Oncology visit

I saw my oncologist today. My numbers look good. They're back to being almost as good as they've ever been.

So my doc made the recommendation that we proceed with putting in a central line / chest port. Basically this means he wants to start doing a stem cell harvest so we have some good stuff in the freezer for a transplant.

The procedure is relatively simple and common, but there will be a drug program associated with "forcing" the stem cells out of my marrow and into my blood stream. That part will be interesting.....

When I finally make the decision to do the transplant, there will be a HUGE chemo load placed on me. My doctor expects me to be hospitalized for some part of this period. I'm disinclined to do it during Seattle's wonderful summer months.

Results again. Good news!

I don't have all the numbers back yet..... so it's possible this will change, but today's tests all show I'm back in remission again.

I'll keep you posted.

One day too late.

I just realized I should have gotten my bloodwork done today. Seems my oncology appointment is next Friday, so that means I should have gotten a workup today so the numbers could be ready by next Friday.

Oh well, I guess I'll just go there in the morning and see if it squeezes in.

Now the fun part of the whole chemo schedule is........... I have a track day next Wednesday.... you know, 165 miles an hour on the racetrack, heavy braking, hard turning, wheelies....... and I have to do it without any drugs...... No chemo, no 'roids, no relief. It'll be interesting.

I've never done any track time while I was doing drugs...... but it'll be interesting none-the-less. I wonder if my body still works the same way it used to. I guess it's time to prep the old bod for next week.

Revelation

An interesting phenomenon has popped above the surface in the last couple of weeks. It's neither mental or physical, but rather tangential to the whole cancer / blog / blah-blah routine I've been on for a while.

Apparently I have some talent as a writer.

Now, that may seem an odd statement from your perspective. After all, you're the reader so you've already decided I'm readable. In other words, you may take it for granted that I'm a writer. But from my position on the planet, I'm just a guy who types what he thinks exactly the way he thinks it.

Maybe that makes me a writer.

On the other hand, writers write and I just blog / email / post opinions / converse electronically / share information with my friends and spectators.

And so, cancer seems to have opened a door. Maybe this is an opportunity to realize an unexercised talent. Hmmmmm......... There are about a dozen catchy phrases going through my head right now.......

Something good might come of this.

Strange.

They ran my blood numbers last week immediately after my pamidronate infusion. They came back "strange" in my book.

Poly's were high. Lymphocytes were low. Kappa free light chains were undetectable. What the heck do these mean?

Well, apparently nothing important. They're all OK. I just get wierded-out when they change their SOP and then the results come back oddly.

Now, here's the good/bad side of the news. I'm getting FAT.... Technically that's good, but it's really bad for me..... Gotta get that in check right now. 175# is 35# over my post-surgical weight and 10# under my usual..... but with the body mass changes, I really should be operating at about 165#.

Golly, seems like I'm dealing with pretty minor little issues..... I must be doing OK physically then......

Chemo load

My current chemo load seems to be working adequately. With half the original dose of steroids and complete elimination of Thalidomide, my numbers are still good and I don't go nuts as often as I once did.

Maybe some of that comes from perspective, but I know the change in loading helps. Maybe I'm just growing up.

Denied!

The Hartford has denied my LTD claim. They say my cancer was a pre-existing condition.

Phone calls Monday morning will not be pleasant. Contacting an attorney might happen immediately after.