THE UPDATE
The results of my PET scan from yesterday: the cancer is responding well to the chemo…the bad guys are nearly all gone and the retreat is fully underway! That means that I’ll be very busy being tortured (for a good reason) for the next 8 weeks. This is very good, since if the cancer didn’t respond well to the chemo we would have been investigating other less attractive alternatives right now.
- Intra-spinal chemo tomorrow (just a few hours in office, no bad side effects
- Full day of pre-transplant testing at City of Hope (COH) Tuesday
- Start cycle 3 of RICE chemo…probably Weds or Thurs next week if my blood counts are ready
- After a week or so of recovery and taking double-doses of cell-growth-stimulants (neupogen – thanks Amgen), start harvesting my stem cells for 3-7 days
- Then check into COH for 3-4 weeks:
- 1 week of “conditioning” (mega-chemo)
- Transplant my collected stem cells back where they belong
- Wait 2-3 weeks while I recover from the chemo and my immune system reboots
Here we go!
THE MUSING
Uh, i was kind of focused on that stuff above. I am feeling better, though. When you’re feeling like *&%^ it is really hard to remember that it is temporary and to even imagine that you will feel better some day. Remind me over the next few weeks that it will get better and I just have to “make it through”.
WHATEVER
Did you look at the things that the other blog followers posted in response to the request for ‘whatever’ in the last post? It turns out that even if you’re following the blog, you don’t get emails with comments (or notices that there are comments). There was some pretty interesting stuff.
OK, what’s the deal with states like New Jersey trying keep Tesla from selling their cars to consumers? Who is protecting whom, I ask! Here is Elon Musk’s open letter on his blog)
Cliphoma 
We’re thinking good thoughts for you every day.
Sheila n Marv Rand (friends of Yolanda n Len).
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Just read your last three entries (sent by Yolanda). This sucks! But you have a plan and an army of advocates, so onward into the fight. I loved your analysis of UCLA vs. COH. As you know, I just avoided the entire transplant discussion regarding my situation (due to a lack of an army of advocates, let alone even one). Sounds like you are in for an interesting, demanding time. Knowing you….as the kid’s say, “You’ve got this!” All my support and thoughts for a complete recovery…..Cynthia
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Your right about the interesting stuff in the comments of your last blog. I have been enjoying the links and found myself double dipping back to that blog to see more good stuff! So glad you switched to COH and… at least understand where the tunnel is, so you can fix your gaze on the light!
Now, here’s a random and wacky picture of Bette Midler. 1975199_662806830445455_1644869564_n.jpg
And a nice article in the NYtimes.
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Cliff – glad to hear the good news and that you’re feeling better! You’ll be up and at ’em soon.
Josh Goldstein VP Marketing & Product Management XtremIO Business Unit – EMC Corporation (408) 625-7425 office (408) 829-4551 mobile
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Happy for the good news. I will ask Len when it will be a good time for a visit. Love to Tracey. thanks for the update. We care so much about you.
Hugs, Wilma and Alan
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As someone who grew up in New Jersey, I can report it’s even against the law there to pump your own gas. No chance they were going to let Tesla bypass dealers. The exact reasons are murky, in a Tony Soprano sort of way. (P.S. Glad for the encouraging update.)
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