New PML case in Rituximab use

Well, this is a little scary-- my clinical trial coordinator had to call all of us, since Genentech announced a third case of PML (progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a usually fatal brain disease) in a person taking rituximab for rheumatoid arthritis. They're just making calls to let people know, even though the study I'm in is a modified rituximab one, using ocrelizumab,a "humanized" MAb. As my coordinator put it, this makes 3 cases out of 100000 or so.

I like those odds. But it is a reminder that these drugs are WAY powerful. alas, not treating my MS is not an option! So tomorrow, back to PHX, more blood work, more MRI! Joy!

Click on the post title for the news on the PML case.

Snort snarl grrr...

Another middling day of a middling week. Still frustrated about health care as a whole, but do have an appt on Thursday up in Phoenix, so at least I'll be able to get copies of all my MRIs.

Unfortunately, my legs are getting a bit weakish again, tho lately after too much time on my feet. I have started working out again, so maybe I can blame that (haha). In any event, I must say the year thus far has been pretty sucky.

It's most definitely a snarl-inducing life, lately, and like Joe Walsh says "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do". Well, I have a bit more to whine about-- I told some of my students recently to stop whining. They are still too young and healthy to whine too much (at least about that).

However, at least I get out of the area for a day! YAY!!

Rough week...

Whiiine
Legs hurting again, stupid head cold-thing going on which is stopping up my ears... and tot op it off I have 2 sets of papers to read, and I'm REALLY exhausted! I think I'm going to bed...

Weekends are hell

Kind of all cold-ish and weak this weekend, so didn't get a lot of stuff done. However, sometime over the weekend our house was egged (2 eggs), and one broke a window. Now THAT pissed me off. Interestingly, there are only 2 kids of egg-tossing age on our street, so what did they think we would do, not guess? Them guiltily not walking past our house today to catch the school bus, but going around the long way, kind of brought it home. We had to do a police report on the off chance our insurance will pay for it. What a pain in the ass.

Positively, I'm learning to make a Better Life through Pharmaceuticals. How did I manage so long without them?

Wallace and Gromit go Crip!

Aardman Animation paired with the Leonard Cheshire Disability service in England to create "Creature Discomforts", featuring various animals and critters with disabilities speaking on the issue, voiced by people with disability. It's pretty damn funny, but also, in Aardman fashion, gently prodding sensibilities. My favorite I think is the walking stick insect with a cane... which is actually another walking stick insect!

I think it's fair to say the Brits did good on this stuff...

Aard-dog

Wildlife and us

Rocky Raccoon is pissed

So I went into major hate-human mode today, as I noticed a tiny mouse caught in a school glue trap, still alive, terrified, starving, and really frankly in misery. I know all things have their place, but come on... "gee, I know, let's torture and starve this creature because we CAN, because we lack the courage to put out traps that would actually kill them quickly because we don't want BLOOD all over, gee... they're vermin..."

Come on, it's a mouse. A tiny one. A living critter who feels fear and pain, and while I can't save everything nor want to, there has to be better ways for humans to rid themselves of "undesirables"

Which brings me back to crips. Somehow I feel for the "undesirables" in the world. I do. There's so much blind ugliness and ignorance in the world. I made my students try checking for accessibility with a walker, crutches, and a cane recently and they certainly came back with more open eyes. Maybe they will stop and appreciate their mobility, and they definitely see the campus with clearer vision. Will they remember the experience beyond a week? I dunno.

Oh, the mouse? I freed it carefully, threw the sticky trap away, and cursed the hell out of humans.

The crunching sound means it's hurting!

After a long, long weekend of dodging grading and stuff, I noticed near the end of the weekend that my right knee was feeling weakish. Not too uncommon, but then... oh, ker-UNCH!

I put my weight on my right leg last night to grab something and heard this ridiculously loud snap, crunch, and crackle of my kneecap area, which was of course QUITE painful. Since then.. sigh, I've been limping and babying my right leg. I have no idea exaclty what it is, if it's MS-related or not, but DAMN. Perhaps it's just workout related, since I'm back on the gym trip, but I don't think riding a recumbent biks is all that knee-threatening. Then again, I can't imagine MS causing my knee to make crunchy-shify sounds, like the patella slipped or something. It hurts when it's extended fully. Oy.

Pain pill time!!!!!!!!!!