ECP

Right after the Christmas (2012), Jason started a new therapy called ECP to fight GVHD.  Here is  an article from Stanford Medical Center web site:

"Photopheresis (ECP) is a type of medical therapy that can be used in treating patients with problems associated with cutaneous (skin) T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) such as mycosis fungoides (MF) or Sezary syndrome. ECP is also used to treat conditions including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and organ transplant rejection. "

Jason goes to the therapy twice a week, every other week.  When patients have a port (like Hickman line in the chest), they can do ECP through the port, but Jason got rid of Hickman Like a while ago, he gets a big fat needle in his arm, and can't move for 2-3 hours.  The machine takes out 10% of his blood, and machine does the miracle job.

Every time he tried to taper down steroid last fall /winter, GVHD came back. But this time with ECP, it is keeping GVHD away from Jason so far.  Also, Jason has not had major side effect from the treatment (he gets tired after ECP).  He will continue this treatment for a while even after he goes back to work. 

Thanks for your supports and prayers.

Love,
Mayumi