12 Years Since my SCT – Happy Thanksgiving!!!

11/27/25 – It just seems so appropriate that the day of the 12-year anniversary of my SCT is Thanksgiving. I am so blessed to have experienced many wonderful things in life over these last 12 years. Certainly, at the very top of my joyful list is the birth of my 4 grandchildren. Overall, I am in good health and enjoying life... again... I am so blessed.

It’s crazy to think back when I was first diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma in 2008, my prognosis was pretty grim. This was, of course before I was introduced to Dr. Goy. Now all these years later, mantle cell lymphoma is no longer the death sentence it once was… and it is now something that is very treatable.

On this Thanksgiving Day, I truly have so much to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and friends.

Here is a link to a song called “Thanksgiving Prayer” by the great Johnny Cash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egIB7tYW80M&t=1s ENJOY!!!

"I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving." Psalm 69:30 

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com

A Happy 17 Year Anniversary

 07/17/25 – Just a quick post. Today marks 17 years since that I was first diagnosed.

I have nothing to give you as far as medical update go. All I can say is it’s good to be alive!

I do recall when I was first diagnosed, my co-workers gave me a number of gifts as I was getting ready to take a leave of absence to begin treatments. One gift I recall was a T-Shirt, that all my co-workers signed, that had the words: “Nothing’s gonna change my world”. This is a line from the Beatle song, “Across the Universe”. I figured that this was a perfect song to share with you today.

Here is a YouTube link to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T7cyHwlfFQ&list=RD6T7cyHwlfFQ&start_radio=1

I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

11 Years Since my SCT – Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 11/27/24 – On Wednesday, November 27^th, 2013, I had my stem cell transplant. It was a day of where my body was doing all it could to accept my new immune system. I was exhausted, feeling disoriented and experiencing some riggers/shakes. The day was a bit of a blur, and I slept most of the day. When I work up the next day, it was Thanksgiving. My wife and daughters were with me. They had prepared a Thanksgiving meal for us to share. Yeah, me and my family celebrating Thanksgiving in a hospital room…. my family dressed in hospital gowns and masks and me in my pajamas with very little energy. I didn’t have much of an appetite. I would end up eating just a few nibbles of food, I could have easily slept the day away… and in truth, it is one of my fondest memories of Thanksgiving and it was one of the best meals I have ever had. It was a day of us all truly being thankful… thankful for us, for our family, for the loved we shared over the years… and thankful for this life saving procedure I had the day before… and thankful for the many wonderful years we would share in the future.

It is now 11 years since we shared that memorable Thanksgiving meal… and life has given us so many blessings.

Coincidentally, the 11^th anniversary of my stem cell transplant falls on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the memory of the day 11 years ago come rushing back to me. It’s hard to imagine the life my family would have had if I chose to not have my transplant.

I was first diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma on July 17, 2008… that’s over 16 years ago. It is truly amazing how it has gone from something that was a death sentence… to something that is now considered a very treatable disease.

I originally starting writing blog as a way to share my cancer journey with friends and family. I have thankfully hit a point in my life where I, quite honestly, don’t have anything to add about my Adventures with Mantle Cell Lymphoma. With this said, this will be my last posting for a while. Certainly, I will share any updates about my health if there is anything new to report.

I would like to close this post with thanking my wife, daughters, family and friends, doctors, nurses and all the other people who have been a part of my heath journey, for all the support I have received from them.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Here is a link to a song called “Tunnel” by Third Day for those of you who are going through your own health journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7V5t9ECZXo

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm 107:1

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com

A Happy 16 Year Anniversary

07/17/24 – As the years go by, it is difficult for me to express how blessed my life has been. I now have 3 grandchildren… with another on the way. I find my health improving and myself feeling stronger. It has been 16 years since I was first diagnosed, and at 63 years of age, I still work full time… plus about a year ago I started to play music as a solo performer at local bars, breweries, restaurants, etc… Although I only perform 2 to 3 times a month… when I have a gig, I play for 3 hours. This certainly takes a lot of energy… energy I didn’t have just a few short years ago.

I won’t lie, I have had a few health issues. I had mentioned on a prior post that a weakness was found in my heart, which is caused by all the chemo I have had over the years. After treating this issue with medication, tests now show that my heart is back to normal. God is Good!

I also had an incident a couple of months ago where I was experiencing chest pain and I ended up in the ER. After an array of tests, it was found my heart and lungs were fine. In addition, the tests showed that I had no tumors. So, as crazy as it may sound, my trip to the ER resulted in good news. God is Good!

The one incidental finding from my visit to the ER was my gallbladder was pretty full of gallstones. It’s nothing that needs to be addressed urgently, but me and my gallbladder may be headed for a permanent separation.  

The one thing that remains a bit of a challenge for me is my immune system. Anytime I stop my IVIG’s for a while, I start getting upper respiratory infections. Another challenge has been that my veins are getting harder and harder to find. I have become an IV nurse’s nightmare. On the day of my IVIG infusion, the nurse would take as long as an hour to find a good vein. When the infusion finally started, in a short time my arm would begin to swell. This was caused by the needle in my arm slipping and the IVIG medication would start to accumulate under my skin. Of course, we would need to stop the infusion and start the process of finding another vein. I decided to speak to my doctor about stopping the IVIG’s. Instead of stopping… he suggested we try something new. With this new procedure I would receive the immune boosting drug via a subcutaneous injection. I decided to give this a try. The new drug is: Xembify – Immune Globulin Subcutaneous Human – klhw 20%. This is something I would receive this once a week (versus the once per month with the IVIG’s).

A subcutaneous injection is a method of administering medication. Subcutaneous means under the skin. In this type of injection, a short needle is used to inject a drug into the tissue layer between the skin and the muscle. Medication given this way is usually absorbed more slowly than if injected into a vein, sometimes over a period of 24 hours.

With this subcutaneous injection, I am now able to administer the drug to myself, without needing the services of a nurse. On the day of my treatment I do the following:

·       I load the drug into a syringe.

·       I then connect tubing that has 3 short needles on it.

·       The syringe is then attached to a pump.

·       I then inject the 3 needles (into my belly, arm, legs…. anywhere I could grab some loose/pinchable skin) and attached them with a clear medical adhesive to secure each needle…

·       and then I start the pump.

·       The pump runs about an hour.

I have gone through this process a number of times and I must say it is so much easier to do. It’s hard to believe that a process that was very difficult and stressful for me and my nurse is now so simple and stress free. God is Great!

Like I said at the beginning of this post…. I am very blessed… and I am so thankful for my good health and my wonderful life I have been given the opportunity to live. Now, I need to make the best of this opportunity... I need to strive to be the best person I could be…. I need to make sure I live life to the fullest… and most of all, I need to treat every day as a gift from God.

Here is a great song by Switchfoot that helps us strive to live life to the fullest… It’s called “More Than Fine” Enjoy!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZWbl5a0NQA

"I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" - John 10:10

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

10 Years Since my SCT - Life is Truly a Precious Gift

 11/27/23 – Has it really been a decade since I had my stem cell transplant. WOW!

I have so much to be grateful for. I have such great family and friends… and the icing on top is I now have 3 grandchildren… a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old and our recent addition is only one month old. All these wonderful life happenings have been made possible by blessings from above and the fantastic support of all the medical people (doctors, nurses, etc…) that have guided me to a very happy health outcome.

Is my health perfect? Of course not. I’m 62 years old, been through chemo 3 different times, had a SCT, have had numerous challenges that have arisen throughout my treatments… but as I often say, the best side effect I have is that I’M ALIVE!

There are two health issues that I have been facing.

1.       My immune system needs to be boosted with IVIG’s. I have tried to reduce the number of these infusions I get, but it’s become fairly clear that I need to have these monthly. Anytime I did it less frequent, my immune system (igg levels) would drop and I would often get infections. When you think about it, this is such a small thing when you consider all that I have gained.

2.      I do experience some lightheadedness from time to time. It usually happens when I am working in the yard doing the things that home owners do. We are still trying to understand why this is happening, but we have identified via a recent echocardiogram that my heart is a little weak. It’s nothing urgent, but it is something that I will be have further tests on in the coming month. I, of course, I will keep on top of this and do all I need to do to get to the bottom of this. This is just another possible side effect that I need to address. I am confident all will be fine.

With this said, I am on a never-ending mission to bring joy to others as well as finding time to enjoy life for myself. Recently, I started playing music at local restaurants, breweries, bars, etc… and I am having a blast doing it. It all comes down to life being just too precious a gift to waste. So, when I am feeling good, I make sure I take full advantage of it. Whether it’s rolling on the floor and wrestling with one of my grandchildren or playing my guitar… I try to make the very best of each day.

Here is a link to a great song by Tim McGraw on this subject. It’s call “Live Like You Were Dying”. Enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6NS7wrGItg

The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalm 28:7

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com

A Happy 15 Year Anniversary

 07/17/23 – It is so hard to believe that it has been 15 years since my first Mantle Cell Lymphoma diagnosis.  On July 17, 2008, I was 47 years old… told that I had an aggressive cancer called Mantle Cell Lymphoma… a cancer that had a track record as being very difficult to treat… but next came meeting Dr. Andre Goy… being accepted in his clinical trial… as we fast forward through 2 relapses, a stem cell transplant… and here I am, at the age of 62… Mantel Cell Lymphoma sitting it the distance of my rear-view mirror… and now, 15 years later I have been gifted the joy of meeting 2 grandchildren with one more on the way… I have been gifted the many more years with my beautiful family and wonderful friends… Do I dare say that I am actually thinking and putting plans in place for transitioning into retirement in a few short years??? This is something that I have always been hesitant to say out loud, thinking I would be counting my chickens before they hatch… but the reality is I am healthy and feeling great… I am so thankful for everything I have… I feel so blessed… I truly know all I have is gifted to me from God.

Here is a great song by Chris Tomlin that helps remind us of all the gifts from God… It’s called “Gifts From God” Enjoy!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfLGfuINnG4

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." — James 1:17

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

Sinus Surgery Was a Walk in the Park… or NOT… CRASH!!!

 4/30/23 – On Thursday, March 23^rd I had my sinus surgery to clear out my inflammation, repair a deviated septum and some other work… all with the hope of repairing my diseased sinuses and reduce the number of infections I have be getting over the years. After the first couple of days following the surgery, I was feeling much better than expected… so much so that on Saturday, March 25^th, I mention to my wife that “this sinus surgery is a walk in the park”.  Well, as we all know, it’s never good to count you chickens before they hatch. Around 4:00 AM Sunday morning, I woke up and went to the bathroom… like men my age tend to do. After I was done with going to the bathroom, I felt a little dizzy and passed out. To make matters worse, I was next to our shower with a glass door… and I fell through it, breaking the glass in a million pieces. The next thing I remember was regaining conscious, half on the floor of the bathroom and half on shower stall floor, covered with glass. Lucky for me, it was one of the newer shower doors and it didn’t break into sharp glass that would have made matters way worse.

The next things I remember were my wife screaming, my next-door neighbor, who is a state trooper, checking me out to see what damage I had done to myself, a team our paramedics attending to me, loading me in an ambulance, and a long ride to Morristown Hospital. When all this was done, I was in the emergency room hooked up to monitors to see what the heck happened. After hours of tests and scans there wasn’t anything that explained what happened. I did not have a heart attack, my blood pressure was normal, my heart and oxygen rates were normal, the scans of my head, sinuses and brain were clear, an ultra sound of my cardiac artery was clear.  I was put on a heart monitor for a 24 hour period, and that too came back normal. I guess it was another case of me going though something that wasn’t explainable.

When I got home, I went back to my normal activities and I haven’t experienced anything that would cause concern.

As far as my sinus go, I have not had any infections since the surgery. This leaves me very optimistic that we may have solved my never ending upper respiratory infections.

So all and all, I feel the sinus surgery was a success. It’s just that I guess I like to keep things interesting with the added drama I create. In truth, my wife never really liked that shower door… there are probably far easier ways of getting it replaced.

I will continue to have my monthly IVIG’s for a little while, but my hope is that I won’t need to get them at some point soon.

This whole event could have been so much worse and I just that thank God enough for always looking out for me.

Here is a link to a wonderful song prayer about how God looks after us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNd-PbVhnvA&list=RDYNd-PbVhnvA&start_radio=1

It’s called “See a Victory” and it’s performed by Elevation Worship.

Enjoy!

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

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com

IVIG’s and Sinus Surgery

 3/7/23 – It’s been a while since I posted a heath update. Overall, my health has been good, but I do continue to get sinus, and upper respiratory infections. As a matter of fact, I am on my 12^th consecutive round of antibiotics. It seems as soon as my I take my last pill… the infections are back within a day.

Apparently, this is being caused by a couple of factors.

My igg level: I continue to get my monthly IVIG. It has produced some promising results. In a recent blood test, my igg level was 837. This is the best it’s been in years, but my body is not maintaining antibodies. My Abs CD8 Suppressor is high (2,531) and my % CD8 Pos Lymph is also high (64.9%). Based on these numbers, my doctors feel I need to continue the monthly IVIG’s.

Inflamed Sinuses – I had a CT of my sinuses and it was discovered that they are very inflamed. My ENT doctor believes that one reason my infections have been ongoing is that they truly never clear from my sinuses due to all the inflammation that I have. Based on this we have decided that I will be getting sinus surgery. The surgery is scheduled for March 23^rd.

Between the IVIG’s and the sinus surgery, I am hopeful that I am on the right track towards normal… where I will not need to be on these never-ending rounds of antibiotics.

My adventure with Mantle Cell Lymphoma started when I was 47 years old. In a week I turn 62. I can say without any hesitation that I am truly blessed. My present and future continues to look bright.

 Here is a link to an awesome song the fits well with the crazy time we live in. It’s by Matt Maher and is called “Common Ground”.

Enjoy!

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

“To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:1-24

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com

9 Years Since My SCT – A Time to Give Thanks!

 11/27/22 – No way… has it really 9 years since I had my stem cell transplant? When I look back, it was the day before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving Day, my wife and two daughters spent the day with me in the hospital. They brought Thanksgiving dinner to me… sure, I really didn’t have much of appetite…  but what we shared was one of my best Thanksgiving memories. It’s times like these when you realize just how blessed you are and when you look up to God and say Thank You!!!

 Since that day, the blessings have continued. I’ve seen both my daughters get married… I’ve been blessed with two grandchildren… and as I sit here, I can say that the only thing that continues to be a challenge for me is my immune system. I continue to receive my monthly IVIG’s but it has become very apparent that they haven’t produced the results I had been hoping for.

Recently, I seem to get sinus or upper respiratory infections fairly often. This is followed by me going on antibiotics. Throughout the course of antibiotics, I’ll start to feel better… but once I take my last pill, I start to feel sick again. I am up to six consecutive rounds of antibiotics. To add on top of all this, I have had COVID twice this year… in July and in November… and I am up to date with all my boosters.

Of course, I knew that when I started with my IVIG’s that it would be a bit of a process and may require some tweaking. I guess I have to wait and see what my next set of blood tests reveal, which should be sometime after the new year.

Saying all this, for a person who has had MCL 3 time (2008, 2013, 2015) and someone who had a SCT 9 years ago… as I said at the beginning of this post… I am very blessed and I have so much to be thankful for. One of the great things about the anniversary of my SCT is that it always falls close to Thanksgiving. It is a great reminder to me on how thankful I am for all my blessings.

Here is a link to an awesome song the fits well with the Thankful theme of the season. It’s by David Crowder called “Thanks Giver”.

Enjoy!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxDKchUybN0

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com

It's Been Two Years Since My Last Scans - All is Great!!!

 10/21/22 – I just can’t believe that it’s been two years since my last scans. This is the first time I’ve gone this long between scans… and I guess it was for a great reason, my doctors are very confident that my health remains good… and they are 100% correct. My scans showed that all is clear. Certainly, God is Good!

To add to my good news, my igg level is at 763… which falls within the normal range. I guess my monthly IVIG’s are working. God is Great!

Dr. Leslie’s only instructions to me were to get my flu shot (which I did get already), keep up to date with my COVID vaccinations (which I went to get as soon as I left her office) and to enjoy life… especially my two beautiful grandchildren (I certainly plan to do that).

I truly have so much to be thankful for.  Although, it can be difficult ay times, you can never go wrong when you put your trust in God. Here is a like to a f=great song by Chris Tomlin, with some help from NEEDTOBREATH, called “Power”

Enjoy!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCVLrAszuig

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him” (Psalm 28:7).

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

A Happy 14 Year Anniversary

 07/17/22 – As the years fly by, there are times that I truly lose sight of my health journey. Except for the ongoing treatments for boosting of my immune system, which is such a small thing when you think about all I have been through, my health has been nothing but great. 2008, the year of my original diagnosis, seems like a lifetime ago.

Speaking of the treatment of my immune system, that is going well. When I first started, my IGG level was always in the low 400’s. Now, after receiving one IVIG per month for the last 6 months, my IGG level is consistently in the 700’s. I will continue to receive the IVIG treatments for the rest of the year and some time in 2023 we will look at where I am and make a decision on if I should have more frequent infusions. have fewer infusions, stop having infusions, or change the dosage I receive

There is no doubt that I live a very blessed life. I have my health, I have my two beautiful grandchildren, I have my two wonderful daughters and their husbands and I have my lovely wife. I truly try the celebrate life every day. After all, each day is a gift from God and living our lives to the fullest is the greatest way to show our appreciation. One way to do this is to always look to show love, compassion and kindness to all the people around us. Here is a link to a fantastic song, call “Nothing More” by The Alternate Routes. 

Enjoy!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIuy1a9IdHk

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." — Ephesians 4:32.

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

Immune System Update

02/23/22 – I can’t believe how time is flying by. I surely owe everyone an update based on my last post.

I did meet with Dr. Younus and he let me know that my test results showed that I ultimately had zero immune system protection from bacterial infections. I guess the good news is I finally know why I am so susceptible to upper respiratory infections. Based on this he said that the course of action I had to take was to get immunizations shots. These shots are what are typical for young children. Soon after meeting with Dr. Younus, I received 3 immunization shots:

• Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (Hib) - HIB (PRP-T)
• Pneumococcal - Pneumococcal (2 yrs and up) PPSV23
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)

The next step would be to rerun the blood test about 4 weeks following the shots and then meet with Dr. Younas again to review the results.

I had another appointment with Dr. Younas on January 31^st. Unfortunately, the immunizations shots did not do anything to improve my immune system. So, now what?

Dr. Younas feels the best course of action is to start a a regiment of periodic IVIG infusions. With this approach I would get an infusion every 4 to 5 weeks. My first infusion is scheduled for March 7^th.

In the meantime, Dr. Younus wants me to be careful with where I go and who I get close to. I not only need to be careful of exposure to COVID-19, I also need to stay away for people who are sick (cold, flu, etc.).

To look the positive side of things I have been feeling well. Since November I have had only one span where I wasn’t feel well and had to go on antibiotic… but other than that everything has been great.

I am very much looking forward to see how the IVIG’s help me. I am very hopeful.

Here is a YouTube link to a great song that helps us think about how God has our back. It’s called “He Is” by David Crowder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvvKa9vyixw

Enjoy!

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Romans 8:25

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com

8 Years Since My SCT – Taking a Deep Dive into My Immune System

11/27/21 – I am celebrating another anniversary. It is 8 years since my Stem Cell Transplant. I find it lands at the perfect time each year. It always right around Thanksgiving and I truly have so much to be thankful for. I have two beautiful grandchildren; Millie is 2 years old and Calvin is 2 months old. I have two fantastic daughters; Jill and Alli and of course there is Sue, my wonderful wife of 37 years.

I am also very thankful to be in my longest stretch of good health since I was originally diagnosed back in 2008. I am pleased to say that it has been 5 ½ years since I have had any health issues of note.

If I was being nitpicky, I suppose I could point to me not having the best immune system. I do seem to get sick easily. There is not doubt if there is a germ in the room, it will find me… and when it does, I have a difficult time recovering. With this in mind, my friends at the John Theurer Cancer Center have referred me to a doctor who specializes in Allergies and Immunology. His name is Dr. Mohammad A Younus and I had my first appointment/consultation with him on November 1^st. After looking at my case he had me go for a comprehensive blood test. This blood test would take a deeper dive into my immune system than anyone has done before. I have a follow up appointment on November 29^th. 

Via the My Chart application I have had to chance to see some of the results from the blood test results. Some of my results of note (those that were either above or below normal values) include:

• PNEUMOCOCCAL AB (23 SEROTYPES) – all 23 were Low
• IGG – Low
• Abs CD8 Suppressor – High
• % CD4 (T Helper) – Low
• % CD8 Pos Lymph – High
• CD4/CD8 Ratio – Low
• Platelet Count – Low

The CD4 and CD8 are areas I do not believe have been tested for in the past. It will certainly be very interesting to see what Dr. Younus will have to say about them. I have heard great things about Dr. Younus. I am truly very hopeful of what he can do for me.

With all this said, even if Dr Younus can’t help me, I am just so thankful and blessed. In all honesty my health challenges are becoming a distant memory. The one thing from my adventures with mantle cell lymphoma that I will always carry with me is that everyday is a gift.

With us entering the season of Advent here is a YouTube link to my favorite version of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”. It’s performed by Third Day. Enjoy!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7igzA8uupU

A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth and the rough places, a plain. And the glory of the Lord will appear, and all humanity together will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 

Isaiah 40:3-5

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com

A Happy 13 Year Anniversary

 07/17/21 – It is 13 years since I was first diagnosed and all I can say is life’s been great for me.  Back in 2008 I was 47 years old, unsure of what the future held for me. This year, in 2021, I celebrated my 60^th birthday and my future is looking very bright.

At my last appointment, my favorite APN Melissa said “you could now consider your check ups as social visits”. I will happily admit that my health has been nothing but excellent. On top of this I was able to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic unscathed.

Other than that, my family life has been fantastic. I just had the wonderful opportunity to spend a week with my family and granddaughter. To add to our blessings my daughter is expecting her second child in September.

As I say this, it makes me think about the many people who have not faired as well as I have. At times I do experience feelings of survivor’s guilt or even remorse. I just do not know why God chosen me to recover so well while other still suffer and others have not survived. It is a mystery of life I will never understand. I will always keep the people in my heart who are no longer with us. At the same time, I will never stop celebrating the wonderful gifts of life, survival and good health that God has given to me. I must always remember and be thankful for this gift and never stop trying to make a difference with the time I have been given.

 So, today is July 17^th, the 13th anniversary of the day I was first diagnosed with MCL. Me and my family choose to celebrate this day. It is a day that reminds us of how fragile we all are and that every moment we have is a gift from God.  

 

 Me and my wife enjoying the beach in Wildwood, N.J. (July 2021)

 

Here is a link to a wonderful song about celebrating life call “Rattle!” by Zach Williams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeTs6s19xX0

 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live

John 11:25

 

More to come…

http://mantlecell.blogspot.com/

 

7 Years Since My SCT – So Many Things to Be Thankful For

 11/25/20 – On November 27^th I will be celebrating 7 years since my stem cell transplant. With 2020 being as crazy and challenging year as it has been you may wonder what is there to celebrate. COVID-19 has certainly had its effect on all of us… But as I sit here and think about my life… even with everything that is going on in the world… I truly have so much to be thankful for.

 For one thing, I am in the longest stretch of time that I have been in remission since I was first diagnosed back in 2008.

 And for some more great news… I had my scans on October 19 and I continue to be all clear. If that’s not good enough... I will not need to get scanned again for another year. This is a great relief. I am feeling like I no longer have anything to worry about. As far as I am concerned my Mantle Cell Lymphoma is very distant in my rearview mirror. Now I can simply just roll on down the highway… completely carefree... and enjoy life. This is such a fantastic time of Thanksgiving for me.

 Speaking of Thanksgiving… I will say that the anniversary of my stem cell transplant falls at a great time of year. It always falls right around Thanksgiving which gives me the wonderful opportunity to thank the people in my life who have always been there for me. This all starts with my beautiful wife, Sue. I doubt I would have gotten through everything without her love and support. There are also my daughters and their husbands who have been there to keep a huge smile on my face. And on top of them, I now have my granddaughter who is just a gigantic joy in my life.

 There is also the rest of my family and friends who have supported me and have prayed so hard for me to be well.

 Last… but not least… I am so thankful for all the doctors and nurses who treated me. I consider all of them as part of my family. They are all such special and gifted people.

 And of course, I would be completely negligent if I didn’t thank God for all the good health I have been blessed with.

 To mark both my 7^th Anniversary and the Holiday of Thanksgiving, here is a YouTube link to a wonderful song by Chris Tomlin that features Thomas Rhett & Florida Georgia Line. It is called: “Thank You Lord” Enjoy!!!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOgAmQvOUM0

 Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Jeremiah 33:11

 More to come…

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