Chemo maintenance – end of cycle 43
September 29, 2010 marked the end of my 43rd cycle of post-transplant chemotherapy. Yes – I know I am writing this update on November 14th and the clinic visit was way back in September. But frankly there are no changes to my medical status these days… and that’s a good thing. Still very good news – the cancer remains in “complete remission.”
IMMUNE SYSTEM PROBLEMS
My immune system continues to be in lousy shape. We visited Europe this summer and I enjoyed two weeks in Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Austria – all without any undo fatigue, side effects, or germs. Life was good… until the flight home. We were stranded on the runway in Atlanta during a flight change – three hours, in the sun, engines off to save fuel, hot cramped cabin. A virtual breeding ground for airborn illness. For the next 3 weeks I was one sick guy, ran a temperature that sent me to UofM’s Emergency Room, lost a few pounds (that’s the good part). Ugh!
Other than that episode I have been a healthy guy this cycle.
NEWS FROM MY CLINIC VISIT
Perhaps there is a medical breakthrough to report in this update, or maybe this news is better described as a change in medical posture.
Multiple Myeloma has always been classified as an incurable disease, which is how it was described to us upon initial diagnosis in March of 2007. However, lots has changed in three+ years, due in part to successful clinical trials such as the one in which I participated. The early results of those experiments, and the extended longevity of patients using new drug regimens, have the medical experts replacing that adjective incurable with chronic.
This is more than just semantics. It represents a substantial shift in thinking about treatment and prognosis for Multiple Myeloma patients. Contrast a chronic condition diagnosis to the perception of Multiple Myeloma as a death sentence mentioned in the National Public Radio article in January 2009 ( http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99970093 ). Yes, Indeed – I will settle for my chronic condition any day!
SIDE EFFECTS
No news here. All the regular stuff, not difficult to tolerate: still taking my power naps regularly (maybe 1 of every 2 days); neuropathy in my feet still bothering me a little; still highly sensitive to heat and direct sunlight.
NEXT STEPS
I’ll have monthly lab work and continue on my new regimen until my next clinical visit with Dr. J in late December. Check back with my blog then…
That’s the latest news from Hamburg.
-larry