The Plan

This is Dr. Guido Tricot, The head Doctor and Research Director over the Multiple Myeloma Clinic. I put my Trust in him and my Faith in God.

We met with Dr. Tricot at Huntsman on Monday. We were very impressed with him. He said that he treats about 160 patients with multiple myeloma a year compared to most hospitals which treat 5 or 6. His treatment is more agressive, but he also offers hope for a longer remission. So here is the plan. Before I can begin treatments with Huntsman we have to make sure all the insurance issues are covered and authorized. Then I will begin by having a central port put in my chest. which means less pokes in the future. After those two things are done, I will begin four days of chemo. Which will be administered through the port from a backpack. So I guess you could say the backpack I'm using to start climbing this mountain is filled with weapons to fight off the cancer. Not exactly what I had in mind when I spoke of packing a backpack in my previous post! After the first round of chemo there will be about three weeks where my immunities will be very low. Hunstman requires that I stay within 20-30 minutes from the hospital, so I will be staying with my Parents in Centerville. When my blood levels get to a certain point they will begin to harvest my stem cells. These cells are usually located within the bone marrow but the chemo makes them come out into the bloodstream. This first phase of treatment is called D-PACE which is an acronym for the different types of chemo I will be taking. So here are the good things 1. The type of myeloma I have is slow growing. 2. One of the tests they did on the biopsy-from bone and marrow samples shows that there is no genetic damage-which means better chances of a positive outcome with the bone marrow transplant. Here are the not so good things 1. I will most likely not be home for Christmas. 2. a million different fears that constantly run through my mind.

Multiple Myeloma

A month ago I had never heard of this cancer. Now I am becoming an expert. Here is a good website that explains it all. http://www.multiplemyeloma.org/about_myeloma/index.php

decisions

Before we can move forward, we are looking at our options. Treatment for myeloma includes a stem cell transplant. Only two hospitals in Utah perform this. LDS Hospital and the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Each Hospital or group of doctors has different theories or approaches to treatment. Right now I am in the testing phase. Over the last three weeks I have had an MRI, PET scan, numerous blood tests, a blood infusion, a bone hardening infusion, Pulmonary function tests, EKG, echocardiogram, and 32 vials of blood taken at one time! I have been poked, prodded, and thoroughly examined. One of the Doctors said it's like fighting a war-the more you know about the enemy the better. On Monday we meet with Dr. Guido Tricot one of the nations top specialist in the treatment of multiple myeloma. He transferred from Arkansas to Huntsman a year and a half ago. We are packing our backpacks and getting ready to climb this mountain!

How to Move A Mountain

By Cheri Call When I was young I heard the stories About the people who could make the mountains flee And every now and then, someone would tell me I could do the same if I believed So one summer night. I looked out my window And I closed my eyes and listened to the wind blow. And I tried to move a mountain I wished for it to crumble at my feet I tried one thing after another but I couldn't shake a leaf I never knew that the mountain Had a lesson it would teach Cause as tall as I got, I still lived in it's shadow I watched it tower over me Til one summer day, I thought I heard it call me so I closed my eyes and then changed into my blue jeans And I learned how to move a mountain It was harder than I dreamed it would be But I set one foot down past the other Til the mountain was under me and I felt like I could see forever When the truth hit my senses suddenly This mountain wasn't really the first one that I'd moved God had seen my victory Every time I put my weakness behind me And I close my eyes and let His mercy find me I know how to move a mountain I have to fall down on my knees Then I get back on my feet and head on upward Til I make it to the peak And the montains under me.