Today is a monumental day in my HSCT quest to free myself of MS. Dr. Fedorenko has been waiting for the last three day’s bloodwork results to come in to finally tell me the words that I’ve been waiting to hear for all of these weeks. The reason that I came here, and the reason why I will leave here with a new lease on life and without the burden of living with further progression of my MS.
His words, exactly, “Your immune system has been officially re-booted!” He said that is the universal term used with regard to HSCT…REBOOT! He, of course, tells me this with that gleam in his eye, and, with that unending enthusiasm of his that I think may actually rival my own. He said to me from the beginning that “we are a team”. Well, the team won big today. We hit it right over the fence!
It is very important for me to explain exactly what has taken place here, and it is equally as important to Dr. Fedorenko that I relay the information in the most accurate way. We spoke at length before I made this post. For the piece and mind of my family and friends, as well as the families and friends of those who are either scheduled to undergo HSCT or in the planning process, it is important to know exactly what will be taking place with their immune systems. Since making the decision to have HSCT, I have had a full understanding of how this works. I will do my best to explain it without suffocating you with medical terminology.
Dr. Fedorenko said that there is no “old” and “new” immune system. It will always be the same immune system. However, it will have been “re-booted”. Meaning that it has been functionally dismantled by chemo and re-built with a new foundation (with the assistance of my stem cells) wherein your MS is permanently in “functional remission”. He said that my immune system will always have a memory of MS. But, it will not have the ability to react. I will always test positive for MS, however, it will be non-functioning and non-progressive. It will be HALTED! The very core of my immune system has all but been expunged. Only a skiff of my immune system remains, and that is the area that contains any prior vaccinations that I may have had. In a later post, I will discuss where we go from here and what I can expect with regard to recovery and restoration of function.
This is the part where I sit here humbled and overwhelmed. This is the part where my mind scans chronologically back through the last four weeks and every pain-staking move that I needed to endure to make this happen. THIS IS THE PART WHERE MY DANCE WITH THE DEVIL ENDS.
Peace and love from Moscow.
Hello, Russia! B-bye, MS! 
Happy tears!
Me, too!
Can’t wait to hear about the next part of your journey!
Don’t worry Miss Pam, there’s plenty more to come. We haven’t even gotten to the good part yet.
So happy for you, so proud of you and so amazed by you!
Thanks, Margarita!! Actually, I’d like a Margarita. Would you like to join me to celebrate?
Brooke, I can’t imagine how happy, excited and relieved you must feel, You have done such a remarkable job of taking us on the journey with you. I look forward to continuing to follow your progress.
Jane, they’ll be seeing you in September and your life will be changed forever. Your sister, Brooke.
Brooke, I can not imagine going through all you have gone through. I am very happy for you that they have been able to reboot your system and halt the MS. I have followed your posts all through this. Congratulations!!! I hope to see the stem cell treatment helping many more diseases in the near future, as well as the United States using it for the same reasons, Again Congratulations!
Thanks, Steve. This treatment is also being used for Lupus, Scleroderma, Crohn’s, Rheumatoid Arthritis and various other autoimmune diseases. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for them as well.
Wooo Hoo for you Brook! REBOOT DAY!
🙂
So happy for you Brooke!
You are so brave and such a beaming ray of positive light!
I hope to read nothing but good things in your future posts!
As I sit here and try to type through tears, I am just so amazed by you! It takes me back to when you and Doug were married and your wedding song was “Amazed” by Lonestar. You are one amazing lady and I am so, so happy for your wonderful news! Thanks so much for sharing this awesome journey with all of us, Brooke, and may the many prayers continue working through the rest of your fabulous journey. Relax, sweetie and just soak up all this wonderful news that you have been given! You are such an inspiration for so many suffering from MS.
Linda I’m so happy to have you as an angel by my side on this trip. I couldn’t ask for a more appropriate one.
so so happy …that is what we were all waiting to hear. Never doubted that you would come thru this with flying colors…. cant wait to meet the new “BROOKE”…<3
Kathie, I can’t wait to see you as the new Brooke either. Hopefully, you’ll have a crock pot full of stuffing in your hands. Lol
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!