Talking with Ben

PARNAMI wrote:
In other matters, three and a half years ago, I DID manage to come
down with a small case of stage 4 metastasized melanoma of the lung.
The lung was removed, I participated in a clinical trial of a vaccine,
and, am happy to report, as of two days before Christmas, I remain
CANCER FREE! So, no problems here!!


You are one lucky dude. Congrats.

Marsha

PARNAMI wrote:


LOL....coons age?

Dunno about where you're from, but that expression is, "as common as
dirt," where I'm from. It's a humorous way to say, "a long time."


--
Nonny
Some people are like a Slinky: not really
good for anything, but you still can't help
but smile when you shove them down the stairs.

"PARNAMI" wrote in message
...

In other matters, three and a half years ago, I DID manage to come
down with a small case of stage 4 metastasized melanoma of the lung.
The lung was removed, I participated in a clinical trial of a vaccine,
and, am happy to report, as of two days before Christmas, I remain
CANCER FREE! So, no problems here!!

Glad to hear that. What was the drug? Do you remember?

--Tom

On Jan 21, 11:04�pm, "Tom K" wrote:

Glad to hear that. �What was the drug? �Do you remember?

--Tom

I'm not sure it has a name..yet..but here's the link:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/sho...118274?order=1

Thanks for the good thoughts. I'm really fine, show no ill effects,
and do everything I did before...except without the coughing!!
After a year on the vaccine, I now take no meds at all. I don't have
a single brown bottle in the med cabinet....and have no need for
o2.

I really am "one lucky dude"!!! My timing, for once, just happend to
be just right!!

"PARNAMI" wrote in message
...
On Jan 21, 11:04?pm, "Tom K" wrote:

Glad to hear that. ?What was the drug? ?Do you remember?

--Tom

I'm not sure it has a name..yet..but here's the link:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/sho...118274?order=1

Thanks for the good thoughts. I'm really fine, show no ill effects,
and do everything I did before...except without the coughing!!
After a year on the vaccine, I now take no meds at all. I don't have
a single brown bottle in the med cabinet....and have no need for
o2.

I really am "one lucky dude"!!! My timing, for once, just happend to
be just right!!



They don't give much info on the webpage... I was curious because I worked
on a new biologic melanoma drug called ipilimumab for a while. Was
wondering if that might have been the drug, but it's impossible to tell from
what the webpage has. Cyclophophamide is an old drug. It's the peptide
vaccine that I was curious about.


With the new biologic products coming out, the whole world of drugs is
changing leaps and bounds. Biologics are extremely difficult to make, and
extremely expensive (some cost as much as $1000 just to make a single dose).
But many of them work incredibly well, especially for things like cancer,
rheumatoid arthritis, organ transplant rejection, lupus, etc.. Many of them
are actually made from Chinese Hamster Ovary cells (CHO cells). It's a
process almost like making beer in a big tank, only it uses the ovary cells
(which multiply in the tank) instead of yeast. If you put the right
materials into the tank the cells convert the materials into the biologic
compound. It's a whole new world.

--Tom

Hi, Ben, it is great to hear from you!

Be well. Best wishes,

Diana Ball
Austin, TX

Hi, Parnami, I never knew your name was Mel, but it is good to see you
post. When I first started cruising, I often consulted your impressive
collection of cruise reviews, and I always perked up when you posted
with info and tips.

It sounds like you have the best reason to take a celebratory cruise--
congrats on your cancer-free status!

Diana Ball
Austin, TX

mel

CONGRATS on the "C" Free! that is wonderful. Now about flying. DO you
ahve Southwest near you? Great Airline... No change fees, No bag Fees,
No seat fees. and there is comfy room on them. My Fave to fly.....
Oasis is gonna be something followed by the Sister Ship Allure....


Susette
Cruise Outlets and Travel
www.cruiseoutlets.com
856-853-9515

On Jan 22, 9:38�am, Susette wrote:
mel

CONGRATS on the "C" Free! that is wonderful. Now about flying. DO you
ahve Southwest near you? Great Airline... No change fees, No bag Fees,
No seat fees. and there is comfy room on them. My Fave to fly.....
Oasis is gonna be something followed by the Sister Ship Allure....

Susette
Cruise Outlets and Travelwww.cruiseoutlets.com
856-853-9515

Yeah, I had a trip planned on Southwest when I got sick. At the time,
we booked them because they still had 70 pound weight limits for
checked bags. That's no longer the case.

I tolerated airline cutbacks in food service, narrower seats, less
seat pitch, but I balked at the reduction in weight for checked bags.
That's when I stopped flying. Since then, things have gotten much
worse. I don't expect to regain practical limits for checked bags,
though am hopeful that some other cutbacks may be reinstated.
Unfortunately, since I stopped flying well before these other cuts/
petty charges were implemented, reinstating things to how they were
when I stopped won't change my mind. I'm pretty certain I'm finished.

I'm not yet quite prepared to say "never" though.

"PARNAMI" wrote in message
...
On Jan 22, 9:38?am, Susette wrote:
mel

CONGRATS on the "C" Free! that is wonderful. Now about flying. DO you
ahve Southwest near you? Great Airline... No change fees, No bag Fees,
No seat fees. and there is comfy room on them. My Fave to fly.....
Oasis is gonna be something followed by the Sister Ship Allure....

Susette
Cruise Outlets and Travelwww.cruiseoutlets.com
856-853-9515

Yeah, I had a trip planned on Southwest when I got sick. At the time,
we booked them because they still had 70 pound weight limits for
checked bags. That's no longer the case.

I tolerated airline cutbacks in food service, narrower seats, less
seat pitch, but I balked at the reduction in weight for checked bags.
That's when I stopped flying. Since then, things have gotten much
worse. I don't expect to regain practical limits for checked bags,
though am hopeful that some other cutbacks may be reinstated.
Unfortunately, since I stopped flying well before these other cuts/
petty charges were implemented, reinstating things to how they were
when I stopped won't change my mind. I'm pretty certain I'm finished.

I'm not yet quite prepared to say "never" though.



You should stay in touch with the people who did the clinical study... if
your stuff ever came back, the marketing company may be under obligation to
give you the same drug for free. Or they may do it voluntarily.

--Tom