THE END OF THE BEGINNING

So here's the short story, for which I've never really been known, but let's see how this goes.

In my last meeting with Dr. Wolf he told me that he wasn't comfortable taking me off of the daily chemo due to "Jaws", my cancer.  Well, since then my internal organs have gone steadily downhill.  Fri. was the 2 year anniversary of my taking the daily chemo and all that goes with it.  Both Dr. Malone, my local oncologist, and Dr. Wolf are quite surprised that I lasted this long.  Most people take the Revlamid 2 weeks on then 2 weeks off, or 3 weeks on then 1 week off.  That allows the chemo to just get out of the body before you start all over again.  So my body has endured about 4 years worth of treatment, in 2 years.  No wonder my guts are going downhill, huh?

 Let me back up a little. After my visit with Dr. Malone the end of April, Dr. Malone offered to talk to Dr. Wolf and let him know where I was at.  Dr. Malone always sends the labs for review, but he felt he needed contact. They talked, Dr. Wolf and I talked.  They talked again. Then at 6:59 am on Mother's Day morning (yes, my great doctor doesn't take a day off unless you take him away from it on purpose) I got a text message from Dr. Wolf saying, "Go off the Rev until you get here."

So Dr. Wolf spends 5 minutes hemming and hawing about whether or not to take me off before I interrupt and ask him was his "gut" feeling was.  I told him that me and my family pray for him every morning and night that the Lord will inspire him to know what to do for my care.  I told him that between the Lord and him, they've done a great job for 28 months and I expect him to keep doing a great job of it.  His eyebrows raised some.  He sat back in his chair and thought for what seemed like 10-15 seconds and declared, "I'm taking you off of the Rev[lamid]."  I told him that I was comfortable with the decision and we both relaxed.

I'll still be getting blood tests once a month to check up on the cancer and other related things.  Next meeting with Dr. Wolf, 4 months!  That is unless something comes up in the labs.  So I'm excited.

I'm really looking forward to not having the side effects.   They are starting to subside.  I actually slept from 11 to 6, STRAIGHT THRU!  Usually I have to get up 2-4 times due to nausea.  This is going to be so good.

So, there you go.  That's it for now.  I'll keep you up to date when something comes up.  Thanks for sticking with us and all of your support.  It's been over 28 months since my diagnosis.  Wow.  Going for 48.

Love.  Kevin