NECTAR OF THE BLUE LOTUS

What do you think would be the price of nectar of the blue lotus? My medicine Herceptin is the nectar of the blue lotus. Of course I am exaggerating a wee bit.

It was a jumbo chemo therapy that I went through on Thursday, 5th of August! The Taxol took 3 hours and Herceptin 1 hour. To add to this there was a pre medication of 30 minutes and a post medication of another 30 minutes… 5 hours!!! By the time the ordeal ended, I was six feet underground.
But that is a different story. Let me not digress.

Herceptin has no visible side effect, or at least I have not felt any as yet. But I am told that it effects the pumping of the heart. It is for this reason that I need to undergo an Echo Cardiogram every 3 months. My vodka plays mysterious tricks on me but the nectar of the blue lotus makes my heart bleed!

Herceptin is a drug made and distributed by an American biotechnology company called GENENTECH and it costs a fortune! Before I tell you any more about my bleeding heart, you must read what I read in the internet. I have only copied and condensed the relevant portions.


Trastuzumab
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
“Trastuzumab (INN; trade name Herceptin) Trastuzumab is an antibody that binds selectively to the HER2 protein. This increases the survival of people with cancer.
The original studies of trastuzumab showed that it improved survival in late-stage (metastatic) breast cancer, but there is controversy over whether trastuzumab is effective in earlier stage breast cancer. Trastuzumab is also controversial because of its cost, as much as $100,000 per year
One of the significant complications of trastuzumab is its effect on the heart. Trastuzumab is associated with cardiac dysfunction in 2-7% of cases. As a result, regular cardiac screening with either a MUGA scan or echocardiography is commonly undertaken during the trastuzumab treatment period.
The risk of cardiomyopathy is increased when trastuzumab is combined with anthracycline chemotherapy (which itself is associated with cardiac toxicity).
Few reporters have questioned the pricing of this drug but when asked, Genentech refuses to give details to explain the high costs.”
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trastuzumab


I heard what you just thought, “Of course, her heart would bleed!! Poor thing!!” You are so right!

The drug that I so desperately need to make me stay alive (not kicking, mind you!) is controversial not only because nobody knows at what stage of cancer it is effective, but also because it is so criminally expensive! Every time that I need to take an intravenous injection of Herceptin, it costs us anything between INR 1lakh, 18 thousand to INR 1 lakh, 25 thousand depending on the exchange rate for that day!! That is not even taking into account the usual hospital charges. Isn’t that preposterous?

Now, hold your breath! The High Maintenance Me needs 18 such Herceptin injections. I know that you would not dare to calculate, but would you send a word to God to remind Him that Pradipta and Sarbari Sen are just upper middle class average Indians who work hard to earn their bread and butter? Would you?

Do read the last 4 lines of my research, even if you did not feel like reading the rest of it. The delicious nectar causes a “risk of cardiac dysfunction”!! Oh my my!! Of course it does, Genentech!! It makes my poor little delirious heart bleed. I definitely do not need to wait for the dysfunction!

After the chemo therapy, when Pradipta’s credit card is swiped, it yelps ”Oops!”. Genentech cries out “Yipeeeeeee!”, my heart leaks a few drops of blood and I groan ”Oh why Genentech? Why ?”