MDS: Drilling for Bone Marrow

Yesterday we endured the landmark bone marrow biopsy ritual.

Landmark because it comes after the fourth cycle of Vidaza shots, the time when true signs of Vidaza success should show up. Ritual because this is bone biopsy Number Three in what we hope won't be a long line of such tests.

Dr. O now takes the sample from the back of my pelvis. It begins with a couple of royally large novocaine injections. Not a mind-numbing experience. Rather, an upper butt-numbing one.

The procedure itself feels rather like someone is thumping on you with a hammer and a small, dull chisel or nail-set. Since I can't see what she's doing back there, I envision this small device delving into my bone and pulling out marrow as one might take a tree-ring boring or polar ice sample.

Mostly, I don't like to visualize that.

So, why are we doing this?

To see what the marrow is doing, as Dr. O puts it. Apparently we're looking out for

• increased blasts (bad, non-developing red blood cells)
• other abnormalities in the marrow
• and, much to my surprise, cytogenetics—further degeneration, stasis, or even minor miraculous repair (not likely), of the chromosomes.

From these results, we'll decide if the Vidaza treatments continue. (Which they will anyway, beginning next week, whilst we await the results, which Dr. O says should take a week, although last time the cytogenetics took two weeks, so I'm not sure what we'll know in a week.)

Apparently it was Dr. MDS who recommended this biopsy. Dr. O inferred that Dr. MDS wants it as a measure to use in considering the bone marrow transplant "because you're young."

For reiteration and clarification—age-wise, I'm right in the middle statistically for bone marrow transplant success, and still young enough to have decent chance of success.

Heck, I'm just happy to hear someone refer to me as young.

Meanwhile, yesterday's blood counts were good

• Platelets—139,000
• Hemoglobin:—12.0

indicating, as they have been all along, positive things.

So, next week, having graduated from being a core-sample guinea pig, I get to return to being a pin cushion.

Carry on, doc. Fill me with needles.