Great News!

We are not going home! The blood numbers have alligned and we start the process of harvesting stem cells tomorrow at 7AM. In addition, if the numbers had not aligned, we would still stay in KC. The doctor told me that even though things are going great and no procedure was being done lately that requires exceptional medical expertise, should something go awry I would want to be within 20 minutes of this clinic because this is all they do and they are available 24/7. KU has experienced a multitude of complications and are especially equipped for those contingencies. Knowing this, we are prepared and are hoping for more boring days to come and will appreciate them much more than before. Tomorrow we will report to collect stem cells. My blood will be checked to see if the stem cells have been kicked out of the bone marrow. If they are present in the blood, then they will start collecting right then. If not, then they will give me a drug that will loosen them and I wait a day and try again. It is amazing that I am excited over an unanswered prayer. God, as always, has the best plan. On the other hand, God says " . . . ye have not, because ye ask not". James 4:2b. So here is the next request. Let's pray that the stem cells are in the blood and enough of them are collected the first time if it is His will. If not, then we will rejoice in knowing He had an infinitely better plan. Thanks for praying.

There's No Place Like Home

Imagine yourself hearing the Jeopardy theme in the background as I relate our last 6 days. We are simply waiting for my numbers to align in order to collect the stem cells. Each day we go to the lab. They take my vital signs (all good). They next do blood labs (all progressing in the right direction). Maybe talk to a nurse or doctor. Go back to Hope Lodge and try to occupy ourselves until the next day. Velda and I don't mind waiting because it is part of the process. Today it occurred to me that nothing special to this clinic is being done to me. So I asked. "Could the things that you have been dong to me the last 6 days be done in
Salina?" The attending nurse without hesitation said "Yes." Then why can't I go home and have these simple tests done there?" "When the numbers are right you would have to be here within 24 hours." "I could be there in 3 hours after you call me." I paused without speaking. She said "I don't know why these things couldn't be done in Salina. Ask." I intend to on Monday. They prepared us for this week of waiting at the beginning because that is the usual the time frame for the body to recover. If I had known at the time, I might have pressed this point back then. We will do whatever is the best practice. Please pray that coming home Monday falls within the parameters of best practice. I will blog again on Monday. Thank you.

Side Effects. The sequel

We left for Kansas City early Thursday morning for what was billed as a 3 hour appointment. This would be similar to a 3 hour tour for those of my generation. It started at 9AM and at 2PM the nurse announced "Now starts the 3 hour part". I should have been forewarned when all the proceedings leading up to the 3 hour part was putting fluids and anti-nausea medicine into by means of an IV. The 3 hour part was to give me chemotherapy that was, of course, more potent than my previous rounds (maybe they should have said "combined"). Another hint that evaded me of things to come was that they gave me a backpack with 2 pumps hooked to my PICC line. One was to continue to administer fluids as well as potassium (the potassium part will come into play later) while the other was to pump anti-nausea medicine on demand. They said to push the pump at the slightest hint of nausea. I used to think that I was a fairly intelligent person and could ascertain even some of the minutest subtleties but  I sure missed what was coming. I've decided to discuss the potassium now in my defense. When a person has diarrhea they will lose potassium. I don't think that is common knowledge. So we left the clinic at 6PM and ate supper at a salad bar. Wow, what a mistake. Anyway, one of my pumps starts beeping because it was malfunctioning. To those of you who follow my blog regularly this may sound familiar. If not click here. We were told at the clinic that if anything goes wrong to call the number on the side of the pump and they would talk us through the solution. We called the number and told them it said "Code 10". They said that it meant "motor failure" and that there was nothing they could do but we should call the clinic. The clinic asked which pump failed and I said the fluids one and they said that at least the anti-nausea one was still working and that was more important. So about midnight I felt an intense headache and thought "this is not nausea" so I didn't push the pump. I have a high tolerance for headaches so I didn't bother Velda from her sleep. About 3AM I couldn't take it any more so I awakened Velda to find out that we didn't bring pain relievers. To her defense we rarely have a need for them in our family. So we get in the van and go to get relief. At this point I feel nausea and press the pump for nausea. It beeps indicating that it is malfunctioning. We can't call the number on the side of the pump because Velda is driving and I am vomiting out of the passenger window. When we get home Velda calls the number because I am indisposed and the instructions given got the pump working but it did not stop my vomiting. The pump will not reset for 15 minutes so as not to overdose. Believe me I was watching the clock. Oh did I say that when we got back that the diarrhea started? My next appointment was for 1PM. So, if you count, this lasted for 10 hours. When we got to the clinic I could hardly sit for ejaculations coming from both ends. They finally got me settled at which point the attending nurse said "We just started using these new pumps and I don't think they are as good as the old ones". When we were finished I was feeling pretty good so we went to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art armed with a new pump. Absolutely incredible place! Part of the way through I felt nauseous and pressed the pump and it beeped indicating . . . We called the number and fortunately the nausea subsided without episode before they solved the problem. The clinic also gave me some pills as a backup and they are working just fine. Otherwise things are going as planned and my numbers are being evaluated as :"very good". Thanks for praying.

Official Confirmation

KU Med liked the numbers so we start the bone marrow transplant (BMT) this Thursday. Here is a rough schedule.

August 1. Chemotherapy an KC. This was added in addition to the (BMT) protocol because my myeloma has been resistant. This is bad stuff and I will not proceed to the next step until my complete blood count (CBC, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets) have recovered from the shock. I will stay in KC until I complete the next step.

August 10-12 (13?). Apheresis in KC. This is the harvesting of my stem cells and their subsequent freezing for storage. The start date is approximate based on my CBC. The length of time is also around 3-5 days. It will conclude when they have enough stem cells for at least 2 BMTs. This is just for insurance in case another BMT is needed down  the  road. After this I return to Salina.

August 19-22. BMT in KC.

     August 19-21. Chemotherapy for the purpose of killing the myeloma in my bone marrow. On a scale of 1-10, this is level 10 chemotherapy. This stuff will kill other things in my body besides the myeloma.

     August 22. Stem cell infusion for the purpose of replenishing what I lost in my bone marrow from the previous step.

August 22-September 19?. Stay in KC until my CBC (and the rest of me) returns to normal. This can take up to 4 weeks.

The BMT is the golden ticket. KU Med is very optimistic that I will experience complete remission. Caveat. As far as the present advances in medical technology, there is no cure for myeloma. The BMT just sets the clock of the prognosis back by 15-30 years. A few other thoughts. In 15-30 years it is very likely that a cure would be found. In 30 years I would be 86 which is a ripe old age. And last, God has the last word.

Big prayer request. There is a chance that I could be a part of a clinical trial. Please pray that I am accepted because the company sponsoring the trial would pay for a large part of the BMT. KU Med is working hard to get my acceptance into the clinical trial. The trial changes the protocol of the BMT slightly and has shown thus far that it is at least as effective as the present protocol. The clinical trial is trying to determine if there is any improvement over the present protocol.

Thanks for praying.

Unofficial Confirmation

We had an appointment today at KU Med. The doctor said it was a "well baby" check. He was not aware of all the testing done in Salina on 7/15. We had a copy of the incomplete results I had picked up. "I like what I see here" was his response after a quick perusal. Afterwards we got a phone call from our nurse/transplant coordinator. She had received the complete results and was scheduled to present them to the doctor tomorrow. She said that the results looked good enough to proceed and to plan to start next week. The doctor has the final word so unless they call me in the next few days, we will have to wait until our next appointment on 7/29 for the final word. On another note Velda and I out headed to CA to celebrate my mom's 80th birthday and our anniversary. We also consider it our last fling before the ultra restricted life of a post transplant patient and his caretaker. Thanks for praying.

A Puzzlement

On April 14th we had 2 wonderful benefit dinners at my church. We are trying to solve a puzzle. Michaela played music out of a book which we haven't seen since. I will give the details and see what happens. She doesn't remember the title of the book. All songs are piano arrangements
Songs in the book:
As the Deer
Give Thanks
Shout to the Lord
More Precious than Silver
Lord I Lift Your Name on High
Shine Jesus Shine
El Shaddai
A Shield about Me

Sheet Music in the book:
In the Gap Theme Song (written my a co-intern when she was in OKC. This is big as far as sentimental points)
Chariots of Fire
Some obscure song on dark pages

Help us if you can. Thanks.

Relay for Life Link

Here is the link to the speech. I have included and an outline because my delivery wasn't too smooth and I didn't handle the mic well.

Relay for Life speech

I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, so this shapes my whole life perspective and this talk.

My purpose is to encourage all associated with cancer to flourish but it will require a brief journey through darkness.

There is an elephant in the room that is being ignored with respect to cancer and life in general. It is not mentioned and yet it is there. It is called death. Death is inevitable. If a cure is found and cancer is eradicated from the earth, we will still die. The Bible echoes this.

Ephesians 5:15-16. "See then that ye walk circumspectively, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil."

Why would God say that the days are evil? It is because each day brings us one day closer to death, therefore we should spend our time wisely and not foolishly.

How does this relate to flourishing? The Bible has more to say

Psalm 118:24. "This is the day that the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."
John 10:10b (Jesus speaking). "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

God is our designer (Psalm 139:14a. "I am fearfully and wonderfully made"). It would behoove us to follow the user manual He has given us. He is obviously wanting us to get past the "evil" inherent in each day we live (one day closer to death) and to live each day as He as designed us to do.

Since contracting cancer, a constant theme has been to keep a positive mental attitude (PMA). Studies have shown that this will help but it is not specific enough nor very instructive. The Bible has much better advice. Here are 3 of many and I have organized them in levels. You (hopefully) can hear the expanded version with my life examples on the video.

1. Honest to God. Tell God exactly how you feel with your voice using all of the emotion you are feeling at the time. Insert thankfulness periodically.
Philippians 4:6-7. "Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let you requests be made known to God."
Psalm 3:4. "I cried unto the Lord with my voice and He heard me out of His holy hill. Selah."
Read the Psalms regularly. It contains about the whole gamut of emotions and you could find one to pray back to God.

2. Find and journal positive benefits from your circumstances.
Romans 8:28. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purposes."

3. Work for the benefit of others.
Galatians 6:9-10a. "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men . . . "

4. Grace
Titus 2:11-12. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world."
Even though these sound simple and easy they are actually quite challenging. God recognizes this. (Psalm 103:14. "For He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust."). When we fall short of these standards that God wants us to keep we must acknowledge our missing the mark (sin) and our general nature (iniquity). God then steps in because we are putting Him in His rightful place and infuses us with grace which will teach us to deny the bad (grumbling, murmuring, self-pity etc.) and live in a way that flourishes under any circumstances.

Relay for Life

I will be the keynote speaker this evening at Relay for Life. My part starts at around 10PM at Salina Stadium.

What Hit Me?

I got up this morning feeling pretty bad. I couldn't do much else but lay around and dose in and out of a semi-state of consciousness. No apetite at all. Bad taste in my mouth. If any of you suggest that yesterday's omelet could be the culprit all I have to say is that IT WAS WORTH IT. Boy was that a good omelet. Anyway, I have somewhat recovered now and can move around without dizziness and have had my first meal (yogurt and toast). Velda and I will go walking this afternoon, most likely inside the mall. The battery of tests and x-rays start Monday. KU has tentatively scheduled the bone marrow transplant process to start July 23. They set everything up even though it may have to be cancelled if the test results aren't good. We learned that back in April. So if KU stays true to form, we should find out about 48 hours beforehand if it is good to go this time. Let's pray that we proceed. Thank you.

Side Effects!

I hope this means that the chemotherapy is working. Today was the last day of the 4 day treatment and it was the roughest since this all began last summer. I was fairly lethargic and semi-nauseous which was culminated by vomiting 3 times before being discharged this afternoon. I did recover quick enough to go to IHOP with my family later in the afternoon. I had a spinach and mushroom omelet with orange juice. Next is a series of tests to see if the chemo has knocked down the myeloma far enough for the bone marrow transplant to do any good. There must be as little cancer posible (preferably none at all) or else the stem cells would tainted and the myeloma would be likely to return. Thank you for your prayers.