Hello to all…

I was reminded very recently that there are people that look at this blog to see how I am doing with my personal cancer journey.  It made me think that I’d better get something written.

There have been lots of ups and downs over the past year.  Up until about three months ago, the “beast within” was silent (that’s what I’m calling the cancer now).  Then it got wise to the treatment, and the treatment started to become less effective.  No worries though…I’m still showing numbers that are WELL below where they once were.  It is a little frustrating at times though to know that I’ll probably be trying yet another treatment soon.  I told my husband that if I need to try a different treatment every 2 years, it’s going to be a long 40 years of survival!

I’m so busy lately.  Work is busy, home life is busy – we are planning on moving again, and foundation work is busy – I’m trying to get things put together for this year’s Walk/Run.  There is never enough time in the day it seems.

I’m finished with school.  Now, along with my BS-Teaching degree, I have an Accounting Certificate that will allow me to sit for the CPA exam.  I’m hoping to sit for the first part of the test sometime in the next 3 months.  Wish me luck.

Gotta run now…looking at a house.  Remember, NEVER GIVE UP!!

Hello to whoever reads this…

I have a little bit going on.  This weekend I’ll be finishing up the last of my homework and test for my Audit class, then I’ll have a break from school until 9/2.  I’m very happy to have the break. 

After the school work is finished, I will have to start packing to move.  We are moving from a house that is east of Willow Creek to a cute little house in “old Southwest” in Rochester…much closer to downtown.  It will be nice for many reasons…I can walk to work, Sarah is closer to her friends, less house to have to clean, smaller, more manageable yard (that I’m looking forward to gardening in next summer).

I also need to finish getting ready for the walk.  I hope for a good turnout, but because we had to cancel last year, I’m not certain what kind of turnout we’ll have.  Please pass the word to get the registrations in!

I still have the boot on my foot for at least another two weeks.  My last x-ray was in early August, and it showed that my foot still hasn’t healed completely.  I’ve been in a cast or the boot since April 30th, and I’m ready to move to a shoe!!

Well, back to my studies.  Tomorrow morning is support group.

Doctor visit 7-8-08

Good, good news! 

I just finished my 7th cycle of CC-4047 (derivative of Revlimid) plus Dex, and my numbers are so low that my doc has said that I’ve achieved a complete response.  I know that there is still a very tiny amount of cancer in my body, but I feel so good about taking this regimen of drugs, that I really don’t even worry about it.

My foot is feeling better, but I’m still in the boot for another three weeks.  I hope that I’ll be able to get rid of it after my x-ray on 7/29, but I’d rather be completely healed before I start wearing regular shoes again.

Source of Knee Pain and Med Update

I went to the doctor yesterday.  All of my “numbers” are good, so that means that the new drug I’m on (clinical trial) is working.  I really like that there are very little side effects, too.  I also found out for certain what the source of the knee pain is.  I have a stress fracture in my left femur!  No wonder it hurt so much to walk.

A Broken Foot

I have a broken foot.  This morning (well, yesterday morning, Tuesday) as I was getting into the car to go to work, I tried to adjust my foot in my shoe, and, POP!  I definitely felt it break, but I swear I heard it break too. 

The doctor was very nice, but informed me that I cannot do any weightbearing whatsoever on my foot for six weeks.  Apparently the break is in the “worst possible place” and the healing of this type of break can be particularly difficult.  He called it a Jones fracture.  It hurts.

Recent Doc Visit

I saw the doctor on 4/17 for my regular one month check up.  All of my blood and urine values were good, although I couldn’t tell you exactly what they were!  Someday, I’m going to see about getting a complete history of everything I’ve gone through at Mayo since my diagnosis including blood and urine values. 

Anyway, I’m continuing the clinical trial drug, and don’t notice very many side effects from that drug.  The side effects I feel are most likely from the Dexamethasone…sometimes my friend, sometimes not.  The last dose of Dex I took was today and I haven’t been able to sleep yet.  So, I will suffer a more difficult withdrawl period this time…lots of muscle aches making my skin hurt when I’m touched, especially on my shoulders and back.  I’ll also be really tired too, most likely on Sunday and maybe Monday.  This evening is my HIGH, and my daughter definitely noticed it.  She didn’t necessarily appreciate all of my singing and chatting at her after I picked her up from driver’s ed today.

Oh, my almost broken leg (stress fracture resulting from myeloma damage to fibia??? you know, bone between hip and knee) is SO much better.  I’m pretty sure it’s nearly healed.  My foot, on the other hand does not have any damage (or so the x-ray said) other than a bunion (thanks Grandma Reichow).  Suggested treatment – sensible shoes.  I told my dear Dr. Gertz that I would take his suggestion and wear some sensible shoes.  For a while.  Along with the sensible shoes, I’ve purchased myself some inserts to wear in them for more arch support.  My hope is that my foot feels better soon.

Oh, for anyone who doesn’t already know, I’m a student again.  I’ve enrolled in an Accounting Certificate program at St. Mary’s University of MN in Rochester.  My ultimate goal is to become a CPA.  Thanks to the Certificate program and the studies I completed previously, I will be eligible to sit for the exam in about a year.  I absolutely LOVE learning, and I’m so glad to be back in school!

Knee pain

The official word on the knee pain is that I have a stress fracture.  I was surprised by this since it didn’t show up on either the first x-ray or first MRI.  The docs were only able to see it after it had started healing.  The pain has nearly gone away, and only aches when I walk long distances.  My foot now hurts off and on.  Of course, I’m paranoid now and think that I’ve probably broken it too.  I’ll talk to the doctor when I see him next…maybe. 

Stinkin’ Knee Pain

Doctor visit on Thursday afternoon (yesterday).  This doctor believes that perhaps the pain I am experiencing is due to deterioration of my bone by the cancer.  Sweet.  A little something about radiation was mentioned, but I’m still not 100% clear on that.  More news later.

Health Update

There are so many people that I have not been in touch with regarding my health status.  The last communication I sent out was to notify everyone that I had yet another recurrence of the stinkin’ cancer, and that I was probably going to do another donor (leukocyte) infusion.

A lot has changed.  Because of scheduling issues, my doctor and I decided to start a clinical trial before going forward with the infusion.  In order to start the trial, I had to do some tests to get baseline numbers, and we found out that the actual percentage of cancer in my bone marrow was only 5 – 10%. 

Because the percentage of cancer in my bone marrow was so low, my doctor gave me the choice of starting treatment or not.  I’m thinking “why would I NOT do the treatment if I know the cancer has already come back?”  All I could picture was the evil myeloma cells partying up a storm and multiplying like rabbits.  Heck yeah I’m starting treatment again.

The trial drug is a derivative of a drug that I had used (successfully) in the past…Revlimid.  This new trial drug, called CC-4047, is supposed to be better.  I was happy to start the trial and was positive I would have good results.  At my first month re-check, my numbers were at an all-time LOW.  CC-4047 ROCKS!!  I will be continuing with this regimine until they kick me out of the trial.