AML: Did he just say he had 2 Immune systems?

If anyone read far enough into my last post, you saw my message about having 2 immune systems.  This post is also related to some questions people have asked about adding the donor DNA engrafting during my transplant?  The biggest question is does all my DNA change?  I didn't have a good answer until recently. 

The answer is no, not all my DNA changed.  That would be quite bad in fact since it would cause significantly more changes.  Think cloning of the original donor... I am not a clone. 

Instead I am a Chimera.  In other words I have 2 distinct kinds of cells\DNA in my body.  My bone marrow\blood cells are those of my donor, while the rest of my cells are still mine. 

Now, lets review.  The bone marrow produces blood cells (red, white, platelets and so on) and is responsible for creating something called lymphocytes which essentially support the immune system.  My original bone marrow started behaving poorly.  Chemo did not resolve it.  So I got stem cells from a non related donor.  The theory is that the donor cells would attack my misbehaving cells and kick them to the curb for good.  Result...cure.

Warning, you are entering a "Things as Jon sees them" area...

Referring to my HLA typing from before (image).  It seems that the most likely cause of my relapse post transplant is probably related to a mismatch in the "Awesomeness" markers (illustration C). 

Though my donor tissue did engraft 100% to take over production of my blood cells.  About 15% of my original immune system was holding on.  (true story).   In illustration C, you see the 6 markers that donors were tested for my match.  100%/6 markers is 16.6% which is in the margin of error for the chimerism tests. Hence that lack of donor awesomeness my body needed to accept the donor cells completely.  (not scientifically proven, but mathematically it works out).  You'll have to trust me, this type of math is how presidents get elected. So it's pretty much  fact. 

Back to reality... 

I do have 2 distinct types of DNA as mentioned.  That will stay that way, though my donor and I did share the same blood type.  My immune system is still 15% (give or take) my original immune system.  The chemo I am doing know will clear that all out.  I am curious to know what will come back.  The ideal scenario, I believe, is that we want a 100% switch to the donor for all things bone marrow.  But we will have to wait and see.  Because my graft vs host was so minor, it leads me to believe the donor cells were unable to distinguish my cells as bad or it didn't have enough time to work.  

Now... with all this knowledge of my dual DNA and extensive viewing of all things NCIS... off to plan the perfect crime.