Red Right Blog |
|
|
Rants, Rates, Slags, Slates. Manic-depressive posts from Red Wright-Hand. Because there are thousands of worthless blogs out there and who am I not to add to their number?
Total US troop deaths in Iraq to date (09/01/07) since 03/20/03: 3739
From 05/02/03 through 06/28/04: 718 Myeloma (etc.) Blogs
Adventures of Cancer Girl Browse
Arts & Letters Daily
|
Saturday, May 13, 2006
ON TRACK: About two weeks ago, a friend mentioned that I hadn't updated this blog in a while, a comment noteworthy in that it proved people (even if only friends) really do look in from time to time. Not that anyone, friend or foe, ever writes to tell what they think. Between the general lack of reader response, and my cancer diagnosis of late last year (with attendant distractions and serious claims upon my time), I had pretty much hung up this blog to dry. But hope springs eternal, etc., and I feel like keying in a little something today. To bring readers such as they are up to date. Here's the medical rundown: I (white, male, aged 44) was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on December 15; the disease is treatable but presently has no actual cure. My outward symptoms included severe back pain, fatigue/weakness, and a confused frame of mind. Inner symptoms included advanced osteoporosis (which, an MRI found, led to two vertebral fractures, hence the back pain) and highly irregular protein levels in my blood, thanks to runaway cell production in my marrow. Welcome to Camp Myeloma. Within days I began outpatient treatment at Philadelphia's Fox Chase Cancer Center: radiation for my back bones, prescribed oxycontin for related pain, and dexamethasone tablets (steroid, brand name Decadron), the last of which I took on a prescribed schedule in order to keep from being driven insane. The radiation treatment ended shortly after New Year's Day. By mid-January, I also began taking thalidomide, first in 50/mg doses per day, gradually working up to 150/mg doses. This drug, in combination with dexamethasone, has proven effective in reversing the effects of myeloma (not without considerable side effects, to be sure) and comparatively speaking, I've been a good patient, with my blood levels returning to normal levels. To keep those levels there, of course, I would have to continue taking the drugs for the remainder of my life, not a feasible ploy, as per those accumulating side effects. That's why I'm in line for a stem cell transplant. I'm scheduled to begin that phase of treatment here, this coming June 1. In advance of that day, I've been told to lay off the dex and the thal, which I've happily done since May 4. What a relief to feel my brain and personality return to recognizable degrees of pre-cancer perception. (Though the drugs linger in the bloodstream, and it was actually several days past the 4th before I felt free of their influence). I'm trying to enjoy these last weeks of May, while still preparing practically and emotionally for the transplant, which will be an intensive experience, and likely precipitate another lengthy lacuna in blogging. It'd be easy to blame my non-blogging of the past several months strictly on the disease and the effects of the drug treatment, but the fact is I'm reluctant to air such personal news. Then again, I've been scrawling notes for a projected memoir about this experience, and how would I feel about all those impressions being presented between hard covers? |
