THE UPDATE Guess that things are pretty much more the same: As I get into narrower-and-narrower sub-groups (i.e. Central Nervous System Relapse after Autologous Stem Cell Transplant and other prior chemotherapies and radiation), there are less “standard protocols” and less relevant and statistically-valid volumes of data to decide what to do next for *me*. All […]

THE UPDATE After getting MRI images of the rest of my spine and brain, and analysis of my spinal fluid, it looks like the current “infiltration” of the Lymphoma into my spine is confined to the lower (Lumbar/Sacral) part. No evidence of spread up the spine or into the brain. No evidence of cancer cells […]

Thanks to all of you reaching out to see what’s going on – I just wanted to post a ‘quickie’ to fill you in…no musings or whatevers, just the facts! Pain and symptoms are more under control with new steroid regimen and start of intra-spinal chemo treatment on Tues. Legs are weak and slow, but […]

THE UPDATE This is one I didn’t think I’d have to write – at least not this soon. But I am reminded again that there is so much we can’t control or know. Yes, it is back. Already. Less than 5 months after what seemed to be a very successful transplant, a long-term cleansing and […]

It has been a couple of months since the last update – but things aren’t changing that quickly, so you haven’t missed too much excitement! Remember, you are reading at your own discretion and if, at any time, you feel like you’re being bored listening to the health rants of an aging human, skip to […]

I apologize for the long silence – and appreciate that my friends are wondering how I’m doing.   THE UPDATE Lymphoma/Transplant: I’ve started my radiation “cleanup” treatments.  While my clean PET scan from about a week ago is really great, this type of scan only detects hundreds-of-millions of actively multiplying cancer cells.  Smaller numbers of those […]

THE UPDATE Lymphoma/Transplant: recovery is going well, blood counts just slightly below normal range, but at high end of expectations for post-transplant.  Did my last intrathecal injection (preventative spinal fluid chemo) today.  All that’s left is some radiation treatments for the areas where the tumors were – I’m told that the dose is pretty low […]

Well, once things started in the right direction they moved even more quickly than we had hoped.  With my WBC at 6.4 and the RBC and Platelets counts are moving up on their own (without transfusions).  So, that means they’re sending me home tomorrow (Tuesday)! See you “back in the hood” as Mary says…and I […]

OK, so we’ve been living “blood counts” for a while now, but I’m sure that the numbers don’t mean much to many of you. The chemo I received pretty much took the count of all my blood cell types down to near-zero levels to get rid of all the bad guys. My time here at […]

THE UPDATE When the marrow gets to work, and the Neupogen puts it into overdrive, it swells.  The marrow swells inside your big, blood-cell-producing-bones.  It aches, and that’s the aching that I’ve been longing for.  My white blood cell count went from 0.1 (effectively zero, they don’t like to write numbers lower than that) for […]

THE UPDATE All is proceeding as expected (a good thing): Blood counts are bottoming out: this is the long-tail of the chemo killing off the old, bad guys. Keeps me tired, means I can’t leave the room.  I’ve had a few transfusions to keep red blood cells, platelets at minimum levels.  Thanks again to all you […]

Thanks to someone for my first morning pick-me-up!  I don’t know which of the generous “directed donors” it was, but, as expected, when my blood counts fell below the minimum prescribed level this morning, the blood of someone I know was delivered!  See it in the upper left corner?  What an amazing feeling…thanks everyone!   […]