Transplant Update – Need for Prayers, Etc.

3-27-2012

It has been a little more than six months since my brother’s stem cell transplant.  For the first five months, he made very good progress.  This last month has been rough, though. 

The transplant was necessary to try to cure a condition known as myelofibrosis in which the normal production of blood cells is disrupted by fibrous tissues in the bone marrow.  Additional information about the condition may be found in earlier posts on this blog. 

It was hoped that the transplanted normal stem cells would replace the defective stem cells in Paul’s bone marrow.  Within the past few weeks, though, the defective stem cells seem to be growing back, creating what is essentially a relapse.

As I write this, Paul is back in the hospital and the doctors are trying to deal with this unhappy development.  Once again, if anyone reading this feels inclined to offer prayers, positive thoughts or healing energies, that would be welcome.