Systemic Mastoblablabla

On Saturday I had my appointment with Dr. Palumbo, the doctor who will be coordinating care going forward. All and all we thought it was a very positive appointment. He confirmed that I do indeed fall into Category 1 of Systemic Mastocytosis, which is the best category to be in! While the bone marrow penetration is high there does not appear to be any organ involvement or impairment.


And he said the bone marrow percentage is not necessarily indicative of long term prognosis. While there is no way of knowing how the disease will progress he was encouraged by the fact that I've had it for eleven years now and it still is in Stage 1/Category 1. He was confident that my long term prognosis is good!! And that our focus should be on getting these symptoms under control so I can get back to functioning in everyday life. He explained that all the testing and procedures over the past few weeks have effectively destabilized the mast cells which is why I've been having so many attacks. He believes over the next week or so I should become stabilized and we should start to see some results from the medications.



So I meet back with him in a month and we'll see where we are then. If the current medications prove ineffective they will send me down to the National Institutes of Health in MD for evaluation and development of a more aggressive treatment plan. However, I really think the medications along with the life style changes are going to work to get the symptoms under control. I am very encouraged.


My parents being in town has been a HUGE help. They are going to stay through this week and I think by next week I'll be ready to be on my own.

Thank you to everyone for the prayers and support.

2 Corinthians 1: 6-11
6) If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7) Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 8)For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of(the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9) Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10) He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11) You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.