One Treatment Cycle Down – So far so good

4/29/15 – I have made it through my first treatments and so far so good. I will say that I feel a little tired but for the most part all is going as well as it could be. When I hit about 10 days after treatments it is predicted that my white blood cell count (WBC) will drop a bit. That seems to be what I recall happening in the past. In going through cancer treatments it is typically the “unknown” that makes things a little scary. With me being a “veteran” of chemotherapy since 2008, it is the “known” that makes things a little scary. Certainly, my history of infections is the elephant in the room (a problem that everyone knows is there but no one wants to acknowledge). 

My next set of appointments are as follows:

• Tomorrow I need to return for an injection of Neulasta, This will help reduce the risk of infection by boosting my white blood cell count to strengthen my immune system. For some reason my neutrophil has been low. It was at 1.2. For it to be normal it must fall between 2.5 and 7.0.
• May 7^th I have a follow up with Dr. Goy
• May 26^th through May 28^th I am scheduled for my 2^nd treatment cycle

 I can’t say it enough how important it is for me to stay positive and to be driven by Faith, Hope, Love and Prayer. I truly believe that my good attitude and approach to my treatments is something that has been contagious with my chemotherapy comrades who share the same infusion room with me. Socializing, sharing our stories and providing encouragement to each other is extremely powerful to the healing process for all of us.

All and all this was a great way to start my treatment of MCL. I am looking for the momentum of this positive week to carry through to a successful outcome.

Here is a YouTube link to a great song that has been helping me greatly. I listen to it, play it on my guitar and I have even sung it in church. Give it a listen, I hope you get the same inspiration that I get from it. It is called “One thing Remains”. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoYgi0sdOqc

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

First Day of Treatments… Take 3

4/27/15 – I started with my first treatment of my first cycle today and all went well. It was a long day. My wife and I left the house at 8:30AM and arrived home about 8:00PM. I received rituximab followed by cytarabine, two medicines I have received in the past.

In going through treatments it is typically the “unknown” that makes things a little scary. With me being a veteran of chemotherapy since 2008, it is the “known” that makes things a little scary. Certainly, my history of infections is the elephant in the room (a problem that everyone knows is there but no one wants to acknowledge). I guess no one wants to jinx me... I guess that is a good thing. 

The rest of my week has two more days of treatments on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday I need to return for an injection of Neulasta, This will help reduce the risk of infection by boosting my white blood cell count to strengthen my immune system. For some reason my neutrophil was low today. It was at 1.2. For it to be normal it must fall between 2.5 and 7.0.

All and all this was a good day and a great way to start my treatment of MCL (for the 3^rd time). I am looking for the momentum of this positive day carry through the rest of the week.

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

It’s Official; My Mantle Cell Lymphoma is Back… Again

4/15/15 - I met with Dr. Goy today and I received the official word that the biopsy results showed that my Mantle Cell Lymphoma is back again. Of course, the ever positive Dr. Goy feels good about getting me back to good health. We discussed and agreed to a phased treatment approach.

The first phase will be a chemotherapy  referred to as R-BAC which is a combination of rituximab, bendamustine, and cytarabine. The plan will be for me to have four 21 day cycles. We are looking to have my port surgically installed sometime next week and then we can begin my first cycle at the beginning of the following week, Monday April 27^th. This will be 3 consecutive days.

Once I have successfully completed R-BAC, the next step will be me getting a DLI (donor leukocyte infusion). This is an infusion in which lymphocytes from the original stem cell donor are infused, after the transplant, to augment an anti-tumor immune response or ensure that the donor stem cells remain engrafted. These donated white blood cells contain cells of the immune system that can recognize and destroy cancer cells.

Once the DLI has been successfully completed the next step is CAR T-Cell Therapy. This is a treatment that will engineer my immune cells to treat my MCL. Depending on the timing this treatment will being given to me at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital or The John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center. Doctor Goy is very excited about this treatment… so of course I am excited about it as well.

As you can imagine this was a very long day with and lot for me to process. I am confident that we have an excellent plan and that it will result in a successful outcome for me.

In the meantime I will live my life in as normal a way that I can. As a matter of fact I receive my last infusion of the first cycle on Wednesday, April 29^th. I will follow this with me boarding a plane two days later to go to my Goddaughter’s wedding on May 2^nd. The way I see it is life is meant to be lived… no matter what obstacles we face.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:7

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/