Maintenance Cycles 9 and 10 finished..
Hi friends, I’m in the middle of cycle 11 now. My labs have been great, and I’m still in sCR. (Stringent Complete Response)
This phase of my treatment ends, thankfully, in February. After my 12 maintenance cycles of KRd are finished, I’ll likely switch to Revlimid maintenance, which is a pill taken 21 days on, and 7 days off. It will probably be 15 or 10 mg. I’m taking 15 mg now as part of my KRd regimen.
A bone marrow biopsy is scheduled for Feb 12, and a specialist appointment follows in early March. Hoping that I break through my 24ppm ceiling that I’ve been stuck with for the past year.
Side effects have been minimal save for the past few days, when I’ve had a few low grade fevers that were easily wiped by tylenol. It was a bit scary both times, though because my body pretty much just started aching and I couldn’t get warm with layers of clothes and blankets. I still get sick a lot because my treatment kills both healthy AND cancerous plasma cells, a key part of the immune system. Most of my immune numbers are low to low-normal. The big one IGG (Gamma Immunoglobulin) is at 442 mg/dL, which is low.. (672–1760 is the normal range).
GI issues have been hit or miss, but I feel it’s slightly less bad than the previous two months. I have recently been feeling a bit of back pain, which is partly my lumbar disc issue, and something else. The something else feels like it’s at my surgical site, so I’ll have that checked out at the doc soon.
I passed my 2 year cancerversary on Nov 28, and was able to finally go snowboarding in December. This was the first time in almost 3 years that I was able to ride because of the cancer, and I’m happy to say that there was nothing holding me back except for the fact that I am out of shape. The leg held up great, and my back was ok. I only had a few minor falls (because I was riding safe most of the time), and none were too bad. I’m hoping to hit it a few more times this winter! In my 3 year hiatus, Burton perfected step-on bindings. I bought a pair, and all I can say is wow. I rode for 2 days with skiers, and they never had to wait for me. I was able to step in pretty much while riding off of the chair lift. Such a game changer! I’m not sure if my 25-year-old self would have adopted the step-on bindings so quickly, but 44-year-old Chris was very happy.
I am grateful that a friend of mine who was recently diagnosed with Lymphoma received a Thanksgiving/Christmas miracle in finding out that he was mis-diagnosed and does not have cancer. I’m pretty shaken that a Myeloma friend from Australia who seemed to be in good health suddenly passed away this week. :(
Based on the stories that I’ve heard and the research I’ve done, when I start my long term maintenance period in Feb/March, it will be the start of a real “normal” cancer-free life. I won’t have to go to the hospital as often, and I’ll just be taking a single pill that doesn’t have a lot of side effects. Some people relapse immediately, and some people don’t relapse for years. I’m going to do my best to stay healthy, work hard, and have fun during this period. I’m also going to do whatever I can to raise money and awareness… There are so many exciting things happening in Myeloma (and all blood cancer) right now, and I feel like we’re on the verge of curative technology that will be available to me if I can hang-the-F-on for a few years..
Not to end on a downer..My Chiefs have lost two straight close games, but somehow we’re still sitting in the drivers seat for playoff home field advantage. If we beat the Raiders this weekend, I’ll be going to at least one playoff game in KC with some friends! (and I have tentative permission to go to the super bowl on the off chance we make it) Happy new year!
