There is so much to be Thankful for

As I think back to the spring of 2008 when I wasn’t feeling well and had so many questions to now where it is all a distant memory, I truly do have so much to be thankful for.

Over the past couple of months I seem to have picked up and upper respiratory infection that I just can’t kick. I met with a few doctors and have been on a number of antibiotics to no avail. I had an appointment with Dr. Goy in September and it seems that my immune system is pretty low. It would seem that it does take time for our immune system to fully recover after all the chemo treatment I had. It sometimes needs years to get back to normal. We have these things called GA levels and apparently mine are lower than they should be. I went to see Dr. Goy to see what he suggested I do. He first wanted to make sure it was only an infection so he had me get a CT Scan. Thankfully it came back clear. He then suggested that I get an IVIG infusion.

• Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a blood product administered intravenously. It contains the pooled IgG (immunoglobulin (antibody) G) extracted from the plasma of over one thousand blood donors. IVIG's effects last between 2 weeks and 3 months. It is mainly used as treatment in three major categories:
• Immune deficiencies such as X-linked agammaglobulinemia, hypogammaglobulinemia (primary immune deficiencies), and acquired compromised immunity conditions (secondary immune deficiencies) featuring low antibody levels.
• Inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
• Acute infections.

The only issue with me getting this treatment was there was a blood shortage and supplies were limited. I would have to wait for a while. It ended up being a pretty long wait about two months. I had the IVIG treatment on 11/24/10.

Below is the update on my checkups:

11/15/10 – It is that 4 month scan time again. Today I had my CT Scan

11/18/10 – Today I get my results to my scans. I met with Dr. Mateo (a new doctor on Dr. Goy’s team). Overall my scans looked good... Thank God!!! The one thing that did show up on my scan was an enlarged lymph node in the right hilar (one of the areas I have had tumors in the past. Now there are many reasons why someone could have an enlarged lymph node, and with the upper respiratory infections I have been having it is most likely enlarged because of that. Due do to my history, Dr. Mateo is being overly cautious and scheduled me for a PET Scan in December. Dr. Mateo also advised me that my GA levels are low so he scheduled me for my IVIG infusion.

11/24/10 – I met with Dr. Mateo again. To be proactive, he scheduled me for a second IVIG in about a month just in case my IG levels do not improve from the treatment I get today. I did finally get the IVIG infusion. It took about 4 hours.

My schedule for the next month is as follows:
• 12/17/10 – Blood test for IG levels
• 12/20/10 – I will have my PET Scan
• 12/23/10 – I will get the results of the PET Scan, have IVIG infusion if I need it.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I really do have so much to be thankful for. I have great family and friends, a loving wife and the best daughters ever. God is Good, God is Great!!!!!!!!

I know I have included this in my BLOG before but here is a great song about being thankful that I would love to share with you. It is called "Thank You for Hearing Me" by The David Crowder Band. Enjoy!!!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v-YPbbNRPY

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

More to come…

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