Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Once More, Brave Friend, Into The Fray

I received the analysis and the actual images of my latest PET/CT scan. It revealed a mighty and fierce myeloma lesion in my C2 spinous process. Dr G said the risk of my neck breaking is very high. That spot is known for the infamous, "Hangman's Break" which is the place the neck breaks when the rope snaps tight causing immediate and complete paralysis. Dr G said that is why she wants me to start radiation immediately.

Her argument hit home. It must have been the vivid description. Ya think?

Tomorrow I meet a radiation therapy team at Bayonne Radiation Practice to plan a course of treatments. It took a week to get the medical records over there and then another week before I could get an appointment with the Advance Practice Intake Nurses.

I did start meds already last week. I have been getting this one ever since I was first diagnosed in 2005. It's called dexamethasone. I get forty mg/day last week for four days; same this week. This stuff turns my on switch "On." Then the motor runs about five times normal speed.

The other med I will be taking is Lenalidomide at twenty mg/day for twenty-one days; seven days off. This stuff is a special kind of poison.
I know I do not want chemo again. 
But I cannot be so selfish; my wife says
I have to fight so I can make my life longer for
her and for our children and our family.

So I will treat those words as though they have come from The Pharoah in the epic movie "The Ten Commandments," when he says "So let it be written. So let it be done!"