Dan’s Victory

06/08/2010 Tuesday

A lot going on as of today!
I’ve been seeing my oncologist every week since I was in the hospital April 15th when my temperature had jumped to 103.4 when it was determined that I had the CMV virus. They then put me on a medication to get rid that virus which did get rid of the virus, but also caused my blood counts to drop. They have been down ever since. And again this week the blood counts are down. My oncologist is trying to determine why they are still down as I am not taking any medication that might cause that. So another week I am not on any chemo except dexamethasone once a week.

Although the counts are below the low range the white blood cell count is higher than it has been for a month. But the red blood cell count is the lowest it has been in over a month. The doctor is going to wait another week to see what happens. Then he could have me get another transfusion, but wants to try a medication spelled “arithropoieton” which helps the kidneys make more red blood cells, but doesn’t help the platelets which also needs to be brought up. (It is the same as it was last week - 44 with the low range being 150).

On Thursday I will be having another bone marrow biopsy. My doctor wants to make sure the multiple myeloma is not continueing to get worse. A biopsy in February had shown 7% multiple myeloma and the biopsy taken in the middle of May in Seattle (Seattle Cancer Care Alliance) for the one year tests showed it was at 14%. He is particularly concerned because I can’t have the chemo therapy I would usually have been taken (every other week Velcade infusion and daily Revlimid) because of the low blood counts which should control or decrease the cancer count.

Also my doctor is sending me to a dermatologist to remove two spots on my head which he is sure are not cancerous, but feels they need to be removed. (They feel like scabs to me that aren’t going away.)

Something new which I had asked my doctor about months ago is a supplement called resveratrol which Denmark researchers have shown to kill the cancer cells of multiple myeloma and triggers the regrowth of new bone (multiple myeloma breaks down bone - like the vertebrae in my back which is still in danger according to the tests at SCCA).

So that is the doctor news as of today!

I am really glad I have an oncologist who tells me the way things are. I know the source of my strength, by attitude, and my hope is in Jesus. God is good and gracious, merciful and mighty! I am in His hands! So although the low blood counts make me feel tired, I still get to work out in the garden and lawn, and look forward to my wife retiring in another week and so have a lot more time with her — which also means we can do a lot together any time we want — like visit our kids and grandkids and do other stuff whenever we want.

God is good and always will be!

Dan

Two Stories!

AIN’T

He was just a little boy,
On a week’s first day.
Wandering home from Bible school,
And dawdling on the way.

He scuffed his shoes into the grass;
He even found a caterpillar.
He found a fluffy milkweed pod,
And blew out all the ‘filler.’

A bird’s nest in a tree overhead,
So wisely placed up so high.
Was just another wonder,
That caught his eager eye.

A neighbor watched his zig zag course,
And hailed him from the lawn;
Asked him where he’d been that day
And what was going on.

‘I’ve been to Bible School ,’
He said and turned a piece of sod..
He picked up a wiggly worm replying,
‘I’ve learned a lot about God.’

‘M’m very fine way,’ the neighbor said,
‘for a boy to spend his time.’
‘If you’ll tell me where God is,
I’ll give you a brand new dime.’

Quick as a flash the answer came!
Nor were his accents faint.
‘I’ll give you a dollar, Mister,
If you can tell me where God ain’t…’

It’s one of those weeks when everybody seems depressed. Rain has been drizzling and pouring for five days straight (too many April showers). Bad news is all over the TV: a slumping economy, a virus going around, too much work for everybody. The convenience store clerk is frowning and distracted. The doctor’s receptionist is irritable. My daughter is impossible. And I long to talk to someone who’s openly, sincerely upbeat.
Some days it really does seem as if someone has thrown a wet blanket over the whole world. Whether its one person’s attitude or some sort of general malaise, times like that are murder to get through.
So how do we get through them? To a certain extent, of course, we need to just grit our teeth and hang on. Chances are the rain will eventually stop, people will get well, the economy will swing the other way, our hormone level will change.
But things don’t always get better. Floods, depressions, wars, and epidemics really happen. Relationships sour. People turn on each other. Institutions fall apart. So I’m wary of depending too much on “the sun will come out tomorrow.” Probably it will. But what if it doesn’t?
I think Jesus had a much more realistic and workable approach “In the world you will have tribulation,” He warned, “but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). If we depend entirely on the world around us to bring us happiness and fulfillment, we’ll be at the mercy of gray days and sour circumstances and the cataclysms of history.