Apr 17: Day 614 NED is my new best friend.

 Thank you, God. Your mercies are new every day. 

NED (No Evidence of Disease) is my new best friend. My Flow Cytometry results were good from my bone marrow biopsy.

I am grateful to God in heaven for these results. 

I'll be on a monthly monitor check of blood for a year, then we'll see what happens. 

God cares for the birds in the sky and the flowers on the ground, therefore, do not worry about tomorrow; trust in Him today for he will provide.

I hope your day and weekend are blessed,

G

Apr 11: The Big Needle

 aka Bone Marrow Biopsy

This one seemed to be more difficult and have more after-procedure pain. They use the top of the hip bone to collect the bone marrow and a piece of bone. I didn't pass out this time, but I did hear rushing water for a few moments after the second or third attempt to collect a sample. 

Results in 7-10 days. Accuracy down to 1/1M detection. 

Hopefully, all is clear, aka NED (No Detectible Disease) Then it'll be a monthly blood test to keep tabs on things for the next year. 

I am grateful and blessed.

Blessings to you and yours today,

Gary

Mar 23: The Gray Unknown

 The Gray Unkown

Seven and a half months post-transplant, I thought I was good on the leukemia front. I went from being physically good to here we go again. 

As my Blincyto treatment routine nears its end, the future is much more of a gray wall of unknown, like looking at a storm cloud bank. I have one more week of my 4 x 28 day infusion treatments broken up by 2 week breaks. After my infusion finishes next Thursday, I'll take a couple of week break, then they'll do a bone marrow biopsy to try to get a read on the front line of my bone marrow. My WBC counts are decent as are my overall blood counts. 

Blinatumomab Extends Life for People with ALL in Remission - NCI

I can't see beyond that gray wall, but God has given me the faith to trust Him that beyond that gray wall is an eternity of goodness, of living in the love and presence of Jesus. I might have to run the windshield wipers on high to get through that storm cloud, but there's sunshine on the other side. 

Revelation 21 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

Do you know Him, the Alpha and the Omega. Do you trust Him? 

Feb 27 Grateful Check

 I have a lot to be grateful for. 

• 18 months since first diagnosed and doing fairly well. 
• No sign of blasts (cancer cells) and all my white blood cells are from my donor bone marrow. 
• Started what should be my last of 4, 28-day round of Blincyto treatment today. 
• Grateful for the medical minds God has empowered to create treatments like Blincyto and for a portable infusion pump that allows me to be at home, rather than in the hospital for 28 days.
• A faithful wife who has endured all this with patience & grace. 
• Friends who have prayed for me.
• A God who loves me (and you.

May God bless you all today in the Grace and Love of Jesus Christ.

Jan 13: Third round, 28 days

So the good news is my appendectomy is mostly healed up. Still on a weight restriction. 

Today is the start of round 3 of my 28-day cycle of Blyncito so my infusion buddy, aka pump, is hanging around with me for the next 28 days. I'll return weekly to get my pump recharged for another weekly dose till I hit the 28th day. Then I get a 2-week reprieve. Then the fourth round again The restart is longer because they kick it off with a dose of IV dexamethazone. 

Otherwise I'm feeling good. Body is working pretty good. Starting to take walks again for exercise. Grateful and blessed. 

May you be blessed by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Dec 23: 1 day Post Appendectomy

Well I know it's been a while. Things were going pretty smooth on Blincyto and then Saturday came. Had this odd intestinal cramping pain on my right side, but wasn't horrible at all and then I started running a low-grade temp Saturday about 5:00 p.m. Called the doc and he had me come into the oncology ER where the conclusion was I had appendicitis. 

Oh yay.

Yesterday, for my birthday I had my appendix taken out. Back at the same hospital I was born at oh so many years ago. They did it laparoscopically which I was very grateful for. 

Post-op hasn't been too bad, as long as I don't cough or sneeze. Even that's not been horrible. Grateful for the surgical team skill and God's guiding hand in it all. 

God bless you all this Christmas season, remembering the God the Son, who came to Earth in the form of a baby, humbled himself for our sake to make us right with God in the end, for those that believe in him, the Messiah the Christ. 

Grace be upon you all, 

Gary

Dec 8: Big News - Blincyto a New Major Treatment

Consider donating to LLS.org (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society)They provide a variety of services to blood cancer patients. 

Here's a comprehensive PDF on leukemia from LLS.org. 

Overall Survival is significant when Blincyto and Sprycel is part of a long-term treatment plan. Long-term studies of multi-cycle Blincyto treatments have been very positive. 

Grace be upon you and yours,

Gary