Cancer Update

Results on the blood sample taken June 12 indicate that the decreases to the cancer have leveled out and actually increased just slightly over the blood sample taken last month. This month's M-spike is 1.3, still one of my lowest, but a little higher than last month's 1.1. The factors that would indicate a slight increase in the M-spike (and thus, the cancer), like total protiens and globulin (the type of protien where the M-spike is) all showed the same slight increase. This month's total protiens, like last's, remain in the normal range, meaning that if I were checked for a routine physical at this level I wouldn't be sent on for further testing to see if I have cancer.

I am hoping that the slight increase is due to the colds I fought and antibiotics I was on the past month. While I have no scientific basis for this hope, I also have no scientific basis against it.

In other aspects, my blood is looking much healthier. My red blood count is up almost to normal range, as are the HGB and HCT, which reflect the blood's ability to carry oxygen and iron.

Thanks for caring and praying.

Life Persists

This year I have three new pecan trees and one rescued azalea bush.  The pecans trees are thanks to the friendly squirrels (cute rats with bushy tails)inhabiting our back yard.  Over the winter, they buried some pecans found elsewhere in the neighborhood into flower pots in my back yard.  The pecans sprouted into trees after I planted flowers this spring, and I transplanted them, tree, root, original pecan and all into some new flower pots consecrated solely for that purpose.  As would only be appropriate, Squirrel George the x kept me close company during the process, and I rewarded him with peanuts for his trouble in planting the pecans.

The azalea bush was originally a $13 bargain I bought in Arlington last year.  It got trampled when we replaced our fence a couple of months ago, and then replaced with an azalea given by friends as a Christmas gift, but not delivered until spring.  Anyway, much to the not-too-concealed amusement of close family members, I dug up the root, planted it in a pot and set it in a place where it would receive just the right amount of sunlight, from an azalea’s point of view on sunlight, and let the Creator’s ordained processes of nature take work.  This weekend, about two months later, the root sprouted vegetation.  As an amateur gardener, I never cease to be amazed at the way life persists when given opportunity to do so.

Here is the photographic proof of the pecan trees and azalea bush.  The final picture is one Carol took of the way I arranged flora vegetation, et al, just off our back patio this afternoon.  The figurine in the background is not St. Francis.  That would not do for a Protestant Evangelical elder.  It is St. Augustine, considered to be okay for those with leanings toward Calvinistic/Reformed viewpoints.  I put it there hoping he would bless the grass (just kidding!).

Status: Not quo

For those who have not yet heard, the results from the last cancer test came back very encouraging. The M-spike is 1.1, much, much lower than at any point since diagnosis, now 20 months and counting Again, this is almost a 50% reduction since last month, or down to 1/3 of what it was two months ago when I began the Revlimid. My oncologist is "thrilled," and Carol is "very excited." I am little excited, and will be very excited if it continues this way another month.

Thanks for your prayers, caring, and expressions of concern!

Update

I saw the back doc yesterday, and he took a look at me and at the MRI pictures from Thursday evening. He declared that I had a nerve getting some pressure from the spine in my neck which was causing pain from the neck through the right arm, and I also have some bursitis in the right shoulder. To fix things, I got an Acme At-Home Do-It-Yourself put your neck in traction kit to relieve some pressure on the nerve (sounds nuts to me, too, but you should hear what they do to you if it gets so bad you have to go to the hospital for treatment), and take some medications for the bursitis. For now it is treat these things at home and keep an eye on them and take other action if things get worse. Frankly, I think a crawling baby is cuter, scroll down one blog entry.

Holding

Today was Grandma Saturday. After their grocery shopping expedition, Carol brought Alyssa to the house, and we had some fun time that included crawling camp (I hold the baby by a towel, or in the olde days, a cloth diaper, while it learns to crawl), as shown by the video below.



We are also holding right now so far as medical information on me is concerned. This past Thursday evening I had MRI's done on my neck and shoulder to determine the cause of some serious pain I have been having in the neck, back and right arm for the past 2 months. I'll see my orthopedic surgeon on Monday afternoon to see what he can see. On Friday morning, I had a blood sample taken regarding the cancer, and will see my oncologist on Tuesday morning to learn the results of the new chemotherapy drug I've been taking. We'll keep you posted on what we find out.

New Flower Bed

This weekend our next door neighbor expanded the flower bed spanning our two yards. Friday night, they were planting flowers in the new bed, so we went to Lowe’s to get a new garden rake and some more plants, and the four of us had a nice evening planting plants in the new bed. The new bed has begonias, impatiens, sweet potato vines, Mexican heather, geraniums, red hot salvias, some ferns, and more. Here are some pics.

The Great Texas Pony Ride

Here are some pictures from Saturday’s great Texas pony ride.

 

cowpokes waiting

cowpokes don’t like waiting.

This guy looks like Stinky Pete..

 

Austin, Texas -

Ride ‘em, Austin

 

and Hannah

and Noah

and Ellie.  Although she did solo, Ellie preferred to ride with an older sibling.

Stinky Pete liked the miniature horse, Cherokee.

 

“Does this horse use a 3-compartment sink?”

 

Emily Rides Again!

The spectating crowd -

    

Ya’ll come back now, ya heyah?