All the news that's fit to print.

Ok, here are the results of the restage.

Bone marrow biopsy - Low numbers. Very good news.
Basic serum protein - Normal human levels, but mildly increased over two weeks. Not unusual or concerning.
Protein electrophoresis - These are the alpha, beta, and gamma numbers that we've discussed previously. My last report was that they were too low to measure. Now they're high enough to measure. It's been explained to us that the numbers we have now are still good and well within normal limits for a myeloma patient.

Further, the skeletal x-ray series suggests that bone deterioration has stopped, there are no additional voids, and that there is the possibility that some of the voids are smaller than previously seen.

All of these things suggest that the disease is currently stalled in its progress but it's not gone. I'm not cured (we never expected that).

Essentially, the auto transplant bought me some time. The question is, did it buy me more time than I spent on the transplant and the subsequent autoimmune issues? I'm still not as strong or fit as I was the day before the transplant. Did I gain anything in the net? Will I recoup December, January, February and March? Will I finish March in the condition I was in November? We'll see.

Now, for the next phase, since my numbers are currently as low as they've ever been under the SCCA's care, I'll be put on a maintenance program of Revlimid. Revlimid is supposed to be a Thalmid/Thalidomide parallel with less side effects. However, the known side effects include peripheral neuropathy and mental issues including "dopiness". The cycle will be 21 days per month.

I have to say, if Revlimid is anything like Thalmid, I'll quit it in the first two weeks. I rather go back on steroids and simply disintigrate from the outside in, as opposed to being debilitated from the inside out.

On the bright side, I feel better every day so I'm still recovering decently from the transplant and autoimmune issues. I'll probably feel great by the time they find an allo donor. I find a bit of coincidental humor in that.