Just want to give you a quick update on the events of our recent trip to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. This was a normal two year, 200,000 mile checkup for me, since my stem cell transplant of 2013.
Climatologically, it was cold and snowy. We drove, and took a short side trip on the way up to see our son and his family in Peoria, Illinois. While there, they got 8" to 10" of snow. We didn't see ground without snow on it again until we got to Kansas City on the way home several days later. In Minnesota, the temps were about 2 degrees F while I walked to the clinic in the morning, and it was 17 degrees BELOW ZERO when we left Des Moines, IA on the way home Thursday morning.
Medically: The blood work at
Mayo shows the same level of cancer as the blood work from Texas Oncology, or
actually just a little bit lower. The very thorough X-rays they took show still
no damage to the bones or skeletal system. My Mayo cancer doc is the head of the
hematology department there, and she was perplexed about whether or not to
recommend I resume chemo, and suggested I stay over an additional day for a PET
scan to see how the cancer was doing. We stayed the extra day, but they were not
able to work me in for the scan. They are two schools of thought in the
household as to whether that was a fortunate or an unfortunate occurrence.
So, now it is back to waiting until early March for my next scheduled visit
with my cancer doc at TX Oncology. If the doctors are undecided about whether or
not I should resume chemotherapy, that is a "no" answer for me, because my
trigger level for resuming is higher than theirs.
It was a good trip, with good additional data for making decisions. We also got to see some good friend we made while going through the transplant program together a couple of years ago. We also saw a lot snow, a lot or cars spun out by the side of the road due
to the snow, and enjoyed the change of some cold, cold, weather for us Texans.
Thanks as always for the love, prayers and support.
