This is a sufficiently important topic as to deserve its own heading -- I didn't want to bury it in the remarks about my meeting with BB.
As I mentioned before, I've come across at least one blog where the MM traveler was beginning reimmunization. There isn't a lot of literature on this subject, although I did come across a couple of somewhat older articles that recommended it. We also have a two year old son who will be getting additional vaccinations over the coming couple of years, some of which might involve a live vaccine.
Per BB, there is no need to be reimmnunized. Simple as that. One of his other doctors, BN, elaborated to a fellow traveler here that there has never been any data that demonstrates reimmunization is necessary.
Generally speaking, if it's good enough for BB, it's good enough for me. However I will ask SF for his opinion on this when I return to LA, hopefully next week.
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I did not want to bring this up but now that I see this post, I will. I know several people who had their "baby shots" done again and came out of CR when they did. Coincidence? Maybe, but several are convinced it was due to the
ReplyDeletestimulating of their immune system caused by the shots. We did not get them for Tim. His doc was cool with this. 2 others who went through transplant with Tim and did get remissions, did get them. Both went into active disease again right afterward. I thought for sure Tim's doc would at least want a tetanus shot but he was not even concerned with that. I'm a little leary of this but so far, so good. He does recommend the flu shot yearly though and though it did not affect Tim's CR to get the shot last year, we all still got the flu.:( Be very careful about your little ones getting the chicken pox vaccine. It is live and probably your worst threat. Shingles can be a real problem causing permanent nerve damage and pain in some cases.
Thanks for the story -- that's very important to get out there. I'll post more on this shortly as I've heard from additional people that immunization is not needed.
ReplyDeleteNick:
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to take a moment to express my sincere thanks to you and Jill for your kindness and support during our time together at UAMS's Induction Center and Stem Cell Ward.
I greatly admire your highly intensive, organized, 'take-no-prisoners' attitude and approach to fighting this dastardly disease. Making a concious decision to inform yourself, to the nth degree, about Multiple Myeloma has been fruitful for all of us that have come to know you.
The realistically frank, but hopeful, tone of your blog has been informative and inspirational- perhaps even more than you realize. Thank you for voicing the same fears, frustrations, and rushes of excitement that we feel as we the daily battle an MM diagnosis.
Together with help from superstars like BB, his dedicated team and some well placed divine intervention, we will move this mountain.
Thanks for openly sharing your thoughts with me. They have been both encouraging and extremely helpful.
And please keep practicing your keenly dry sense of good humor - it is definitely good medicine!
Blessings to you, Jill, the kids and the legions in your corner.
Sean and Karen M.