Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 8:00 AM
Subject: BMT Update, T-2

Well sports fans, I enter a new stage today.  The nurse came in last night 
and told me that I would be starting treatments with Cyclosporine today at 4 
AM.  This drug is an immunosuppressive agent.  I was wrong in previously 
reporting that the chemo and radiation would kill off my immune system.  
These kill off the stem cells.  However, the white blood cells, whole bunches 
of different kinds of them, are still floating around in my system.  This new 
drug will inactivate them, don't ask me how.  Basically, after this happens, 
I am an open Petri dish, with extremely high risk of infection.  

The reason for this new drug is to allow my body to accept my brother's stem 
cells, due in 2 days.  There may be some side effects from the Cyclosporine, 
but I have been lucky to dodge that bullet on almost everything they have 
thrown into me so far, so cross your fingers.  

I spent about 12 hours yesterday without being hooked up to the IV cart 
through my catheters.  You cannot imagine what a pleasure it was to be able 
to walk in the hallway here without my companion.  I will be hooked up again 
and receiving this new drug for two 6-hour periods per day, apparently 
designed to minimize my sleep disturbance.  

It was a great relief coming in here on Friday to begin these treatments.  
The 4+ months of knowing I had a fatal disease took their toll.  When 
treatment began, it was a psychological boost, as I was going from a passive 
stage of taking it, to a proactive stage of starting to do something about 
it.  The chemo and radiation are bizarre, scary, but necessary steps in 
winning the battle.  They laid the groundwork by wiping out the root cause of 
my disease.  This new step softens up the field, so that the good guys can 
invade and take over.  My excitement is building, but it sure would be nice 
to get some more sleep.

More later today.

Dave