Good, improved and better than expected at this point in time.
Inatially, Michael had extreme pain in his lower back and was fatigued. This led to the diaignosis of multiple myeloma and the start of his cancer treatment program. I'll give you the guy's version of the treatment plan, which is brief and simple, and is an agressive approach to treatment.
> Oral chemothearpy for three month.
> Radiation on the lower back to kill a tumor and allow the spine to heal. A limited use of radiation.
> Normal chemo by IV induction for one or two months.
> Bone marrow transplant in early 2008.
> Remission (we hope) and monitor for signs of recurrence.
There you have it. For a more detailed look at treatment for myeloma check out: http://www.multiplemyeloma-guidebook
The chemo, (thlidamine- one pill a day) is designed to kill bad white blood cells. It has minimal, yet potentially sever, side effects and is working so well it's use has been extended. The chemo and radiation to kill a tumor and allow the vertebra to heal, similar to a broken bone, has been successful. Better than the doctor's predictions.
The medical treatments, along with Sue's cooking, ( he gained 14 pounds) have Michael looking and feeling better. Pain is reduced and he has a trip home planned for late October.
This is good and, really, preparation for a more rigorous treatments later.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Living in Alaska
Since Michael is in Anchorage and all his medical providers and benefits are there it seemed only natural for Sue and I to be there with him. While this provides Michael (and us) a first hand knowledge of his medical status and constant support it has had unintended consequences. Too much of a good thing is no longer good!
We were all staying at brother Billy's house (get Sue to tell you her experience with a large black bear) and this was just a bit too much of a family reunion. No real problems, Bill and Jamie provided hospitality and help daily.There were just to many adults in a confined area. As a solution Sue and I found a furnished "corporate type" apartment with a heated garage, which reduced the adult population by 40%. In Alaska a carport or plain garage just won't do. The heated garage is a big deal and proving older mental process still work, we were thinking ahead. Ahead to the coming winter and real snow and temperatures of 30 degrees below zero F, before wind chill.
With our own space we setup a small office and communications center. This provides us with a place to work with medical providers and the State of Alaska and Social Security. Every new medical group and benefits provider requires a minimum of 10 pounds of paper work and will require you to go back to page 7, item A,a,3 for an authorization code. With out this code you must go back to several steps, do not go past Go and collect $200, and get in line, a representative will be with you soon! While this process tested my well known patience, we have received friendly knowledgeable support and help, beyond normal expectations! If you are wondering where friendly help and customer service has gone, look no farther than Anchorage, AK. Or, rather you need to go as far as Anchorage since it is a 7 hour flight from DFW and Atlanta.
All was working well until we realized that our home in Georgia was vacant, needing attention and our pets were being cared for by friends that really didn't like pets all that much.
You should begin to notice a common trend here, regardless of my self congratulations for thinking ahead. This is a very fluid situation with the situation subject to change with out notice. So, the plan is amended. One of will stay in Anchorage to support Michael and one will stay in Peachtree City.
Then, we will switch places about every 30 days.
We were all staying at brother Billy's house (get Sue to tell you her experience with a large black bear) and this was just a bit too much of a family reunion. No real problems, Bill and Jamie provided hospitality and help daily.There were just to many adults in a confined area. As a solution Sue and I found a furnished "corporate type" apartment with a heated garage, which reduced the adult population by 40%. In Alaska a carport or plain garage just won't do. The heated garage is a big deal and proving older mental process still work, we were thinking ahead. Ahead to the coming winter and real snow and temperatures of 30 degrees below zero F, before wind chill.
With our own space we setup a small office and communications center. This provides us with a place to work with medical providers and the State of Alaska and Social Security. Every new medical group and benefits provider requires a minimum of 10 pounds of paper work and will require you to go back to page 7, item A,a,3 for an authorization code. With out this code you must go back to several steps, do not go past Go and collect $200, and get in line, a representative will be with you soon! While this process tested my well known patience, we have received friendly knowledgeable support and help, beyond normal expectations! If you are wondering where friendly help and customer service has gone, look no farther than Anchorage, AK. Or, rather you need to go as far as Anchorage since it is a 7 hour flight from DFW and Atlanta.
All was working well until we realized that our home in Georgia was vacant, needing attention and our pets were being cared for by friends that really didn't like pets all that much.
You should begin to notice a common trend here, regardless of my self congratulations for thinking ahead. This is a very fluid situation with the situation subject to change with out notice. So, the plan is amended. One of will stay in Anchorage to support Michael and one will stay in Peachtree City.
Then, we will switch places about every 30 days.
Monday, October 8, 2007
About Multiple Myeloma
June 25,2007- Anchorage, AK
Cancer, tumor and malignant, now these are words that will get your attention. A Friday evening phone call from my brother Billy is how Sue and I came to realize that our son Michael had more than a bad or hurt lower back! Learning of this set a lot of things in motion, since Michael is in Anchorage, AK and in the hospital. The lazy weekend we had planned quickly turned to one of chaos and ended with me flying to Anchorage.
I set up a communications point by staying with brother Bill and his wife, Jamie. They have been in Alaska for 14 years and Bill helps keep the oil flowing from the ground to our gas tanks. I was using cell phone minutes by the gross. By Tuesday everyone was on the same page and a plan was beginning to take shape.
A sit down discussion with Michael's doctors was the first item on our list. Multiple myeloma is the diagnosis, a cancer in the family of lymphomas. I'll skip the detailed description and provide a link to reasonable (not too technical) description of myeloma: http://www.us.novartisoncology.com/info/disease_information/multiple_myeloma.jsp.
Although this is a chronic form of cancer it is treatable with the goal to achieve a state of remission.
Now it was time for Dr. Max, Michael's name for his favorite oncologist by using his first name only, to lay out a plan for treatment. At this point we start to get some good news and it is welcomed change. Myeloma treatment is a fairly standard plan and being in Anchorage turns out to have some benefits. First, there is an oral chemo therapy in conjunction with very limited radiation, chemo therapy by IV induction (a more aggressive chemo) and a bone marrow transplant and recovery. This would be spread out over approximately nine months.
Well, we know the bad news but now there is some good news to even things up, a bit. First, this form of cancer is normally found in older patients, 60 and up. At 35 Michael will be able to withstand the harsh side effects of the treatment. The Anchorage and Alaskan medical community work with the University of Washington Medical Center and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle for their bone marrow transplants. This hospital and research center is among the best available, pioneering many of the transplant procedures.
So, the process to remission begins!
Cancer, tumor and malignant, now these are words that will get your attention. A Friday evening phone call from my brother Billy is how Sue and I came to realize that our son Michael had more than a bad or hurt lower back! Learning of this set a lot of things in motion, since Michael is in Anchorage, AK and in the hospital. The lazy weekend we had planned quickly turned to one of chaos and ended with me flying to Anchorage.
I set up a communications point by staying with brother Bill and his wife, Jamie. They have been in Alaska for 14 years and Bill helps keep the oil flowing from the ground to our gas tanks. I was using cell phone minutes by the gross. By Tuesday everyone was on the same page and a plan was beginning to take shape.
A sit down discussion with Michael's doctors was the first item on our list. Multiple myeloma is the diagnosis, a cancer in the family of lymphomas. I'll skip the detailed description and provide a link to reasonable (not too technical) description of myeloma: http://www.us.novartisoncology.com/info/disease_information/multiple_myeloma.jsp.
Although this is a chronic form of cancer it is treatable with the goal to achieve a state of remission.
Now it was time for Dr. Max, Michael's name for his favorite oncologist by using his first name only, to lay out a plan for treatment. At this point we start to get some good news and it is welcomed change. Myeloma treatment is a fairly standard plan and being in Anchorage turns out to have some benefits. First, there is an oral chemo therapy in conjunction with very limited radiation, chemo therapy by IV induction (a more aggressive chemo) and a bone marrow transplant and recovery. This would be spread out over approximately nine months.
Well, we know the bad news but now there is some good news to even things up, a bit. First, this form of cancer is normally found in older patients, 60 and up. At 35 Michael will be able to withstand the harsh side effects of the treatment. The Anchorage and Alaskan medical community work with the University of Washington Medical Center and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle for their bone marrow transplants. This hospital and research center is among the best available, pioneering many of the transplant procedures.
So, the process to remission begins!
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