Update 3

As you have probably guessed, from the fact I wasn’t broadcasting from the rafters, yesterday proved to be a complete non event.

The telephone appointment proved to be a very smooth and efficient way of being consulted by the doctor when there was no need for physical examination. Even when we lost the connection it didn’t prove to be a problem, and our conversation Was able to pick up and seemed to progress without a Further technical hiccup. He, Dr Kazmi, had been very well briefed and prepared by my GP and after a few more questions, he was able to tell me that my criteria did not match the necessary to get stem cell treatment. He was at pains to reinforce that even if I went privately there would be no point in having what could be a very tricky procedure; to put it mildly. I knew the risks involved and was more than prepared to run them but what is the point of wasting everybody’s time for a procedure, and an pleasant and lengthy one at that, that wasn’t going to improve my symptoms or my life? Dr Kazmi was basically saying exactly the same thing as Dr Brownlee and Dr Hari Krishnan had said about stem cell treatment. Dr Kazmi did mention that I could try other places in the world such as Mexico, but didn’t exactly advise that as a course to take. I want to make it quite clear this is not a funding issue, on either my part or the N.H. It is a hopeless case.

Needless to say, I was bitterly disappointed, as I had more than covered the implications and dangers involved in enduring such a treatment. It seems that the stumbling block was the fact I had no new lesions showing on the recent MRI scan. I knew this was an issue with taking the new drug Ocrelizumab (where the patient has to show new lesions). This was the first I had heard of such criteria being applied to HSCT. To my mind this was the last chance I had of slowing the progress of this disease so I have to admit defeat.