I started the BATCC clinical trial on ruxolitinib on June 17, 2016. It was a two year trial designed test the effectiveness of ruxolitinib on alleviating the symptoms of CLL (fatigue, bone pain, joint pain, and others) by targeting cells that carried the JAK-7 enzyme, which produces inflammation. Inflammation is the source of many diseases…
I have been on the Ruxolitinib trial for two years now. It has been good so far. The trial was designed to address the symptoms of CLL and prove, disprove, or measure its efficacy in individual patients. The requirements of the trial were that each person enrolled must not be treatment naive, meaning that they…
I have worked for eight straight days and am just about to be nothing more than a flash in the pan. Everything we start out to do that should be easy and quick turns into something akin to a quagmire of mud in which you bog down, making progress as if swimming in a pool…
I seldom try to organize my thoughts when I start writing. Perhaps you’ve noticed. No doubt, you’ve noticed. I just start and let ‘er fly from there. “We probably need to start you back on regular treatment (formerly chemotherapy and immunotherapy, now just immunotherapy),” said Dr. Gooday at the Big-as-Texas Cancer Center (BATCC) on Monday.…
The right-smart honorable Raymond E. Huffmaster, in all his over-alled glory, and me made the trip from home to Houston on Sunday, July 17, then back home on Monday after my appointment at BATCC. Debbie was not able to go, having duties with the grand-kids, and Raymond offered to take me…this time…every time…which is the…
I have been taking the ruxolitinib (Jakafi®) since June 17, which is nearly a month. I have been back to Houston to see Dr. Gooday, once, on July 6, and will return on July 18. This is a powerful drug and a Phase II clinical trial so I have to be monitored closely. Everything was…
I am 2 hours and 20 minutes away from my fourth dose of ruxolitinib. So far it has been tolerable, mostly. I had a bout of nausea yesterday and awoke with a splitting headache, both of which are common side effects and are expected to subside as my body accustoms itself to this intruder. Ibuprofen…
It’s not often FedEx brings you a $100,000 package. There were four bottles like the one shown, which adds up to $25,000 per bottle. I admit that FedEx brings me lots of of stuff, some of it expensive, but nothing quite so expensive as this. Of course, the Ruxolitinib is being furnished to me free-of-charge…
I was asked if I would consider participating in a clinical trial at Big-as-Texas Cancer Center. The trial was then explained to me. Apparently, there are many people with CLL who do not actually need treatment to get their blood numbers back in order and their bone marrow whipped into shape. I am one of…
In an earlier blog post, I discussed the list. Lots of folks want to know about the list, some of which I share, but most of which I keep to myself. “How are you doing?” an acquaintance recently asked. “Just fine,” I said on automatic pilot. “And you?” They beleaguered me with their entire list,…
Mississippi Chris Sharp CLL Blog 