Desiree Ramirez, Jackie Stollfus, and Tony Underhill discuss what it’s like trying to get into a Clinical Trial.

Jackie: 
So I don’t know if you had to go through the really big, strenuous testing in order to qualify to get the transplant.

Tony:                    
Yes.

Jackie:                  
Okay. So it almost seemed like you had to be like sick enough to qualify, but healthy enough to survive.

Tony:                    
Exactly. That’s a good way to put it. That’s exactly the way it was.

Jackie:                  
Yeah. Yeah. So you’re almost excited that you’re sick enough to qualify for this transplant and then, but you’re healthy enough to survive. I know two people died before I did it. I did it in 2010.  And so did you have to do all those tests?

Desiree:              
Yes. I had to do all those tests too. Yeah. They had to make sure my organs were good enough, but like you said, sick enough to do it, but healthy enough to live through it.

Jackie:                  
And then even check your teeth to make sure there’s no infection in your gums, to check your bones.

Adult Stem Cell Recipient Desiree Ramirez

Desiree:              
Yep, they check your bones, your heart, your liver.

Jackie:                  
Did they do a stress test on you?

Desiree:              
No. I didn’t do a stress test.

Jackie:                  
Did you do a stress test?

Tony:                    
They tested everything from the hair on my head to the bottom of my feet.

Jackie:                  
Maybe that’s what they were testing for us too though when we qualified for the transplant. It’s our determination and our will to live, and get stronger, and stuff.

DO YOU THINK YOUR PHYSICAL STRENGTHAND FITNESS PLAY A PART IN BEING ACCEPTED INTO A CLINICAL TRIAL?

Tony:                    
Cause I was on death’s door and the doctor knew and they looked at me and they said, man, he’s bad.

Jackie:                  
Does it affect your organs?  Like what if it attacks your heart?

Tony:                    
That was my only salvation. Is it came on me so quick that none of my organs ever got compromised if my heart had gotten compromised, I wouldn’t have made it, but it came on me so quick that none of my organs got compromised. And that was one of the things that was one of the reasons that I got accepted for the stem cell transplant is Dr. Burt said you never have lost your core strength. And he said I can see that you were a pretty physical fit guy. And I know that once you get back where you’ll be I think you’re going to make it through this. You can make it through this, because you never lost your core strength.He told me two or three times, he said, you’re going to think you’re going to die. He said, but I’m not going to let you die.

HOW LONG DID YOU HAVE TO WAITTO FIND OUT IF YOU WEREACCEPTED INTO A CLINICAL TRIAL?

Jackie:                  
So, how long did that process take for you to get approved to even go to Dr. Burke?

Tony:                    
Six weeks to two months. You know, anything with the government involved, you know, it’s going to take awhile. And, then those denials, two denials and then to an arbitrator to building, the case file, it takes time.

Jackie:                  
So, yours was a longer process where I felt like mine was just happening so fast I wasn’t even prepared.

Tony:                    
Mine was a process and bear in mind this process happened after I got home from the big clinics that I’m going to live 120 days.

Jackie:                  
So, your time’s ticking.

Tony:                    
Yeah, so I’m wanting to get this over with. I want a “yes”. I want to get treated.