[DanL]

Sue

wow, a lot of good questions and mysteries. I'll start with the easier ones. for nutrition and protein i have used protein powder - chocolate muscle milk worked well, and would mix it with milk, or juice, mangoes and strawberries. this brand mixes well and actually tastes like chocolate. i would also add bananas. i also started eating more lamb for protein. the flavor was way better than chicken or pork.

i receive vidaza via iv over twenty minutes and have not had any real issues. i do take caitrol or zofran prior to each infusion, but generally don't need it again during treatment days.

as for graft failure, the chimerism studies probably give the best answer, and i think that anything below 85% is considered failure. i am not sure if from a clinical perspective relapse or graft failure present different options. either way, it seems that the answer is to control the disease and then get to a position where transplant is an option.

@ bailie,
i am doing well. just finished my fifth cycle of vidaza, still on photopheresis four days per month, still have low grade gvhd of the skin, eyes,and gut but overall, life is good. last biopsy showed improvement from August, and i am still fully donor cells in the marrow and peripheral. marrow is spotty ranging from 5% to 60% cellularity, which may be an improvement. thank you for asking.