More hope!

So many things seem out of whack in life, and yet there is so much hope, so many new beginnings, so many people doing wonderful things, that I find it absolutely necessary to concentrate on the good things - like this nest full of Robin's eggs.  It's hope, new beginnings and just beautiful.

And that brings me to the article in the link I have pasted below, about yet more hope in the fight agains CML.  One day there will be yet another wonderful breakthough in the treatment of this disease.

Here is the website link: http://www.dailyrx.com/news-article/chronic-myeloid-leukemia-may-be-stopped-combo-therapy-18412.html

"Since the advent of targeted therapies, chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has become easier to treat. And while the drugs usually put people into remission, the disease can return with full fury.

Using a combination of Gleevec (imatinib) and another targeted therapy, researchers have discovered a way to halt CML in mice. If this work translates to humans, CML may be wiped out totally."   

Whooo hooooooo!  Read more here...  http://www.dailyrx.com/news-article/chronic-myeloid-leukemia-may-be-stopped-combo-therapy-18412.html


Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia affects 20,000 people in the United States, but about 4,500 are newly diagnosed each year. It is the result of a genetic mutation that causes white blood cell production to increase out of control.

At first, during the chronic phase, the body produces too many white blood cells. If untreated, it progresses to the accelerated and then blast phases, where the production of immature, non-functioning white cells overwhelms the body, leaving patients susceptible to infection, anemia, and death. The chronic phase may be asymptomatic, with diagnosis being made from a routine blood test. Symptoms of the accelerated phase include night sweats, fatigue, easy bruising, fever, and infections. 

Treatment is with drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Gleevec, Sprycel, Tasigna), and recent statistics show an 89% five year survival rate from their use.

It feels so good to have people working on this disease, working on getting rid of it.

May it happen soon.

love and light

Annie

Penny on my mind....

For some reason Penny has been on my mind all day long.

Maybe it has something to do with the rose bush that I trimmed barehanded right after Steven's diagnosis that is now budding, or whether I think of her each year when those roses bloom - but whatever the reason, Penny is dancing in my mind today.

I miss you, lady.

Here's a flower for you.

Love and Light
Annie