Tuesday, September 8, 2009

What's Actually Going On Part 1

     Here goes!  Sorry this won't be as cute and fun to read as what Darrell began with but hopefully informative.  This morning we met with the oncology/hematology doctor and REALLY liked him.  He grew up in Long Beach, Ca, went to Wilson High!  He's brand new here.  His office is in the building right next door to Kevin's office!  We felt a connection immediately.  Especially Kevin.  He really felt like he was led to him and meeting him only confirmed that.  Kevin even went so far as to tell  Dr. William E. Bonis that he was an answer to prayer and felt like the Lord put us together!  Kevin does not usually bring up religion on the first meeting.
     Because he is new here, he doesn't have alot of patients so he will be able to devote alot of time to Kevin.  He spent alot of time with us today.  In looking over all of the tests already done he felt like most of them were not so bad or pretty normal!  However, he thinks it probably is Multiple Myeloma.  He will do a bone biopsy Friday morning along with a few more blood tests, that will make the determination.  Then we will get x-rays of his whole skeleton to determine where it all is. 
     Then he will make arrangements for us to meet with associates in San Francisco who will give a second opinion and maybe get Kevin into a trial, which would help alot since we have no insurance and not much money!  The treatments he thinks will probably work best are mostly pills.  I think he mentioned one IV per week.  It's too soon to know for sure.
     They need to determine what stage the cancer is in, yada yada yada!  Sometimes they radiate a specific pesky tumer.  Since this is a plasma cancer which is in the blood and bone marrow it's basically everywhere.  When they get the cancer near or into remission then they often do a bone marrow transplant of his own marrow.  They basiclly take some of it out, clean it and put it back in and that often keeps the patient healthy for many years to come or indefinitely.
     Today is a good day.  He seems to have more energy.  Sunday was a very good day.  He made it through 4 hours of church, came home took a nap, then spent the afternoon and evening receiving visitors and phone calls.  Monday he was exhausted.  He layed around most of the day and made it to the office at 4pm.  Did some work and church work.  Went out to dinner with his physician and his family, went home and crashed.  He feels very tired and weak most of the time.  He feels heavy as though he is carrying a ton of extra weight.  He's aches all over.  He has a constant headache which he manages with ibuprophen at the moment.  Oddly enough just showering is the hardest thing physically each day. A good friend delivered a shower chair last night that helped alot this morning.
     I can't end this without thanking our PA Michael Blackwell for his tireless work in getting us this far.  He's been working and researching day and night accomplishing weeks worth of tests in one weeks time.  We are grateful!  Hugs and kisses to Tani and the kids for living without him while he's been helping us.
     We thank you all for your prayers and notes.  We will try to keep this up to date.  We want to respond to each and every one of you, but we just can't .  We hope that he will have the energy and time to keep working while he's healing. 
     We feel the love and prayers of you all.  It's really amazing.  We love you all so much and look forward to when we can catch up with you individually.  Love, Dale

13 comments:

  1. Thanks Dale! You aren't going through this alone. Let us know what we can do to help out.

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  2. If you do come up to San Fran...you can stay with us here in Tracy (we have a guest room). We're only a quick 50 minute drive to the city! Love you guys.

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  3. Thanks for the update Dale and Daryl, informative and funny. The blog is a great idea so we are not all calling or passing on info that has been down the telephone chain! We love you guys and are there for you.

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  4. So, we have a nice father of four who was diagnosed in March w/ Stage 3 Multiple Myeloma. He is currently getting ready for his stem cell tx. Our prayers are with you - and please let us know if there is anything we can do to help!!!!

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  5. Dale I think Kevin is pretending to be weak in the shower so that you will give him a sponge bath. I am so on to him!!! We love you and think of you and pray for you all constantly.
    Cari Ham

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  6. I've had a fair share of great bishops in my 30 some odd years of life (and yes, some of them were very odd. Years, not bishops!) But, I have to say you are my absolute favorite. The unconditional love and candy that comes from you is AMAZING and inspiring.

    We are keeping you and your incredibly awesome family in our prayers. Bailey, Sage, & Denver also say "We LOVE YOU!"
    ~Liz Adams

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  7. we love you guys! we are sad to miss you in October but hope that Kevin gets all the right treatments he needs. WE LOVE YOU!

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  8. This is WONDERFUL! THANK YOU for keeping us all updated without ever having to talk with us! :-) Perhaps you should have created a blog for bishoping - who knows, it may have staved off the on-set of Bishopitis!!!!

    You know we love you all dearly -- why else would we be reading about a gassy old man with cancer who just says he loves long walks on the links because he's really too cheap to get a cart?!?!?

    Lucky for you, you can still go to Lolo's for lunch! In fact, go to Lolo's often enough and you'll be able to enjoy rolling on the links without a cart! :-) Wish we were there to go with you! We love you! :-)

    We love you!

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  9. Hey guys. You know I am not a fuddy, i mean funny guy so I won't try to be. What is Bishopitis, I have heard of Leishmaniasis, flesh eating nasty stuff, so being a bishop gets one the bishopitis? I will see KRR tomorrow, got some questions about a hike I am taking next week, so see you then. Love to all, even you darryl.

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  10. Hey guys, This is a great way to keep everyone updated without having to repeat yourself 5.000.000 times. The message reach all the way across to Europe we are thinking about you and praying for you. Love you all

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  11. We lift you up in prayer. Please know that.

    We send you our love,
    xoxo from The Cecils

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  12. Kevin you are truly a man of miracles and with your faith and the many prayers that are said for you, I know with all my heart, that we will be successful!

    In 1928, Alexand Flemming discovered Penicillin. Many lives were and will be saved by this medicine. Every year new discoveries are made.

    On December 3, 1967, South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard conducted the first heart transplant on 53-year-old Lewis Washkansky. The surgery was a successful

    Each year new ideas and miracles happen to those who listen to the spirit. President Nelson testified that though the power of prayer he was able to successfully repair a leaking heart valve in a good friend of his. This was never done before and with prayer, faith and the help of our Heavenly Father a miracle did happened. Kevin you have that same faith. You know it and so do I. Our prayers and love are with you each day.

    Michael

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  13. Hey Chemoslobber, this is Chemobrain.
    Aren't we a sight! Great conversations we had on Sunday. They were real "old man" conversations. We talked about everything from nose hairs to constipation. Which takes me back to our days in the bishopric with Larry Boice, where we really got to know each other and had such great spiritual experiences. Then there were the days when you and I and Bing were in the High Priest Group leadership together. If that was today you could call us the "Chemobabies".

    I guess I could say if cancer is good enough for the General Authorities it is good enough of us.

    God bless you my friend. Love ya

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