Friday, May 31, 2013

Chemotherapy: Part 3

We met with my doctor in Salina today. My new chemo starts next week. The protocol will be drastically different. The last types of were not much more than a shot in the arm and some pills. This one is taken intravenously over 90 minutes for two consecutive days for three weeks. Not to mention 4 other types of pills that I have been taking with previous rounds. The possible side effects are not much different than before so I should look about the same as I have through most of the other protocols (which has been pretty good). I am being switched while my numbers are close to the levels needed to do a bone marrow transplant. Let's pray that this protocol is effectively in a prompt way. On another note, we will be picking up Joshua this Sunday from school in the Republic of Texas and are pretty pumped about that!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

It's Not the Water

KU Med called me and said that I will not be doing a bone marrow transplant (BMT) this month because one of the latest test shows that recently the number myeloma cells in my marrow have increased. He said I have a "resistant myeloma". The kidneys were a clue and it would just be a matter of time before the other numbers rose as well. Velda and I praised the Lord loudly when we found out. I am switching to a new chemotherapy that he described as "new" and is used for resistant myeloma (my third type chemo in case you lost count). My lab tomorrow has been cancelled. I will have 2 rounds of this chemotherapy which will be done here in Salina. So where do we go from here? Continue to pray, glory and count it all joy. As for me, after I blog I will change the oil on the car, do what I can to help the crew build my fence and prepare to plant black-eyed peas tomorrow.

P.S. I still will keep the fluids going as well as the prune juice which has caused me to burden the water purification plant in Salina a little more than I have in the past.

Monday, May 20, 2013

All Good Except . . .

Velda and I are in Kansas City and just got our test results. Boy was that fast. The last time we had to wait a week. Velda and I prayed together this morning (as many of you did as well) that the doctors would pick the best day and that the numbers would look enough to proceed at this time. The verdict is inconclusive at the moment. All the indicators were good except the kidneys. Velda and I were dumbfounded because the kidneys had looked the best while everything else was playing catch-up. As recently as May 7 the kidney indicator was well within the range to proceed with a bone marrow transplant (BMT).Upon further investigation it became evident that I had not fulfilled my part of the bargain. I am supposed to keep myself hydrated to the tune of 3 quarts of water a day to keep the chemicals moving through me and to ease the load on my kidneys. I have a routine to help me but that routine has been broken for over a week and I probably have only been getting 1 quart a day. So I have to retest in Salina this Friday with strict orders to hydrate appropriately. Overall Velda and I were quite encouraged by the report and feel the kidneys should align themselves by this Friday. Thank you for praying. God is working.

All Good Except . . .

Velda and I are in Kansas City and just got our test results. Boy was that fast. The last time we had to wait a week. Velda and I prayed together this morning (as many of you did as well) that the doctors would pick the best day and that the numbers would look enough to proceed at this time. The verdict is inconclusive at the moment. All the indicators were good except the kidneys. Velda and I were dumbfounded because the kidneys had looked the best while everything else was playing catch-up. As recently as May 7 the kidney indicator was well within the range to proceed with a bone marrow transplant (BMT).Upon further investigation it became evident that I had not fulfilled my part of the bargain. I am supposed to keep myself hydrated to the tune of 3 quarts of water a day to keep the chemicals moving through me and to ease the load on my kidneys. I have a routine to help me but that routine has been broken for over a week and I probably have only been getting 1 quart a day. So I have to retest in Salina this Friday with strict orders to hydrate appropriately. Overall Velda and I were quite encouraged by the report and feel the kidneys should align themselves by this Friday. Thank you for praying. God is working.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Here We Go Again

On May 7th I met with my oncologist/hematologist here in Salina and had some mixed reviews. The strength of my cancer has been reduced by 80%. The optimum level for a bone marrow transplant (BMT) is 100% or in other words, there is no evidence of the cancer. That level is not always achieved so there is a "tolerance level" that can be reached that will allow the BMT to be performed. On May 20 Velda and I will be travelling to Kansas City. I will go through the same battery of tests that I did in April to see if the cancer has been reduced enough to proceed. From my perspective, it would be great to proceed at that time because I would have the whole summer to rehabilitate and would have a strong chance of being ready the first day of school in August. Here is how to pray.

  • Wisdom for the doctors in determining the best time to do the BMT regardless of my schedule.
  • On May 20th I will be at the optimum level for a BMT.
We have received around $80,000! That is $10,000 over what we needed to perform the BMT. The original estimate of the BMT was based on smooth sailing, no glitches. Not getting the BMT in April was a small glitch. The two extra rounds of chemo since April and the second set of tests to come are costs not figured into the original estimate so we're digging into the extra $10,000 already. We believe that God will all of our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) We also acknowledge that part of God's formula for meeting our needs is living a godly life and being content with the necessities. (I Timothy 6:6-8) Another way God meets our need is by responding to appropriate requests. James 4:4b-5a says " . . . yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not because ye ask amiss  . . ." So we are continuing to ask and would like you too as well. Here is what you can possibly say.

  • That God would bring in the exact amount that we need (He knows even though we don't)
Thank you for all the financial gifts and especially for praying.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Tentative plans

I don't have any test results to report. The weekly labs have been scaled down to only record complete blood count (CBC). My hemoglobin has been drifting down which explains why my energy is waning. I received an email from KU Med asking if a bone marrow transplant (BMT) on June 19 would fit into my schedule. I told them that I would like to do a BMT on a day where the indicators show that I would get the most optimal results. As far as my schedule I said that school is over for me May 17 and that I would like the BMT as soon as possible afterwards so as to be ready for the start of school the second week of August. Please pray that the optimal date will coincide with a date the third week of May. Thank you.