Hello!
My name is Irina Redkova. I am 52 years old. I live in Saint-Petersburg.
I have always had to battle through life by myself. I started working at the
age of 18 and studied in the evenings at a technical school of communications.
Then I worked as an assistant postmaster for almost 30 years. The last 6 years
I have been working as a senior manager at a numismatic online store. I have
raised my two sons and am very proud of them. I have never asked anyone's
help before, but recently a disaster knocked on our door.
In October 2010 I started feeling discomfort, lack of energy, and had a few
fainting spells. On October 22nd, an ambulance took me to City Hospital 31.
The diagnose was severe B-12 deficient anemia. A whole month after
discharge from the hospital I was given vitamin B-12 injections, but my
hemoglobin count kept decreasing. On November 24th, I was taken to
the hospital again. After an examination, I was diagnosed with myelodysplastic
syndrome.
On December 28th, a few days prior to the New Year's Eve, fate gave me
an evil present: the disease transformed into acute myelomonoblastic leukemia.
I spent the New Year's Eve in City Hospital # 31 receiving the first chemotherapy
cycle. By now, I completed two chemotherapy cycles. I am in remission. I am
getting ready for the third consolidating cycle. But to achieve full recovery, bone
marrow transplantation is required.
In the international registry, 1100 potential donors were found. The most
important thing is to choose the most compatible one. It costs 15 thousand
euros, and bone marrow delivery costs extra 2500 euros. Also, significant
expenses will be necessary for the medications.
I am asking responsive and sympathetic people for help. I still want so much to
live and enjoy life. I am hoping for support from people who care.
Please help me!
Update as of July 4, 2011.
Dear friends, some of whom I have met and others I have not.
Thank you for your help with raising money for my treatment.
I am deeply grateful to you for your kindness and care.
A donor was found, and bone marrow transplantation is scheduled
for the end of August. Unfortunately, I have not raised the full
amount, so I still need your help. Six months of treatment
are behind me. On June 30th I was discharged from the hospital
and now I am at home. I feel well, and my remission is sustaining.
Ahead of me is preparation for transplantation.
Once again - thank you so much!
Respectfully,
Irina Redkova
Update as of August 2, 2011.
A donor has been found for Irina. Transplantation is scheduled for August 28.
Update as of September 11, 2011.
Transplantation has been performed as planned. Irina is now recovering and
gradually going out of cytopenia.
Update as of October 21, 2011.
I would like to thank the staff of the AdVita fund for their hard work.
Thank you so much for your support and readiness to help, for your
understanding and compassion, for your kindness! Kindness means doing
good things, and that's what you do!!! You work miracles which
many of us have stopped believing in. Without your help I wouldn't
get any treatment and there would be no miracle for me.
Today is 55 days past the donor transplantation. That's past the
middle of the 100-day recovery period. Everything is fine. There are
over 95% of donor cells in the bone marrow. Unfortunately the blood
test revealed a cytomegalovirus. I had to be admitted to Hospital 31
for the treatment. I was administered a course of Cymevene.
The virus was deactivated.
At present I have to take a number of drugs for profilaxis
(Valcyte and Cyclosporine). All that was possible thanks to you!!!
I would never be able to afford such huge sums for the drugs.
Respectfully and gratefully,
Irina Pavlovna
Update as of January 19, 2012.
On December 6th, the 100th day post-transplant, I had a sternal puncture.
Myelogram showed 14% of blasts in bone marrow, which indicated an early relapse.
The doctors canceled all medications (cyclosporine and others), to stimulate
donor's bone marrow fight the blasts. A week later I had 11.8% of blasts.
It was decided to administer donor's lymphocyte infusion, which occurred
on December 20th. After infusion, I developed skin GVHD as a rash. On
January 12th I achieved remission, as tests showed 3.6% of blasts in bone marrow.
I am now under doctors' monitoring. Twice a week I go for blood tests.
I have slight GVHD symptoms, such as itching and irritation of eyes and mouth.
Irina
Update as of March 1, 2012.
Irina is being followed at Municipal hospital No. 31.
She was diagnosed with cytomegaloviral infection and skin GVHD.
She receives appropriate therapy.
