I have been negligent on getting to my postings here. I had a great post about two weeks ago, but I was told it was inappropriate. I am glad my editor does not allow me to put something out there that is really out there. So here is where we are ….. Health wise we have been waiting for two important doctor visits that are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Sep 21 - 22. The next step in my treatment will be decided at that time. We are pretty sure the doctors are going to recommend a second stem cell transplant, something they wanted to do way back in February. We were derailed from this path by the insurance company who wanted us to go to Boston University for a second opinion and to look into a clinical trial. We will see how the insurance company responds as Boston’s recommendation is the same as the doctors here proposed seven months ago. I will start back on chemo, possibly as early as this week as the disease is increasing in my bone marrow again. Good news was from a heart biopsy on Monday September 12 that there are no traces of the Amyloid showing up in the new heart tissue. The new heart continues to be the success story in all I have gone through the past three years. As a side note, after Monday’s biopsy Rose and I were planning on riding the Victoria Clipper out of Seattle and spending three days in Canada. While at the Pier and waiting to board the ship, I received a call from the UW Hospital they saw something on my chest x-ray and wanted me to come back. So we re booked our trip to Victoria for the following morning and left for the hospital. When we got there we learned the docs were going to admit me into the hospital. The following day I had another bronchoscopy, a camera into the lungs. So far no infections have been detected in the samples collected. Pneumonia now would delay the stem cell transplant. So Rose and I enjoyed our “High Tea” in the hospital. A lot of traveling is going to occur once I get back to full health.
Oh yes, this month I have reached two milestones. I reached a new decade with my birthday earlier in the month. I do not feel like I am 60. In my head I still feel like I am 35 or younger. In my body … well anyway. Then on September 11, I reached my second anniversary of my transplanted heart. Through the past three years of chasing my health issues, the heart has been the success story. It seems funny that the process of going through a heart transplant has been simple compared to getting rid of the Amyloid resident in my bone marrow. I do have a lot to be thankful for.
thank you for the update Rick,,happy B-day---God bless,,keep going!love the folks from forks cliff& Jen
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the milestone and it is always great to get the update.
ReplyDeleteMedical care today is so different than 25 years ago. It's decidedly better but also the follow-up is so much better, especially the communication. In 1975 your Dr would not have been able to find you as you would have arrived in BC and hard to find. But now you have a cell phone and pager! Thus your treatment would not have been delayed and your outcome is much better.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you are "getting after it" and getting the treatment. Keep up the good work Rick. Call me when you come to town. Coffee's on me.