Hooray for Hollywood?

It's been one heck of a week.  The tragedy in Connecticut is felt so deeply in NY. The whole country. The faces of those kindergarteners... I have a kindergartener.  How do those families not let this ruin their lives?  How do you not let tragedy  ruin your life? Time I guess.

I spent an hour or so reading the second amendment.  It's a really tough one. Where's the loophole? I couldn't find one except that the amendment is so subjective. But that only breeds a lot of arguement. What's a militia and what are arms? When it was written they were thinking muscats, not assault rifles. And I know that the saying " people kill people, not guns" is obvious, but guns sure do make it easier!  Plus, it's clear there were massacres way before hollywood movie themes became so violent, but what is this obsession with The Gun?  I don't get it but its creepy and brings out the worst in this country.  I hope that what happened in Sandy Hook will bring out the best in people. Create some good changes.  Because this really is an amazing place.

I'm going home to London on Sunday. It's really a miracle. I know I say that a lot. But I'm thrilled and goosebumpy all the time. Speaking of Hollywood, I'm getting my own truely American happy Hollywood ending. I had a biopsy on Tuesday and the preliminary results on Thursday showed that I have 2% blast cells. That's normal. We all have some. But 2% is low. Yay! In a week or so they will know if all my cells are still donor cells. Last biopsy, two months ago, they were. And that's what you want. You want those donor cells to take over, take charge, and do their thing. My bloodwork is all normal too.

Dr. Giralt asked if I could somehow get the word out in England that it doesn't seem to be so important to only transplant people who are in remission. I'm a great success story and there's many others like me. Maybe at Sloan Kettering it's almost like they're questioning or at least pushing the envelope on what remission is? Who knows if I could ever find the right audience to spread this word. Head of the NHS? I don't know yet. I will try for sure. But there's  millions of people on the Bone Marrow Registry willing to help, I think medical policies should at least let them try.

I found out that my fantastic beautiful amazing generous donor is American. It means that I don't have to wait two years to meet her. Just one. If she wants to. There's a reunion party every year in October at Sloan for recipients, donors, and doctors. Apparently the crowd grows and grows each year. Maybe my donorband I could meet there? I would love that.

Oh, it's so late. I took a nap today because I'm nursing a cold before I get on the plane. And here I am on California time right before I go to London. Good night friends
💝Dina