MDS: Bone Marrow - To Transplant or Not to Transplant

Questions have been weighing heavy on my mind lately. Perhaps it's because we're now a week away from the next bone marrow biopsy. Perhaps it's because I've been flying, which always stimulates in me philosophical wonderment (like: how can the air itself actually keep the plane in the air?).

No matter. I've been pondering some conundrums

• How long will the Vidaza be effective?
• What, if any, are the side effects of long-term Vidaza use?
• How to decide whether to go ahead with a marrow transplant?

While I was out west, I conferred with my cousin Robert, a retired podiatrist who had a bone marrow transplant in '01, albeit for a different condition. The good news from his report:

• the in-hospital experience wasn't so terrible
• the recovery period didn't last nearly as long as Dr. MDS reported it would
• Dr. MDS's stated failure rate and fatality percentage (40% and 15% respectively) are likely overly high, given my age and condition.

The bad news:

• intense nausea and vomiting for 6 weeks or more
• the procedure didn't work.

My spouse—ever the pragmatic one—dismisses the transplant at this stage, saying "if the Vidaza is working, let it ride." Her daughter agrees. (Okay, yeah, she's my daughter, too, but saying "our daughter" seemed less dramatic.)

My cousin Ken takes the opposite view: if it's the only chance for a cure, and the success/fatality percentages are probably better than what's been stated, you might as well go for it.

Cousin Robert, on the other hand, says don't do it unless you must.

So, I've been waffling back-and-forth, in some kind of semi-neurotic anticipation of the biopsy results which, rationally speaking is totally unnecessary and a waste of time and energy.

Decision-making has never been my forté.