Day +1062 : Praying for Jonathan Ting

I am fine today.

I received a mail from Jonathan’s mother last Saturday. Jonathan was diagnosed with CML mid-April this year. He is currently taking an oral drug called Glivec which is normally used to treat CML. The family decided for him to go for a bone marrow transplant to increase the chance of a cure.

His father maintained a blog about his journey with CML at http://william-jon.blogspot.com/.

The mail from his mother, Teresa Ting - we are all Tings :-), publised with her permission :

Dear David,

I am now going through your blog on your journey with AML and BMT.

It is really great and good of you to share the information of BMT. I have been trying to get more information of BMT in this part of the world, first hand information from patients of UH or Subang Jaya. Thanks for the information.

At least, I am aware or know before hand what to expect for GVHD etc. etc. I have read some of the journals of the CML patients in UK.

My son, Jonathan Ting, an 18 year foundation student was just diagnosed with CML in mid- April, 2009 and we are seeing Dr. Lau of Normah as a follow-up for his blood tests and consultancy. He is now treated with the drug, Imatinib.

We have also seen Dr. Ng of Subang Jaya and shall visit him at 3 months milestone to do the bone marrow aspiration and tests.

Right now, according to Dr. Ng, we are hoping to get him into molecular and cytogenetic remission in 6 months time? and then go for a mini BMT. However, we have yet to find out which one of the 5 siblings will have a HLA match with him.

We are praying hard, relying on God'd Plan to show us the way forward, which one of the sibling, timing - hopefully end of the year after 6 months when he also finishes his foundation studies, the remission, the BMT journey ahead.

From the information on website on CML and even before seeing Dr. Ng, we have already decided for him to go for BMT. He is still so young, have a long way ahead and the drug is only prolonging/dragging on the time. We want him to take the chance of BMT and then deal/manage with GVHD. …

My husband, William Ting has a blog http://www.williamtingcl.blogspot.com and he has set up a separate blog for my son to record his journey, http://william-jon.blogspot.com

Like you, we are very open and we would like to share the information/details of his sickness, how he is faring etc and hopefully, it can be useful to other CML sufferers.

William and myself are Foochows and are from Sarikei, another Ting and Ting (my surname is also Ting).

Heads Up to your blog and keep on blogging.

Regards,
Teresa Ting N.H.

And my reply:

Dear Teresa,

I am sorry to know that Johathan was diagnosed with CML, but on the other hand, I am glad that this blog furnishes some information that you need.

I started this blog a few days after I started my BMT procedure, and as such, captured most of the transplant experience real-life. Though not as detail as the BMT, I did recall my chemotherapy treatment prior to BMT on this blog,

I was 39 years old when I was diagnosed with AML-M4, with three young children and a 5-months pregnant wife. And with about 7 months of chemotherapy treatment later, I went for a full BMT, using my elder sister's haematopoietic stem cells. I stayed in the hospital for more than 150 days throughout the duration of this aggressive treatment. Today is my Day +1061 post BMT. All I can say is God lead me through the Valley Of The Shadow Of Death, and now, I live by the abundant grace of God every moment of my life.

Our God will lead Jonathan through all turmoil of his life as promised in Psalms 23, which I memorized, and recited frequently. God gave me strength and peace, comforting me no matter what situation I was in. I encourage Jonathan to memorize this chapter of "powerful" Psalm as well :-) Another chapter of great help is Psalm 121.

Dr. Lau did the first round of chemotherapy for me in NMSC, and he is the best haemotologist that I have ever met. He is not only smart, keeps himself up to date to the latest advancement of treatment, but also willing to kindly answer whatever doubts we have - a crucial character which most doctors lack of. He was even able to explain the disease and treatment in Foo-chow :-) So having treatment under him is a sure blessing from God! The knowledge that I gained from him through my 20 over days stay in NMSC helped me a lot in the treatment later.

Just put our trust in God whatever decision you all make. He is our Hope. I recalled a 80-year-old uncle who came to pray for me regularly when I was in Kuching. He always prayed, "Through good doctors and medicine coupled with God’s grace, I thank God that you are healed” :-) Both his wife and he were diagnosed with colon and prostate cancer respectively, but survived the treatment and lived pass the 5 years term which normally a standard that doctor proclaims a cure :-) I blogged about him on David's Bone Marrow Transplant - Jesus Heals.

…

I attended and served in Mei Ann Methodist Church while I was in Miri, and I remembered at that time, the Grace Church was using Mei Ann Methodist Church's facilities. As such, we were under one roof at different session but perhaps, never met. I am now attending and serving in Puchong Christian Alliance Church, and I helped maintaining a church website at http://www.mypcac.org.

I am from Bintangor and my wife is from Sarikei.

I am glad to read that Jonathan's blood count has restored to normal level, and I wish, with the drug Glivec, that he will attain a complete remission for a BMT to take place. Just let me know when you are visiting Dr. Ng next time, perhaps we can meet. I am staying in Puchong, a place not too far away from SJMC

Keeping Jonathan's treatment experience open will definitely help others who are diagnosed with blood disease. I received many emails that informed me that they are encouraged or benefited from this blog.

Please keep in touch and let me know the progress, I will keep Jonathan in my prayer.

Best Regards,

David

See you next post :-)