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Hi Charlie. I was also just diagnosed on Jan. 5th. I know exactly how you feel. I'm 30.
As overwhelming and difficult as it is right now - I promise it does get better. I just had amazing news yesterday that my white blood count went from 201,000 to 30,000! I've been on Gleevec since January 7th and I'm responding great to the medication and I'm sure you will as well. If not with Tasigna - then there are a few others too! They have come a long way with CML and read Trey's blog as soon as you have time! He has a lot of great information on there. All of the lingo was a bit overwhelming at first, but after a few weeks you start getting the hang of it.
http://treyscml.blogspot.com/ Also, it's good for your family to read. I know it really helped my family instead of googling things and freaking themselves out with outdated information.
No problem. This is a great support group. They are all full of great information!!!
I am also 30 female that is married with 2 girls ages 2 & 4. I was DX yesterday! I went in for a check up came out with CML. not really sure how to take all this. Feel like I'm in a bad dream!! :( God speed to everyone!
Hello SharaT,
Glad you found this site. You will find it to be a great source of information and support in upcoming months. In the beginning CML will be all you think about. After a while you will have to remind yourself that you have it. We are fortunate to have several wonder drugs that do a great job of controlling the CML. Hang in there and remember things will calm down before you know it. Trey's blog is an excellent place to check out - don't be overwhelmed by the volumes of info - use it like an encyclopedia: http://treyscml.blogspot.com/
Wishing you good health and many happy days...
Mike
Hey Shara - I was 37 when diagnosed about a year and a half ago. Two boys 4 and 6 at the time, going on 6 and 8 in a few months. I also got blindsided at a physical, was in otherwise perfect health and no idea anything was wrong. That is fairly common for CML. It's hard to take it all in, I know you're scared and in shock. Give it some time. The words leukemia and cancer are scary but you will soon learn that what we have is a bit different. No walk in the park, but more of a chronic illness that needs to be treated with meds for the rest of your life than it is a terminal disease. Most of us will live our normal life span with CML. Ask questions and hang in there.
Welcome, Charlie, and sorry you ended up on this island with the rest of us misfit toys. I'm a 45 yo married mom of 3 kids (11, 9 and 9, all girls), and manage a production group of chemists that makes a lot of drug research compounds.
This is a great place to get real world answers from those who have BTDT. Jump in whenever you feel like it. I post only when I have time, which sometimes is only on the weekend. You can also just read, no need to post unless you want to. Treys compilations are very useful reading, and if you don't find what you need there, you can search the CML board archives here and you might find it. Or just post the question.
Lots of ways to use the site. Go with what works for you.
Hope you respond well. The first few months are the hardest. We're here to help if you need it.
Traci
You see Phil, and I thought the BT stood for "Booty Trumpet", oh well.
Welcome Charlie - sorry you have to be here, try to be kind to yourself in the beginning, it's a lot to take in . Over the next few months things should settle a bit and soon you will be more at peace with where you are. Treatment works exceptionally well for most of us, the odds are you will be alright.
Welcome Charlie - I'm sorry that you have to be here, but at the same time I'm glad you found us :) I was diagnosed just over 7 months ago, 29yrs - doing ok so far. Please feel free to ask anything you'd like - I had lots of questions (still do!) and people here are lovely and always willing to help out :) Cheers, Pin.
Hi Charlie,
As Pin said "glad you found us." The first few months are hard but remember everyone here has done it and we can answer any questions you may have. In April will be 10 years for me and in May will be my 30th birthday!
-Steve
Thanks a lot for the comments everyone! It's good to know that there's a community like this out there. I'm just glad that BTDT doesn't mean "Burning and Tingling Down There".
Pin is correct, BTDT is been there done that. Gold star to Pin.
Phil and Charlie gets awards for most creative use of acronyms!
Phil, your prize is a nice old-fashioned hot water bottle. Perfect for bad tumtums.
Charlie, you get a bottle of penicillin, just in case you get a case of BTDTs.
Traci
Traci, because of you I have just spent several minutes cleaning off Cherry Coke from my screen after reading your last post!
Hi Charlie,
Welcome to our site of misfits. We all know how overwhelmed you are right now but trust us we'll help you all the way! I'm a cml veteran 4 and a half years. Don't mind Pam she spits all over everything. She probably drools more than me too. Sincerely Billie
Hi Charlie: I hope you do reach out to us, as there is no better way to find out about CML but to talk to others who live with it daily. You will get all types of information through research, but when you have side effects or just need to vent then come here and talk to us. You have so many here who are on different TKI drugs.
I was diagnosed in 1998, so I know what its like to go from old fashioned treatments that were the only thing available back then. Now with all the knowledge of how to treat CML, it has come a long way toward a cure.
Your young, and you will get to reap the rewards of what can be done now for CML.
I hope you join in with all of us. We have some old-timers, and a lot of new people your age for you to talk to.
You do have to adjust to what they told you. Once you get through that stage, the rest will fall into place as you go along. You never forget the day you were told you have CML, but now thats just a memory for me after 13 years.
Susan
Hmmm. . .still working on BTDT. . .can't let Phil win that one! I'll let you know when I come up with a real winner!
Charlie. . .welcome to the site. This is a great place to get information (and often a few laughs). Sorry you had to join the club, but you couldn't meet a better group of people!
Marnie
Hi Marnie,
I owe you an e-mail. Geez I lost my little bottle of wine. The man at the liquor store ordered a bigger bottle"s of wine for me. I guess we'll be here in February too. Now that I'm feeling better it's not so bad. But still there's no place like home. Even if it is snow and ice! Ron is swimming with the stingrays and dolphins. It's mating season for the stingrays! And there are some bigguns out there. He pulled me into the water today I'm not mating with no stingrays, hell my mating days are over . The stingrays are on their own! LOL Billie
Welcome, Charlie! As you can see it never hurts to ask questions, with this group you never know where it'll end and we generally have alot of laughs along the way!
TTFN, brb, OMG IOH! 
Pat
Hi Charlie,
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome. As everyone says, this is a great place to get info and to vent. I was dx last May and this site has been a lifesaver for me. You will find a lot of of very knowledgeable and supportive people here. Please post whenever you have a question or if you just need support. We are here for you.
Pat, I had to Google TTFN and brb, I think I need to start hanging out with my 15 year old niece more!!!
Judy
Hi, Judy,
You mean you didn't have to google "IOH"? Oh dear, I made that one up, I wonder what it really means?! Here's a handy little list in case we ever need it again:
http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php
and another:
http://www.freewarehof.org/acronyms.html
Pat
Hi Pat,
I thought loh meant Ladies of Harley, I thought you drove a motorcycle I'll be taking web acronym lessons from my niece, I think on a bi-weekly basis. I'm really starting, or maybe not starting, to lose it!!!
Judy = me in a few months!!!
Hi Charlie! Nice to meet you and these guys here are great. I've only been part of the group a couple weeks (dx 1/20/12) and I'm also just starting Tasigna. Had some issues getting it, so started last night. I'm 39 in SC. Please post whenever you have questions, and I've found these guys are good for laughs too (as you've seen)
Leigh
Hi Charlie,
Nothing more to add, other than a welcome. Things seem to get easier after a couple of months. Dx 8/31/11. Jack
Thanks to everyone who responded. I look forward to getting to know all of you!
Charlie
Dont worry...all of us will be OK and fine with the TKI drug! i'm 27 tis year dx last year Oct, will do my blood test again next week. hope everything will fine for me 
Hi, Charlie: I am new to the site but have been living with CML for 7 yrs. I think.....I realized how far I had come last year when I realized I really can't remember that date anymore! I CAN say that my life is good, and I am dealing with side effects which give me the opportunity to check out every bathroom in the city! haha!! It took me a year or so to be confident that I was going to be just fine.....I consider myself in EXCELLENT health, and that perception is very important! I do a lot of things 'right' for myself and I suspect you will also get to that place. For myself, it has been a journey that I travel with my husband and all my friends, who are very good at pointing out the bathrooms! God Bless.....
Hi Charlie! Nice to meet you. Im Jean and I was just diagnosed on 1/18/12. I'm scared too but I LOVE it here. This is a great place for information and smiles 
Hi Jean: I think this is your first post, or I missed it along the way. Let me welcome you to our group. We would like to get to know you, and you will see we are just a bunch of regular people going through the same thing as you.
When I was first diagnosed, I did not know who to talk to. Family and Friends gave a lot of loving support, but nobody including me knew what to expect. I decided to look for a group so I could talk to others who knew exactly how I felt. I needed people who understood a side effect when I would mention it, and what to do about it. Sometimes I just needed to vent because I was feeling sorry for myself, and then after talking to others I would change my frame of mind to realize I am not alone. I was shocked at how many other CML patients were looking for the same thing.
So Welcome, and hope we get to hear from you often.
Susan
Hi Susan! Thank you so much for the warm welcome. I posted a few days ago - Im the newly diagnosed Xray tech. I do have a lot of questions that Im nervous to ask (dont want to overdo it) so I just dig around a little and can usually find the answer in previous posts. I love looking around becuase there are always kind words, laughs and lots of information! It gives me a lot to think about... Thank you for including me in your group
Jean
Hi Jean: Do not ever feel you are overdoing it with questions, or just talking to us. My Gosh!! There is so much to learn, and so much to be happy about when you see how you respond to treatment. You will be able to get on here, and help other new people as they join with your experience to make them feel good.
We have so many new people like never before. Sad that CML is popping up all over, but how wonderful with all the latest knowledge by all these scientists and doctors that have come up with the best treatment for CML>
I am going to have to write down names, and a little bit of information about each person so I do not get everyone mixed up. I have done that quite often. Keep posting, and so glad you joined in with us.
Susan
Just joined the group. Looks like we have a lot of knowledge in the group. I was diagnosed in August of 2011 during a regular check up. nice to know I am not the only one out here dealing with this.
Hey Charlie,
Sorry you had to become a member of this group. I am 27 and was raised in northern Wisconsin. I was diagnosed a little over a year ago and am currently in a complete cytogenetic response. This is a really good place to get questions answered. I've learned more hear than from my doctor. Be careful to use the knowledge you gain from this board in a productive way. I haven't been the best at that, but there isn't a manual on how to deal with CML properly. I have good days, and then other days, I don't do as well. Currently laid up with a nice little cold.....If you have any questions or want to talk about anything, you can PM me. You're in for a ride whether you're ready or not! Wishing you well, man! -Josh
Thanks Josh! I seem to be responding well to Tasigna, and I've gotten a ton of info from the community. PS...Thanks for beating MSU this year for the Big 10 Championship (If you're a Badgers fan).
Hey Charlie,
Also a Badger to blame here! Worse yet, my son is a Bulldog (UM-Duluth). The only insurmountable problem that I have with Tasigna is how to deal with all of the oval shaped chads from the blister cards. I tried folding them in half the long way and using them as back-firing tiddley winks and shooting them into cups. Making jewelry out of them. Seeing how high that I can stack them. But no matter what I do, they turn up everywhere! Even though I have tried to contain them, they are taking over my life!
Jack,
Just wanted you to know a few things: First off, I wasn't being sarcastic when I was thanking the Badgers for beating Michigan State. I'm a die hard Wolverine with too many State fans as friends. Secondly, I have already accumulated an outstanding number of chads on my kitchen/living room/bedroom/bathroom floors. Send me your mailing address and I'll be sure to send you my extras.
Thanks Charlie! Are you sure? I would feel pretty bad taking your collection! Man, I just picked another two off my sock! Tell you what, I'll color them gold and purple and send them your way!
I live in MI as well, do you like being on tasigna, do it work for you?? I just got diagnosed
Hi Laila,
Tasigna works well with me, and the side effects are not bad in my case. I am sorry that you have CML, but happy to welcome you! Jack
Thanks Jack! I'm glad is working for you. I'll be on 800 mg a day so hopefully it will for me too.
You will be just fine, just take time when you can to educate yourself on this site, and don't be afraid to share and vent occasionally, just remember that these drugs work well, others are being developed, and a vaccine is in trial. The first couple of months are scary, but things will smooth themselves out after that. Jack
Hi Laila, I was diagnosed about a month ago and I've been on Tasigna for a little over two weeks. The first week I felt like crap, but I'm not sure if it was because of the meds or just because I recently found out I had cancer. So far my WBC has dropped, and hopefully it will keep doing that. Get ahold of me if you have any questions or just want to talk! You can PM me for a link to my facebook, and there might actually already be a link on my profile.
Charlie
P.S. I live in Kalamazoo and I grew up in Muskegon, you?
Hey Charlie, thanks for the inventation to message you with any questions. I will most likely take you up on that. I kinda just have a lot of omg shock going on and it's scary. i've felt like crap for a while now so it was no surprise when they said I was sick, I didn't expect leukemia but I knew something wasn't right,.. Feel free to message me as well, and I grew up in Schoolcraft and live in Coldwater now... Small world
