The Next Chapter

When It Started
Last December the week before Christmas, I got strep throat. One week after taking anti-biotics I had a full recovery, but started having bone crushing pains in my head. I knew they weren’t headaches or migraines, but I had been totally stable since completing my radiation back in October. In fact, bone in my spine was starting to grow back – yes, a miracle. My kidneys had also continued to improve – another miracle since I hadn’t had any treatment that would impact that since last April. Yet, I had this pain that made it difficult to even move my head without sending off shockwaves of mind numbing pain.
I emailed my doctor, and she wasn’t alarmed. And so it began…My next symptom was numbness in my left chin area. I headed for the dentist. After several visits to dentists, oral surgeons, and back to my regular haunt at the Bone Marrow Transplant clinic at UT Southwestern…nothing was really impressive until the tumors in my mouth and forehead started popping up. I began the same treatment I did a year ago which had put the disease in a full remission. My doctor told me, don’t worry, the drug will work again. Well….it did and it didn’t. Multiple Myeloma is a sneaky little disease. If it comes back (and statistically it often does) it gets real clever and tries to hide better. Praise God for the plasmacytomas (blood tumors) which "outed" the disease progression. Some of the tumors started shrinking and completely went away immediately from the steroids (and I got a lovely “pumpkin” shaped face as a parting gift). But, the tumors in my mouth were slow going and went away only after a few rounds of the Velcade. I did 8 weeks of Velcade (the latest and smartest biological therapy used against Myeloma). However, a couple of weeks after stopping therapy, the tumors in my mouth came right back. If I had done more Velcade it may have gotten to the root of those tumors, but the purpose of doing Velcade at all, was to slow down the disease and decrease it in preparation for a bone marrow transplant. Ahhh, the words I have been running from for the last 6 years – Bone Marrow Transplant. God already met with me back in January while the doctors were trying to determine what was going on again…I remember telling Him in utter frustration and being at the end of me,"I can’t do this anymore”. He said, “I know…you about ready to go cut the head off this beast?” “Yeah….I’m ready”. I already knew in December when the “head aches” started, it was time.


Testing, Testing
So, after completing the Velcade they ran a series of tests to determine how much good it did. Again, almost all my results looked good and stable except for the one irrefutable test where the disease cannot hide. This is the one “procedure” I will tell you about. It is horrible. I had it performed two other times, and the IV drug they gave dulled the pain down to “pressure” which was bearable. In fact, I was very talkative during the procedure which only takes about 30 minutes. This time, it was quite different. The drug didn’t work and I felt the 6 inch hollow point needles going in and coming out. They lay you face down on a hard bed and according to my daughter Natalie, they “get on top of you” and use all their body weight to “drill” the needle into your hip bone (where over 90% of your bone marrow is stored) then they “pop” out your bone and bone marrow. I started coming off the table and moaning and crying. They tried to give me more drugs, but this is a time sensitive test and there was not enough time for it to take effect – they had to continue. My daughter said it was so brutal she had to look away. I just know it’s a pain unlike any I have experienced. So, anyway, the results of my bone marrow biopsy revealed that 40% of my cells were plasma/Myeloma – not what the doctors are looking for. Another test called a PET scan revealed more tumors on my spine my hip and somewhere in the sinus region. However, all my other “qualifying” tests on lungs, heart, etc..came back fine – You have to be sound enough to undergo the BMT.

I Come With Attachments
The next phase was to install (yes, install) a Neostar in my chest. (This is the catheter they use to get your bone marrow out of you through your blood stream.) I did it as an outpatient and went to work afterwards (no one told me I was supposed to go home). Anyway, I felt fine, just a little tired. A surgeon does this procedure, while you are awake – but no pain, only a little pressure. They make an incision above the collar bone, and thread a large catheter into your chest through a large vein which ends up in the heart valve. 3 catheters branch out of your chest. ( I look like that thing off Predator)
I was the most nervous about this than any other procedure (except the bone marrow biopsy) but, let me testify that that’s when He(Jesus) showed up. I can’t speak of what He did for me just yet to bring comfort; but He let me know He’s with me in this battle, every step of the way. He is faithful and true and He is with me in the valley as always.

The next day I had to go into the hospital for one day while they administered the first chemo called cytoxin….just let that simmer a moment. They stressed to me over and over how this drug must be flushed out immediately. If it sits in the bladder it causes internal bleeding. Well, I had no nausea, no pain, and 3 days later the tumors in my mouth once again disappeared- Praise You God. My high priest went before me again and held up a banner. “No weapon forged against me by the enemy shall prosper”. The “Word” has come to life in me.


The day after that (you don’t get much rest once you start this process) they started my Neupogen injections. I get double doses (two injections), every day, 7 days a week. I’ve had them in my arms, stomach and now legs; 20 shots including today. These shots help your body create massive amounts of stem cells in the marrow. Today (Monday, May 4) they ran labs to see if I’m ready to start collecting stem cells. They called after I left the office to let me know I’m ready. So tomorrow will be another new experience. They will hook me up to an Apheresis machine which will pump my blood and stem cells (which have been released into my blood stream by the shots) and divide the stem cells out and return my blood to me through another tube in my chest. They have to collect 10 million cells – enough for two transplants. They think they can do it all tomorrow. Otherwise, I have to keep coming back until they get enough. The process takes about 6 hours.

After this, I will get a little break just to recover. My red and white cells and platelets are really low- which they are supposed to be, but it affects your energy. The next phase will take me back to the hospital for approximately 3 weeks. They will administer the final chemo – Melphalon – which is designed to bring me to zero immune system-basically, kill everything; good and bad. Then, they will “rescue” me with my own stem cells – and that is the transplant.

To God Be All the Glory
Whew…that’s a lot of info, I know. The funny part, it’s only about half of what has gone on these past four months…but, it’s enough. God has shown me and taught me so much on how to fight this battle we are all engaged in on some level down here on planet earth. "The weapons of our warfare are not flesh and blood but they are mighty before God for the bringing down of strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:4. I want to encourage everyone that regardless of what storm you are going through, the same Jesus who called Peter out of the boat and gave Him the power to walk on top of the waves, still walks with us today and empowers us even more. He’s going with me into the fire, not sending me in alone, and I know my God is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than anything I could ask or imagine- He already has. He’s the only reason I’m not afraid anymore. I can look the enemy straight in the eye (figuratively) and rebuke him through scripture – greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. Satan, you don’t scare me anymore – perfect love has cast out all fear. The same Jesus that bought me with a mighty price is here to raise up a standard when the enemy comes in like a flood. I walk by faith and not by sight.; and what I see now is a disease…but, what I’m walking towards is what is unseen – my deliverance. Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, He sees you and cares for you more than you can comprehend.

Thank you all for caring, and for your prayers. Pray for me that I will pass the test I’ve been given and that God will be glorified above all.