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Old Tue Sep 2, 2014, 12:05 AM
Neil Cuadra Neil Cuadra is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Los Angeles, California
Posts: 2,553
Rentzi,

Although you and your husband were hoping for a faster return to normal, your husband has made it past the two most critical junctures, and that's very positive.

First, promptly recognizing and diagnosing the SAA and getting transfusions before your husband's blood counts failed him completely.

Second, getting through the ATG and into the recovery phase. It sounds like your husband didn't have allergic or other bad reactions to the ATG, and that he's in otherwise good health. Those are both very good factors in your favor.

The doctors can't tell you how long it will take your husband's counts to return to the normal range because they don't know. Although ATG has a very good record, it can take many months to see results. And that's just the averages. Every patient is unique and some respond more slowly than others. It's hard to be patient while waiting for such a critical improvement, but it's necessary. In the meantime, your doctor will keep him on immunosuppressants.

My advice: Work with your husband's doctor to balance the drug dosages, follow the doctor's advice carefully, watch for and report any changes or side effects that you notice (even if it's not the day of your appointment), and do your best to take care of yourself, not just your husband. Practice good health habits since it's important to keep opportunistic infections at bay. Make sure that you and any other family members get the fall flu shot to keep your husband out of danger. Finally, stay positive. It's unlucky to have a bone marrow failure disease, but your husband has been on the lucky side when it comes to diagnosis, treatment, and his recovery so far. And he's very lucky to have you learning about the disease and seeking advice.
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