Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Gum update, and Cure Talk panel this Friday, 6/27

So I met yesterday with two doctors and a dental hygienist.  One doctor had nothing to do with anything, other than he noted that I didn't have any bruising or nosebleeds (he's an ENT).  The second doctor is a neuro-oncologist who knows what happens to people after transplants.  He said that my bleeding was "more profound that he would like to see" but also thought it might resolve on its own.  He says that post-transplant, platelets -- even if they are in sufficient number -- sometimes don't behave the way platelets do before transplant.  In any case, he didn't see a reason to be alarmed.

I will get clotting factors run in Arkansas, and possibly a platelet smear.  I need to talk with the PA there to make sure these tests are added to the usual battery I will receive upon showing up.

This neuro-oncologist also told me that the dentist was unlikely to want to touch me.  But the hygienist was unafraid.  She consented to not going all-in on the tooth scraping, but she cleaned them up.  It wasn't a bloody as I was afraid it would be.  And this morning I even made it through a tooth-brushing without much incident.

In other news less related to gum care, I am participating in another Cure Talk panel on this Friday, June 27th, at 5PM ET.   In addition to our usual group of patient panelists, we are having MM expert Dr. Shaji Kumar of Mayo to discuss some interesting topics.   Among them the newest treatments and trials being discussed at ASCO, the Mayo Measles experience, and of course my usual question about whether or not aggressive treatment is curing some patients.   It may seem like I am beating a MM-afflicted horse* with this but there are reasons for my question, which range from newly-diagnosed patients are given an accurate portrayal of their options, to influencing the way insurance companies (medical, life, disability, etc.) view those with this condition.

You can register for the call here:

http://www.curepanel.carefeed.net/event/rsvp/ASCO-2014-Myeloma-Updates-with-Dr-Shaji-Kumar-of-Mayo-Clinic/33/

The dial-in for the call is 718-664-6574.

Hope some of you can join us!






*Get the hilarious metaphor?  Not a dead horse, because he might be curable.  Brilliant, right?  ;)