Love cats

The cats!

The cats are back!

And, more importantly, the cats are smiling.

The reason why the cats are smiling is blood related.

Admittedly slightly unpleasant on the surface as an explanation, but it’s actually all good. Or at least, it’s good as regards overcoming this particular hemoglobin hurdle.

In July I wrote about the maths of MS and more specifically the maths of Tecfidera.

The delicate balance of lowering lymphocytes to reduce the unwanted autoimmune system response tempered against a weakened immune system with its potential for unpleasant and opportunistic infections.

Back then, after six months of Tec, my lymphocyte levels stood at 0.74, having dropped through 0.77 at three months from a 1.2 starter reading.

My latest results show them back at 0.91 – a massive relief that they are picking up and hopefully heading away from the infection danger zone and Tec-stopping level of 0.5.

Of course there will be more three-monthly blood letting hurdles to go where the readings may have changed.

And even then, assuming those results are okay, there’s still the big leap of the MRI which will indicate whether all this maths, hair loss and cat-related internet searching is working for me.

Like the whole of MS, it’s an unknown.

As a disease modifier, Tecfidera’s efficacy is currently rated as good – with relapses dropping by an average of 53% and disability progression slowed down by 38% But note the ‘on average’ – my experience on Tec could be far better, or far worse, then these numbers.

Until the MRI, until the next relapse, I just won’t know. But just for the moment I’m feeling quite relieved and ready for:

 :: Love cats by The Cure