This is now the third time I am attempting to start this blog and I am rapidly losing patience. First, I tried being witty, then I tried being sappy (and almost made myself gag), then when I finally got started I clicked the wrong button on accident and lost the whole friggen post! So I am starting over, yet again. For those of you who know me, you all know that I am a direct person often lacking “fluff.” So that said, I see no reason to blog about John’s cancer any other way.
As most of you know, John was diagnosed with and began treatment for Multiple Myeloma on September 14, 2011. Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a type of bone marrow cancer, and for those of you interested in understanding more about MM please visit the following website: http://myeloma.org/ArticlePage.action?tabId=1&menuId=150&articleId=2693&aTab=-1
After three months, we have come to realize that there has to be a better way of disseminating information about John. It would seem that posting cryptic one liners on Facebook, or simply leaving it to the rumor mill don’t serve as an adequate source of information. So I (John’s wife and supreme boss of all things) have decided to give Eblogger the ole college try. I am hoping to post this link to both of our Facebook pages, and I think there is a way that you can leave messages for John on the various blogs. My plan is to post one big update now and a small smattering of blogs between now and his impending bone marrow transplant (BMT). During the BMT time (April ish???) I will post a little more regularly. For those of you who are John’s friends I hope this helps you feel a little more connected. For those of you who fall into the category of close friends/family please don’t feel as though this is meant to be a replacement for talking to us and asking questions etc, etc, etc. And for those of you who are just plain nosy – happy reading.
Christmas Day marked the completion of his 5th cycle of chemo. He needs to get into a full remission (90% or more reduction of cancer cells) before he can have a BMT. We see the Dr. again on Jan 3rd to find out if he is in remission yet – so don’t expect another blog until then. Briefly: his chemo has included IV infusions and pill therapy. The 5 cycles have caused a series of side effects including fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, and the latest and greatest…neuropathy. The neuropathy has been the worst side effect and was caused by one of the chemo drugs. He was taken off that drug for the 5th cycle, and earned himself a 21 day cycle of chemo (instead of a 14 day cycle) with two different chemo drugs pills. I’ll spare you all the rest of the gory details of the past three months of chemo. Suffice to say that he has been miserable in more ways than one. Oddly enough, the poison in the chemo has not been strong enough to kill his eyebrows – they are still just has out of control as ever!
The ultimate goal is for him to have a successful allogeneic bone marrow transplant where they use bone marrow from an unrelated matched donor. The doctors believe that this is his best chance for a curative remission. All other treatments seem to experience disease re-occurrence after 3-5 years. And for those of you wondering, no, his brother was not a match. However, there are several potentially good matches from the national registry so you can roll your sleeves back down…no need for anyone to get tested as a match just yet.
Well I think I have covered most of the pertinent highlights and feel as though I am getting dangerously close to babbling. I will close with one final thought. On the one hand 2011 can pretty much suck it as far as I am concerned; but more importantly - on the other hand - 2011 has given me a profound appreciation for my family and all the friends who have helped us find our way through this. Whether you have been here helping us, or sent prayers our way, or both…I simply cannot find the words to tell you what it has meant to us.
Xoxo
Tina
