Piercing to the Marrow

Last week, the cancer doc sampled my bone marrow and I got results back a few days ago. The bone marrow is where the cancer resides with myeloma. The cancer is done to 12% (12% of the plasma cells in my bone marrow are cancerous). Last year at this time, the cancer was 19%, and it was 65% when I was diagnosed 2 years ago. Here is a picture of the bone marrow sample after it was extracted. For a quick update on the overall condition, see 2 blogs down, Oct. 2, 2009.

TW3 for D.A.M.E.

That was the week that was for:

Daniel and Whitney are running in the Chicago Marathon (yes, Marathon) today.
Andrew is sick with the flu. He was too tough of a guy to get his flu shot, but we did have a real nice time chatting on the phone about Tennessee's tromp over Georgia in the football game this weekend, and other things. Fortunately, Julia and Alyssa seem to be okay.
Matthew started a job this week working as a computer consultant on a contract basis with Alamo Consultants in Plano, Texas.
Emily has moved out of the house and into her own apartment in Arlington with her good friend, Jessica. We all pitched in and helped her to move Friday afternoon and yesterday. Nice place and nice situation for her.

I got a bone marrow sample this week and Carol has had to put up with me and put in a lot of hours at her job, including inspecting food booths at some big shindigs in Burleson on Saturday. Fortunately, she gets to go to a big conference for Environmental Health professionals in Austin for several days this week.

Th-th-th-th-that's all, folks!

What the Doc Says

Wednesday, October 9, 2009: I got results back on my blood work yesterday and went to see the cancer doc this morning. The cancer is still at its lowest level since diagnosis 2 years ago, but has leveled off and we haven't had any decreases over the last 3 months. I asked the doctor what I had to do to get the cancer lower. He explained what I would have to do, and I said, "Stable is good."

So for now the plan is to continue the current oral medication, steadily keep chipping away at the cancer, and maybe get a break from the chemotherapy in 6 months to a year. The doctor is very pleased that I am staying active (working and swimming), that I am watching my weight, and that I am not losing muscle mass, and he is very pleased with my overall progress.

While I was there, he also took a bone marrow sample, and I have been "out" all afternoon and early evening. It is the first bone marrow biopsy for me in a year. I should get the results back on that next week.

Thanks for the prayers and concern. In the next day or two, I will try to post a couple of graphs that really tell the tale pretty well on the cancer, and will also share the bone marrow biopsy results when I get them. I will also try to get some cute pics up of grandkids or kids.

High Five

Here's a vdieo from Alyssas' birthday get-together last week, in which Andrew demonstrates how Mikko can give him a high five.



In all fairness, you have to note that the dog did do the trick the first time.

Status

Last week, I marked my second year since diagnosis with cancer. For more than a year, I have wanted to write a blog about how that first year with cancer was the greatest year of my life, as God showed me how great He was in caring for me, how much I was loved, what a wonderful wife He had given me, and many other things. Lately I have seen how He sometimes lovingly breaks His servants to ferret out those remaining areas of (ouch!) sin in our lives, and increase our humility and dependence on Him. Maybe someday I will get to write those blogs.

Yesterday, I received results back on blood samples taken last week. My current status is that I am "stable." The cancer level hasn't increased or decreased over the past two months, but is at the lowest level since diagnosis. I am still undergoing chemotherapy, and there is currently no plan to change medication anytime soon. Thanks to all for caring and praying. This is still a long, long way from being over.

Happy Birthday, Alyssa!

Today was my granddaughter Alyssa's first birthday. Happy birthday, Alyssa!

That Was The Week That Was

TW3. It's been a quiet week in Lake Whoa, Be Gone. Or maybe quite a week, one of the two. Matthew passed his test for certification as a Cisco Systems Operating Engineer on Wednesday. Ah, Cisco! Way to go Matthew!.

On Friday night and into Saturday morning, Carol had to do a health inspection on a Wal-Mart in her territory, so it could reopen after a fire contained to one part of the store. I went with her since it was late at night and far from home. It was very impressive to see how well-organized the Wal-Mart team was, and how well Carol went about her work. See her blog for more details.

Also, on Friday, I had my 57th birthday, and all of our local kids and their persons of interest came over to help us eat grilled burgers and celebrate. Thanks to all who sent their wishes. Never in my life have I received so many wishes for a Happy Birthday. Thanks, thanks, thanks.

Yesteryday I swam a mile, for the first time in I don't know how long. It felt really good to do it again. It took me an hour, but we'll see if we can whittle some time off that again.

I've had two weeks of feeling pretty good. I will go back to the doctor on Wednesday of this week for another infusion, and let them sample some blood. Maybe by Monday of next week, I'll have some results to know how I'm doing. Thanks for your prayers and concern.