No Bullpen

Seems like I owe an update to folks who have been following along on my multiple myeloma path. So here’s where we stand.

1. Thank you for your prayers. It is always a source of strength to recall the faces and words of friends who are praying for me and to anticipate God’s love and power in my life
2. No Call To The Bullpen    For a while, you will remember, I was pretty sure that my steroid, dexamethasone, and the burst of energy it gave for a day or two after I took it, was going to juice me up enough to get me a job in the Cleveland Indians bullpen. Several of you got pretty excited about that idea.

Well, the steroid is no more. Even with a reduced dosage, the 2 good days were followed by 5 awful days ranging from burning and tingling throughout my body to exhaustion and mental fog. The reaction seemed to get a little more intense with each dose. So last week the doc stamped me with his “cannot tolerate the steroid” stamp and pulled me off of it. I’m still on the daily chemo drug, the $500 a pill, Revlimid, 2 weeks on and 1 week off.  It seems to have few noticeable side effects. Most people who take “dex” do not have the problem I had. We'll have to see how being off the steroid affects my overall numbers.

     3.  The drugs are working. My weekly blood draws show that my test numbers are improving. The low hemoglobin (that got me the blood transfusion) is approaching respectable levels, and the IGG protein, that rises with the active myeloma, is the lowest it has been in 3 years and less than half of what it was when we started treatment in June. Even so, we are not in remission yet, but that is the goal, where I can be taking just a maintenance dose of the chemo.

After 2 weeks off the steroid it seems its’ effects may finally be wearing off. I’m feeling better and stronger. In the meantime, the doc is monitoring blood, urine and bones, so I will continue to be busy with the tests. But, a hopeful stage.

Right now, there's a big jug awaiting me...... yes, you guessed it.  It's another 24 hour urine test! A very small price to pay to be on top of the situation.

May God grant you a peaceful day and fill you with hope for the journey ahead.