On March 14, we went for our weekly testing and to assess the prior week's tests with Dr. Nibley. This time my white cell counts were down slightly, which is the main expected side effect of Revlimid. The decline wasn't out of the normal range, but Dr. Nibley decided to cut the dosage anyway, to 15 mg., since studies show that the lower dose is just as effective. I also received my monthly infusion of Zometa, which helps to heal the bone damage caused by the cancer last year.

On St. Patrick's Day we had another great luncheon with friends from Springville High. Get-togethers like this are frequent among our class alums, but this one was again specifically to show support for Laraine and me. There were more in attendance than last time, some who I hadn't seen for a few years. The instigator of these meetings was my good friend Lee Taylor, who has appointed himself our class den mother, and over the past few years has gone to great lengths--literally traveling thousands of miles--to keep in touch with all the members of our class and to keep us in touch with each other. We have a very special class, and it continues to be that way in large part because of Lee.

On Monday the 19th, we returned to the Blood and Marrow Transplant Unit at LDS Hospital for 100-day post-transplant testing. They did many of the same tests they had run just before and just after the transplant to see how I'm doing against those benchmarks. There was a full battery of blood tests, a chest x-ray, a pulmonary function test, and an analysis of urine collected over the prior 24 hours. We won't get the results until next week.

Meanwhile, I feel pretty good. The neuropathy in my feet isn't as bad these days; either it is gradually healing by itself, or the pain medicine, Lyrica, is doing its job. Either way, I'm grateful. I'm still quite anemic and continue to be tired and lack energy, so my productivity is not great. It doesn't seem to matter much what I do or don't do during they day, by early evening I'm pretty drained. But life is good and I count my blessings every single day.

Good News

Went to the doctor March 8th and got the report from last week's tests.  Jeff's M spike is 0 and his igA level is at 150!  The PA we visited with told us we didn't need to be there because everything looked good!  We are very grateful for this good news.  Another week of Revlimid and then a week off.

Revlimid (Lenalidomide)

Just a quick update -- on February 21, 2012 we had delivered to us via UPS a 21 day supply of the maintenance chemo Jeff will now be taking.  He takes a 25 mg capsule of Revlimid daily for 21 days and then will be off the treatment for 7 days.  On March 1st we checked in with Dr. Nibley to have a blood workup done, as Revlimid suppresses the immune system.  After a week on this medicine, Jeff's levels were very good, so we will continue for another week.  Jeff will be checked weekly for the first month of treatment and then monthly after that to make sure that everything is ok.  The only side effect Jeff has had since being on this medication is that he felt a bit unsettled and then his head and waistline were itchy -- both of those symptoms have now gone away.  It takes longer to get the results of his iga levels and M spike (cancer levels), so hopefully this week we'll get that.  We visit Dr. Nibley again on March 8th.