What's up doc?

Today I finally had my appointment with the stem cell transplant team. Well...with the doctor and one of the nurses. The other transplant nurse coordinator was MIA. She will brief me when I go back in two months.

What I learned was that my genetic analysis was normal. This is a HUGE relief since there are some chromosomal anomalies that predict a poor prognosis. I do not have them! This means that we have even more confidence that this protocol will be successful and well-tolerated. :)

So, I need to see my local oncologist, and he will get my chemo started. If I can get started next week, then I should be all done the treatments and on the road to recovery by late May or early June. (Just in time for pool season!)

I have an appointment next week but will try to get it moved up. I will be on chemo for 16 weeks. The cocktail is called CyBorD...which consists of Cytophosfamide (chemo), bortezomib (another cancer drug - also known as Velcade), and Dexamethazone (aka Dex, which is a steroid). (I don't have my papers with me so I am spelling these from memory...so please excuse the mistakes.) This cocktail is fairly well tolerated, so I hope to not have too severe of side-effects.

Once the 4 months is completed, and hopefully my cancer has been reduced significantly, they will give me the drugs to promote platelet production along with another chemo drug. After a period of time...I think it was 5-10 days, they will harvest my new platelets (aka stem cells) and freeze them.

Within a few weeks of that procedure I will be admitted to the hospital and have one dose of high dose chemo called Malphalen (sp) which is the most effective chemo for multiple myeloma. It will destroy the remaining cancer, and my bone marrow. A few days later they transplant my stem cells through blood transfusion and they migrate to my bones and start making new bone marrow, platelets and antibodies. I will remain in the hospital until my white cell count increases to a safe level...about 10 more days. Then I come home and recover. It will be about 6 months before I am strong enough to return to work. (Which brings us to this time next year.)

My doctor is a very nice man and is highly regarded. I feel good about the journey I am about to embark on. Or at least as good as I can. :)