Fifteen Years Since BMT
 

Dear Friends,

Today I celebrated the 15th anniversary of my matched unrelated donor bone marrow transplant for MDS. Although all anniversaries of my "other" birthday have been significant, this one turned out to be special in an unexpected way:

Earlier this week, Neil and I went to see my transplant doctor at the City of Hope for my annual checkup. We know the drill by heart. I had my blood drawn and then we waited to see the doctor. She told us that my counts looked fine (not a surprise) and then asked me what was new. I updated her on a couple of issues I'm dealing with and showed her an x-ray of my new right hip. She asked if my hip was replaced because of avascular necrosis (AVN), a common long-term side effect of transplant because of the exposure to steroids. My answer: no, it was actually the result of a small congenital deformity of the ball/socket that caused the hip to wear out prematurely. She wasn't concerned that this had happened.

I casually remarked that she's probably not very interested in much that happens to me now, and her reply knocked our socks off: She said that I don't need to come back for checkups anymore! I was dismissed by my transplant doctor! I am a former City of Hope patient! I think we were as astonished by this as we were when I was first diagnosed with aplastic anemia 17 years ago.

My medical treatment for AA and MDS has been a long journey, but essentially it's over. To give you a picture of how far I've come, here's where my counts were at the beginning and here at the end:

1996:

White blood count: 3.3
Hemoglobin: 4.7
Platelets: 14

2013:

White blood count: 8.3
Hemoglobin: 12.9
Platelets: 324

I'm no longer Ruth the AA patient, Ruth the MDS patient, or Ruth the recovering transplant recipient. I'm just Ruth.

Regards to all,
Ruth

Great News "Just Ruth", may I suggest you do it with jazz hands like "Just Jack" did it on the sitcom Will and Grace, then your still special :)

Honey

Awe, Just beautiful <3 Congratulations Ruth & Neil!

What a great milestone to hit. Congratulations!!!

Ruth
 

Congratulations on your success!!!! You are truly a success story - This is great to hear. :)

Dear Just Ruth,

How wonderful for you! You are such a source of inspiration and hope to us all. By sharing your journey both the ups and the downs, it has enlightened all of us about this thing called "transplant."

Congratulations on your anniversary and huge milestone. May I suggest at least 17 days of super celebrating for the month of October:)

Deb

Congratulations Ruth
 

I have thought about you often and wondered how you are doing. You are a great inspiration to us all.

Thank you Ruth for your uplifting post. It helps to balance the recent news of lost members that was heartbreaking for us all. :cool:

Way to go!
 

Ruth, that is so tremendous! I was just looking recently and noticed that Day 2000 is coming up for my husband, Jens. We need to come up with a plan for celebration for that . . . but 15 years . . . and to be dismissed. Incredible. Congratulations!
Darice:D

Dear "just Ruth",

Congratulations on getting the pink slip from your transplant doc! I didn't realize until I finished your post and exhaled that I'd been holding my breath, fearful that something was wrong. I'm so happy for you and Neil (and all of us here) that all is good. Life is grand!

Karen

P.S. Happy rebirthday!!!

Ruth,

Here's to your 20 and 25 year anniversaries...

No looking back now... The future is wide open...

Ruth,
Congratulations on a great MUD transplant. What a blessing. I wish everyone could have those results. Our transplant doc tells us that only approx 20 to 30% have great results with little to no GVHD. I pray everyday that this number will increase with research. As if it is not enough to go thru a transplant, but then really heartbreaking to see those that made it thru only to die of severe GVHD. I truly hope that in the near future doctors will be able to promise successful MUD transplants for everyone. It is results like yours that keep the research going. Thank you for your encouragement.

CONGRATULATIONS RUTH. I remember when I first began looking at this site 3 years ago and thinking I would never make it as long as you had!! That was 3 years ago! I'm still following you! You are a great inspiration.

You go girl......

Babe Ruth Hits A Homer!
 

How amazing...against all odds. It's like winning the lottery...someone from the millions of participants gets to win! I think the hope of being in the small percentage of long term survivors is what keeps us all going. "Ya gotta believe..."

It's so easy to be defined by our disease because it is ever-present. Good for you to move on with your life! Take only the good stuff, and run.

Sherry:D

Awesome congrats!

Congratulations Ruth!

You and Neil are such an inspiration and source of hope for me, and I know I speak for many others on this forum from around the world when I say that.

:).WOW!, and Congrats!!, looking forward to seeing your 25 year post anniversary.

Thank you very much to everyone for your many kind words.

Honey, this is a "jazz hands" moment for sure!

DebS, I don't know if I can squeeze in 17 days of celebrating, but I'm willing to try ;-)

Darice, your mention of Day 2000 coming up for Jens made me recall that I knew exactly how many days post-transplant I was for a long, long time. But I hadn't thought about that for a while so I had to go figure it out. 15 years = 5480 days. Wow.

Karen, sorry to make you hold your breath. Didn't mean to scare anyone!

Relentless Against SAA, I too hope that research will bring an end to the threat of GVHD for everyone.

Keep up the fight!

Just Ruth

Hi just Ruth,
Your post was so inspiring and eloquent. What wonderful news for you and Neil.
The silver lining to what you both have been through for all on the forums is Marrowforums. I am so sorry for your long ordeal but so thankful that you and Neil decided to do a greater good for so many people because of it.
Have a great time for the rest of your life - you certainly deserve it.
Best wishes,
Sally

Ruth, I want both you and Neil to know that this forum has been my support system.

I admire you both for continuing to provide this site.

When you have been to a dark place and emerge into the sunlight as you both have, the tendency would be to move on and try to forget. You both remind yourselves of those dark days when you help us and I, for one, am immensely grateful.

With heartfelt thanks.

Chirley

Fantastic news! Congratulations! Your story gives us all hope. Thank you to you and Neil for the wonderful work you do on this forum.

Happy birthday!
 

Congratulations on your milestone and thank you for sharing with us. Your encouragement to this community is wonderful! My husband just read this with me and said, "That's like you! One day you will be just you too!"

Ruth, wonderful news!! What a great feeling to be free of being a patient. Congratulations.