Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

And so it begins

Tuesday February 14, 2012
Lithia Springs Park site #13


We spent most of the week-end reading up on
the treatment options for Multiple Myeloma
and getting information ready for the ‘second
opinion’ appointment on Monday
at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. 

The mood was a bit somber. 
David said he felt like he was going down the rabbit hole. 
He is a bit tired but otherwise seems physically fine
though sad and apprehensive about the end
of what he has always felt has been his good health.


Monday was an all day medical marathon. 


At 9am he went to the Moffitt Cancer Center for a blood draw. 
At 10am he was scheduled to meet with Dr. Shain
for a second opinion on the tests and diagnosis
although there is really no doubt about the diagnosis. 
We were really interested in whether Moffitt
would have an alternate treatment plan.

10:00 came and went as often happens in doctors’ offices. 
10:45 Dr. Shaine came in, concurred immediately
with the diagnosis, talked about the program at Moffitt
and their slightly different way of administering the same drugs.
He discussed his treatment plan and the Center’s
Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.

We were out of there by 12:30
and would keep the afternoon treatment appointment
at the Florida Cancer Specialists with Dr. David Wright.


And then the treatment began.   


At FCS there was another blood draw as
would be the first part of every treatment appointment.
So today we have two sets of numbers and
two different labs within about 6 hours
of each other to compare. 
That’s a good thing.
 
They did an IV drip of 20mg of Decadron
This is once a week.
and an injection of 2.4 mg of Velacade. 
This is twice a week.
He will begin the daily tabs of 25mg of Revlimid this evening.
This is every evening.
He’ll be going in for treatments every Monday and Thursday
for two weeks and taking the pill every night for 14 nights.
Then a week off of everything and start over again.
After two cycles, they will reevaluate and determine
how many more cycles it will probably take
to make remission and the transplant possible.

He may move all the treatment to Moffitt at
some point since they will do the transplant.

We got out of the office just in time to hit 5:00 Tampa traffic. 
Not a great way to end an already long and tiring day.


Tuesday dawned and David felt fine. 


Maybe even better than fine given that Decadron is a steroid. 
He was thinking this wasn’t going to be so bad.
Dr. Wright had told him many patients had no side effects
and could expect to continue living their life as they had been
through at least the early weeks of treatment.

Chef arranging "home fry" slices 
So when he felt great this morning, David was of course totally in agreement with  Wright’s ideas and  went about creating for himself (and for me as an additional beneficiary)
a great vegan scrambled breakfast.


Chef admiring handiwork BEFORE it disappears










which we ate outside on the picnic table.
Scrambled breakfast, rye toast and "home fries"

 
Check out this no oil “home fry”.
Now that's a great potato


Afterward we took a walk over to the spring.


I really wanted to get in the water. 
I love water.  
Can’t ever get enough water.
And this is 72 degree water all year round!
 
David not so much with the water.
So he didn’t come even in shorts let alone a bathing suit.


Beautiful isn't it?


Way cool man! 


Notice  the clouds


Pretty soon the fish were coming up to check out my feet
.

Ok fisher folk, what kind of fish are they?

And that’s when David rolled up his jeans and went wading!

Looking pretty nonchalant isn't he?


Of course he has bigger feet,
so they ditched me and went right for his toes.


do those feet look that good to you?


P1020459


While I was enjoying myself in the lovely spring water,












I had no idea he was doing this until I saw the pictures.

David was doing this…….
See Sherry way back there in the water?


Imagine a bubble over his head saying HUH??


and this……

I know he didn’t think I’d post these
BUT
I
DID!!!!








Guess this is what he was practicing up for – the long armed shot

Havin' fun at Lithia Springs


Now you’d think this had been a great day, and so did we
until around dinner time.   
But that’s a story for the next post.

16 comments:

  1. Oh, you had me smiling there...until your last comment.

    I hope you both have many more days like this.

    That is one great picture of the 2 of you at the end!

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  2. I'm stating here for the record that 72° is the temperature of soy milk just out of the fridge. It had to be over 100° before I could even consider Ichetucknee. In other words, it had to feel worse to be out than to be in.

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  3. I agree with Gail; good shot of the two of you. Mui's like you ... he'd be in that water and I'd be like David ... but it's doubtful I'd be wading that deep :-) I hope what you alluded to at the end of your post wasn't too, too terribly bad. Hang in there.

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  4. Glad to hear that David's first round of treatment went well -- or at least we hope it did. A little concerned about your next post. We're pulling for him.

    Nice self-portraits of David. :-)

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  5. glad to hear the treatment is starting off on the right foot..hope the side effects stay away and that remission comes fast...lots of prayers for you on this end !!

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  6. Making the most of every situation seems to be the way you guys are living. Taking each moment and doing all you can...never knowing what the next will bring!

    Our thoughts and prayers are with you both...nothing can stop those who have that much joy in their lives.

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  7. Add my good wishes for David's remission and no side effects. And whatever your last statement alluded to is hopefully short lived. I loved the portrait of the two of you. And of course, you already know, those springs are what keep me coming back to Florida and dreaming of a winter there with my kayak. Glad you got David in the water. Those fishies know a good thing when they see it.

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  8. Great photos and at least part of the day was hoof...hold onto those good parts. Praying hard for you both.

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  9. Sounds like the first treatment at least started off good, sure hope it stays that way:)

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  10. Enjoy yourselves whenever David is feeling well. That is what will keep you going... There will be down days...just go with them also. But continue to find the joy in life!!

    LOVE the last photo of you two:o)))

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  11. The best way to get this over with is to get started and you have. Glad that David isn't having too much trouble with the meds, that's encouraging.

    I have to ask, since he will be getting a bone marrow transplant, is there a donor identified? We'd be more than happy to be screened to see if we could be donors.

    We're here with you for the long haul.

    And, nice way to get a pedicure.

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  12. Praying so hard for both of you. Don't be surprised by the down days..the not feeling well, etc. Revel in the good days and hold them close.

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  13. Take it one day at a time! Good pics and thanks for your input on the campground!

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  14. It's Monday and I've been thinking about you two. We'll have to check out Lithia Springs when we get back down there. I like fishy toes.
    Syl

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  15. Oh, u guys seem to be taking this as well as u can. Still adventuring, that water looks yummy!!! My heart just aches for you, am thinking and praying all goes well.

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  16. Glad to hear you found good doctors and treatment here in Tampa. Hope everything goes well. We are praying for both of you. Let me know if you need anything anytime - only an hour away.

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