This time, it’s good news
As I promised back in December, I haven’t flooded you with updates about my health. I have been keeping everyone who wants to know updated on Facebook and via private emails, and if you are curious to learn even more about my health status, you can find all the updates here.
I’ve learned that many people appreciate the monthly-ish updates. Just this week I learned that another Myeloma sufferer is following my posts–she’s about three months behind me, treatment-wise and is learning a lot from my posts.
I shouldn’t be surprised, but I *am* surprised by how many cancer sufferers are out there. I’ve been contacted by people recently diagnosed and scared out of their brains. I’ve heard from survivors who have been cured or in remission for years. Cancer patients currently going through chemo have shared their stories with me privately. It has been a humbling and educational period for me.
So here’s my current update.
1. I am officially in remission.
I actually have been in remission since before the transplant – when my m-proteins hit zero. I thought that this was the case but wasn’t sure. I asked the oncologist and he agreed that yes, I am in remission.
The stem cell transplant I had in April will ensure that the remission period lasts as long as possible.
2. In July I will have a CT scan.
This will help determine the degree of remission, and help the oncologist figure out next steps.
Next steps may or may not include a couple more rounds of the lighter chemo, just to nail the lid shut. It may also include an ongoing low dose chemo drug. The scan and my blood work in July will help determine what happens next.
3. I’m recovering super well from the stem cell transplant.
The oncologist asked me today to rate how I feel in general, with 10 being jumping out of my skin with energy and good health, and 0 being how I felt when I came out of hospital.
I rated myself at 4 to 5 out of 10. The oncologist was very pleased with my answer. He said that most patients, at this point in their recovery from the transplant, usually rated themselves around 1 or 2.
4. My response to the treatments so far gives me a promising outlook.
The average remission period for someone in my situation is 5 years. This is a statistical figure, which means that half the people enjoyed a longer remission period, and half the people in the database experienced remissions that were shorter than five years.
Because my cancer has responded so strongly to the chemo, etc., my oncologist feels fairly confident that I will get to enjoy a longer remission period than average.
5. There will be no more stem cell transplants for me.
<insert soundtrack of crowds going wild>
Because of how strenuous and physically challenging they are, the Cross Cancer Institute has an age cut-off point for stem cell transplants. If my remission period really does last longer than five years, then I will be over the age limit for a transplant.
But the oncologist doesn’t feel that will be an issue, because….
6. A great many new and highly promising treatments and techniques are on the cusp of being introduced to patients in general.
My oncologist was very excited about some of them, too. When I do finally relapse (as Multiple Myeloma is a relapsing/remitting cancer), he feels that these treatments will be far better options for me. He said, and I quote, “We’ll have you living to a ripe old age.”
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So there you have it. It was a very good news day for me. 🙂
As you’re reading this post, I’m assuming you’re interested in how my health is affecting the production of my books, which is the reason why I wrote the first update last December.
The stem cell transplant slowed me down a lot. But now I’m home and recovering well, I’m easing back into a full writing schedule. I’ll be catching up as quickly as I can.
The best way to hear about new releases is, of course, to subscribe to my newsletter, because it is there where you will hear first about release dates and upcoming titles.
Cheers,
