Match Point!

I have been writing this blog entry in my head for several days now, but so much has happen since I wrote it in my head, so I have to start with these words, “I AM a child of God!”

Now, I am going to back track. I started my first round of chemo on January 4th. It has not been as easy as the last time. When I say easy, I mean my blood counts have been struggling, and I found out that this returned cancer is very different from the last. These cancer cells are cytogenetically different from the last, which isn’t good. Even being NED (no evidence of disease), or cancer free since my transplant, I was told that MM cells can hide…and won’t show on any testing until it starts attacking. That has happen, a clone was striped away but not dead, it “mutated,” changed, into something different and much more aggressive than the last. I have been going monthly for blood test since my NED status, everything has been good, but in December they was a drastic change….hence, cancer back.

So during this first cycle of treatment, my platelets have been critically low. I have had 4 transfusions of plates, but they just will not hold. Same thing with my white blood cells. I did get 3 rounds out of 4, of chemo treatment, but I just am not responding as I did before. So today, which should have been my 2nd cycle, first round, my counts were not good enough to have treatment~ AND this is why I love my Dr. Dice…she decided immediately to do another marrow biop, right then. Dice does not wait, she acts! I will have result in a few days. She doesn’t like what is happening with my labs, and because I am “nonsecretory” the only way to really know what changes have been made is another biopsy. I am excited, she will be able to compare this one to the one on Jan 31st. It is going to give us great direction!

For the long term, I do have an appointment with Dr. LeMaistre, transplant doctor, on Feb 3rd, to discuss “the plan.” I do know that I must have what is called an “allo.” I will have much more to report after that meeting. Here are a few simple descriptions: Autologous bone marrow transplant - The donor is the person him/herself. Allogenic bone marrow transplant - The donor is another person whose tissue has the same genetic type as the person needing the transplant (recipient). Because tissue types are inherited, similar to hair or eye color, it is more likely that the recipient will find a suitable donor in a brother or sister. This, however, happens only 25 to 30 percent of the time. I need a donor, not always so easy.

NOW for the very important news!~ God is so good. Both my siblings were willing to test and donate, but as you can read, only 1 in 4 are a match. If no sibling match, I have to go out to the National Donor bank. I have been really been depressing about this. James tested as a “no match” last week, I was disappointed, as was he. But Linda called yesterday and she is a MATCH! Not just any match but out of a scale of matching from 1 to 10, she is a 10! The best match possible. I cannot tell you the emotion that just flooded over me. It even surprised me! I realized the idea of a “donor” was really dragging on me, especially since a donor transplant is said to be more of a lengthy, difficult recovery than what I have already done. I just wasn’t feeling good about the whole thing; I hadn’t been able to mentally build up my strength and had been praying for a real sign! And I got it!~ My sister’s match, glory to God, Amen.

I thank both my brother and sister, Jim and Linda, for being there for me!

Actually, the signs started coming over that past weekend. AJ and I went to a beautiful wedding in Austin last Saturday. The surrounding could not have felt more holy! The most gorgeous 19th century Catholic church, beautiful choir (like I was surrounded by God’s angels), a fantastic homily by an extremely inspiring black Baptist preacher turn catholic priest (I don’t really know that to be factual but it seemed like it~ he was amazing), and finally I sat by a complete stranger that ask for my blog address and told me this, “the power of prayer is more than anyone knows!” I looked at him and said, “Yes, I know, but sometimes fall weak and forget. Thank you so much for reminding me!” On the way home, my faith was anew! But, the call from my sister on Monday was the clearest sign of all~ She and I both, give all the glory to God!

Love to all of you who are praying, sending well thoughts, and following me so closely. I feel so incredibility special! Faith is everything to me, and I am so relieved to have it back in “full swing!”

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1