spk7951
05-11-2013, 08:32 AM
For what will be my 1,000th post I thought I would share a short story about something near and dear to my heart, that being my wonderful wife and her cancer fight along with a recent rather profound comment from one of her doctors.
Barb was diagnosed in 2005 at the age of 49 with Multiple Myeloma which is a rare cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. At that time the only treatment was a stem cell transplant. Later that year she had a successful transplant. Since the long term prognosis was bleak we quickly decided to figure out how to retire as soon as possible. In July 2008 we were able to retire and move from CT to The Villages. Doctors had told us the odds were against making 5yrs of being cancer free. So when she reached that 5yr mark, which corresponded with her 55th birthday, and she was still clean some 70 or so friends and family got together and threw a surprise party for her in TV. Unfortunately 6yrs and 3 months after the transplant we got the news we knew would come one day, the cancer was active again. But this time things were different as now the doctors talked about treatment options and another transplant was now a last resort. Her local oncologist along with a specialist in Gainesville and her transplant doctors at Yale decided to use Revlimid to fight the cancer. While the medicine has had some expected side effects that have caused some lifestyle changes, notably she had to give up volunteering for Happy Horse Rescue, it is working. So for the last 16 months the monthly tests have now been changed to quarterly tests because as the doctors have said "there is no progression of the cancer cells". The fight goes on and Barb goes on with her lifestyle here in TV which she enjoys probably more than anything and I have long said is a big reason for her health. Which brings me to the profound statement made this past week by one of her doctors at Yale. After looking at Barb's latest test results and having me show both doctors the three web cameras at our town squares, via iPad, one of them said "continue with this medication and continue with your Florida lifestyle, both are working for you". Indeed they are.
For those of you also in this "fight" we wish you the best and we pray for a cure for all cancers.
Barb was diagnosed in 2005 at the age of 49 with Multiple Myeloma which is a rare cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. At that time the only treatment was a stem cell transplant. Later that year she had a successful transplant. Since the long term prognosis was bleak we quickly decided to figure out how to retire as soon as possible. In July 2008 we were able to retire and move from CT to The Villages. Doctors had told us the odds were against making 5yrs of being cancer free. So when she reached that 5yr mark, which corresponded with her 55th birthday, and she was still clean some 70 or so friends and family got together and threw a surprise party for her in TV. Unfortunately 6yrs and 3 months after the transplant we got the news we knew would come one day, the cancer was active again. But this time things were different as now the doctors talked about treatment options and another transplant was now a last resort. Her local oncologist along with a specialist in Gainesville and her transplant doctors at Yale decided to use Revlimid to fight the cancer. While the medicine has had some expected side effects that have caused some lifestyle changes, notably she had to give up volunteering for Happy Horse Rescue, it is working. So for the last 16 months the monthly tests have now been changed to quarterly tests because as the doctors have said "there is no progression of the cancer cells". The fight goes on and Barb goes on with her lifestyle here in TV which she enjoys probably more than anything and I have long said is a big reason for her health. Which brings me to the profound statement made this past week by one of her doctors at Yale. After looking at Barb's latest test results and having me show both doctors the three web cameras at our town squares, via iPad, one of them said "continue with this medication and continue with your Florida lifestyle, both are working for you". Indeed they are.
For those of you also in this "fight" we wish you the best and we pray for a cure for all cancers.