would be disappointed if I didn't say hello. She summoned him and when he came down the hall to see me - he had the biggest smile I've ever seen him wear. We talked at length about my progress and he told me how they have discussed my case at meetings both at Harrisburg and in Philadelphia concerning the CMV, sharing details, implications,and results. We had a very nice conversation and I think that perhaps the dynamics of our doctor / patient relationship have improved. 

It's kinda nutty but I had  posted, a year ago tomorrow, that I was having an up-tick in blood numbers and now things are light-years better. It seems June has been a good month for me.

I hope the summer is off to a good start for all of you as well!