Friday, May 22, 2009

Median Survival Rates

Based upon the statistics of average life expectancy, and considering the type of leukemia I have and the prognostic indicators, only 35% of the people who were diagnosed when I was will still be alive a year from now.

With its effects on reducing the proper functioning of the body’s immune system, this seems about right to me.

I don’t smoke or drink any alcohol, and I eat a quite healthy diet…lots of fruit and nuts, whole grains, fish, no sugar, etc. I take the dog for a one kilometer walk out the in desert twice every day, and since I have retired my stress level has declined markedly. Maybe I will do a little better than the average, but maybe not too. The people I have known personally who have CLL all seem to be trying to take good care of themselves.

One of the doctors who I have gone to regarding my leukemia is a world renowned specialist in the disease. He lives in Southern England. He is a very nice guy. But unfortunately he now has cancer of the abdomen himself. He is in the middle of undergoing very difficult chemotherapy.

His latest blog entry addresses this issue of median survival rates very well.
LINK: http://mutated-unmuated.blogspot.com/2009/05/message-of-medians.html

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