HAPPY 1st 2nd BIRTHDAY!

This one will really be quick.  Yesterday was the really, actual, bonfide 1yr anniversary of my stem cell transplant at UCSF, which gave me my life back after cancer.  My 2nd birthday.  It was also the day that I had my monthly visit to my local (SLO) oncologist for my Zometa infusion and check of labs.  Thanks to Rod Blackner and his Paso Robles Culinary Academy cohorts for baking me a cake to take with me.  Chocolate cake with vanilla filing.  It was great, and everyone at the oncology center appreciated the moral victory that the day represented.  All of the many nurses that have treated and "infused" me over the past year and a half were there, especially the 2 who were in Paso when Michael Blackwell, then Dr. Bonis saved my life.  Valerie and Kristen, a special thank you.  Kristen is leaving the cancer bus. to work for an OBGYN in Templeton.  Friday is her last day, so it was doubly nice to be able to see her, thank her, and say my good byes.  For all of the miracles in my treatments, I'm guess the need for an OBGYN in the future for me is still pretty slim.  It was wonderful to go back home and climb into bed all nauseated from the infusion and nightly chemo.  I laid there just thanking the Lord for my nausea and body pains.  It reminds me every night that I am alive, and beating the cancer that tried to take me.  If you're interested, go back a year and review the miracles that surrounded my surviving the bone marrow and stem cell transplant, or the chemo that preceded them anyway.  Yesterday, one of the other patients receiving an infusion said that I was just "beaming and glowing".  I told her, and the 5 other patients receiving infusions in our treatment room, that thanks to God, my brother Jesus Christ, fantastic doctors, nurses, medicine and science, I was alive to beam.  I gave her my telephone number and told her to call me if she wanted to hear about how she could be beaming by her next treatment.  Terri, my nurse, encouraged her to call.  She said, "He always leaves here having made somebody feel better about their chances and recovery."  I can't help it.  It's a message that needs to be shared.  Have I told you about my friend, Dennis Lozano and my niece, Becky and great-nephew Spencer?  Now those are stories...

Mr. Sicky

This will be short.  I'm now on my 3rd bout with pneumonia in 2 months!  My lungs have been a weak point since childhood, allowing colds to become bronchitis, then pneumonia, rather quickly.  Unfortunately, the z-pak the Dr gave me didn't seem to phase it this 3rd time.  Of course my situation worsened last Sunday evening, while we had my niece, nephew and their 4 daughters visiting for the long weekend.  Dale had gotten the flu the day before they came, so she stayed hidden away in her room for the entire weekend.  Sorry Kim, Nick, Courtney, Jocelyn, Lauren and Tess.  Thank you Hillary for carrying the load.  So Dr Malone is in Death Valley for a 200 mile bike race, but thank heaven for Dr Lewis who was on call.  All the local pharmacies were closed.  The 24 hr Walgreen's in Atascadero (30 mins away) was closed because the pharmacist was out sick!  Dr Lewis was willing to meet someone at his office in San Luis after his family gathering, so poor Darrell had to drive the 50 miles to meet him around 9 pm to get me the new and improved drug, Cipro.  Thanks Darrell.

The worst part of it was that I was having to cough so often and hard that it was causing terrible spasms in my sides, ribs, abdomen, lower back and chest.  Usually the spasms would be in one or two spots, and would go away after a minute or two.  A couple of times they all went spastic on me, for several minutes.  Reminded me of the good ol' days of the spasms due to my collapsed vertebra, and probably just about as painful.  Thank heaven its improved to just 1 or 2 areas, 3 or 4 times a day. 

The good news.  I've lost 8 pounds so far.  The bad news.  Tonight we were supposed to go watch our friends Liz Adams and her daughter Bailey, Carrie Ham and her daughter Macey, perform in a local production of Annie.  It's the last weekend too, so we're out of luck.  Tomorrow was supposed to be an extra special day.  One of the young ladies that attended our Muppet movie night, Rebecca Pechon, had asked me to baptize her on her birthday in May.  I told her that I thought that was too long of a wait.  2 weeks ago she asked me if I would do it on my birthday, to make it special for both of us.  What a sweetie.  Now, I'm too ill.  I spoke with her yesterday and told her I couldn't do it.  I so proud that she's going ahead with it and, giving a young man in our Ward, Cody Murdock, who recently received his mission call to the El Salvador San Salvador Mission, the opportunity to perform the baptism.  Way to go Becca!  Tomorrow was also supposed to be a joint birthday party for me and the King tripletts.  I know, I know.  Stay home.  Get your rest, 'cus if you don't have your health, you don't have anything.

Well, so much for the short post.  Hopefully I'll have some good news after my March 2nd appointment with my local oncologist (which, by the way, IS the 1 yr anniversary of my stem cell transplant & "2nd birthday"), followed by my visit to UCSF with Drs Wolf and Burch on the 8th.  At least I'm way ahead of where I was a year ago, and for that I'm truly grateful.  Thanks for your continued support and prayers.  We love you guys.

Good News. Better News. Best News

Gate to Chinatown

Looking for Lunch

Not wanting to waste a trip to SF on just medical stuff, I went early and headed to Chinatown.  I hadn't been there since one of my scout trips to stay overnight on the WWII submarine the USS Pampanino many years ago.  Great fun.  Great food!  Then off to UCSF for the afternoon.

Right across from where I parked and 1 block to Chinatown gate, so in I go!

 

3 rooms of fascinating sculptures in brass, copper and paper.  Here's a few.

This lovely lady is Ilana Hettena, the coordinator of the pulmonary and mobility studies.  She and a co-worker, Barbara, also administer some of the tests.  In November, they had me do a test that measures spinal & body rotation.  They had me do one (of many) test(s) but weren't sure if they were doing it right, so they asked Dr. Wolf to demonstrate.  I did better than he did.  It made me feel pretty good, until I tried to golf this week.  Whoa baby.  I sucked.  But it was fun.

Another round of childhood immunizations.  They send in the nicest and prettiest nurses, like Stephanie here, like it's supposed to make you feel better about being shot 5 times.  This time it was a mixture of childhood and adult versions of the immunizations, which means they hurt more and make you sicker.  Next time (March), I also get more shots.  Then a 6 month break, then another 6 month break.   I did get some good news from Dr. Wolf.  He said that my markers for my recovery from the cancer were all good, and, even better, very consistent in their improvement.  He said that if those markers continue to improve, he would consider taking me off of the daily chemo routine after 1 year in the program instead of the 2 years he originally anticipated and set me up for.  The year will be up at the first of June.  I have 6 more blood tests between now and then, so keep praying that my improvement will continue.  I would REALLY love to get off of the Revlimid.  The side effects have been worsening the past couple of months.  6 more months is very doable.  18 more months is less ... exciting.  As I was leaving Dr. Wolf's office he gave me a hug.  I couldn't tell if it was because he was as excited about the good news, or whether it was because I brought him mushroom chicken and steamed rice from Chinatown for lunch.  I didn't ask.  Whenever we meet with him he's usually eating chips or cheetos and drinking a coke, because that's all he says he has time for.  Do as I say, not as I do?  Well, that's the latest news and the gossip from the land of the midnight son of a gun.  Thanks for your continued support and good wishes.  We will continue to love and appreciate you forever.

Not So Special Olympics

Dan sent me THIS. I don't know why, but as you can see, the physical therapy is working!

I KNOW YOU MEAN WELL

As the New Year celebration approached everyone I talked to would say something like, "I hope the New Year is a lot better than the old one!"  To some I'd just let it go. To others I'd take the time to explain, like all of you.

I don't know how next year could be better than last year.  I have never felt and received so much love from my Heavenly Father through the priesthood blessings and strength given to my soul and body.  I have never felt so close to the Savior and felt and received so much love through His atonement that removed my pain.  Never has He been so involved as an intermediary between Heavenly Father and me taking all of the thousands of prayers to Him and lovingly returning with answers, or directing the activities of angels on behalf of me and my family.  Never have I felt Him personally closer to me.  I have never felt so close to the Holy Ghost and received so much peace and comfort to my soul.  Never has He been so active on my behalf inspiring all of my care providers with light and knowledge when things "were not working with the regular protocols."  Never have I felt so much love from all of those who prayed, fasted, financially supported, did service, visited, brought cookies, sent cards of encouragement and love, made hotel arrangements, and administered blessings and the sacrament, to me.  Never have I felt so much love and gratitude to so many people who were always friends, but now I know are truly family.  Never have I had in my heart the desire to do unto others as has been done unto me.  To share the Savior's love.  It was not a bad year.  It was not a horrible year.  It was a wonderful, blessed, miraculous, loving, peaceful year. 

I now realize that I've had years like that before, just not to the extent of last year.  I just didn't notice.  I didn't appreciate it.  Hopefully, you will look back and look around you and see what I missed all those years.  I wish you all your best New Year ever.  I think I just had mine, but it doesn't mean that 2011 can't be great too.  With much love for you all.  Kevin