Started Maintenance Chemotherapy Cycle 3 of Revlimid 10 mg Today - January 31 2012

I started my 3rd Maintenance Chemotherapy Cycle of Revlimid 10 mg by mouth today - 14 days on and 14 days off, January 31 2012.

Other than low white blood cell counts, fatigue, fluid retention, dry skin, cramps in my leg calves, and perhaps my left leg pain, I have not experienced side effects from Revlimid like the skin hives I had when I took 25 mg prior to my autologous stem cell transplant on September 13 2011.

Another visit from neighbors and 2.00 Mile Walk - January 31 2012

My taller and faster neighbors came by for a visit today.

Walked Kemmer 2.00 Miles on the Mine Hill with 169 feet of elevation gain. This is the most unique property gate in the Big Lost River Valley - a replica of the former aerial tramway that moved ore down the mountain to Mackay.

Visit from the Neighbors and 2 Mile Walk - January 30 2012

My big fat neighbors came to visit today. My fence is 5 feet tall.

Walked Kemmer 2.00 miles on the Mine Hill with a 169 feet in elevation gain. The walk does not seem difficult and I pace myself. Will have to add a lot more distance and elevation gain before I'll be back to my pre-multiple myeloma diagnosis daily walk distance. Still wearing my Yaks for traction. Looking up the Mine Hill.

Looking back toward Mackay from the Mine Hill...Kemmer the wonder dog! 

Wild Hair and a Walk - January 29 2012

My hair is getting a tad longer and wilder.

Kemmer and I walked from home to the Mine Hill, 1.90 miles. Beautiful day and a good walk.

Walked Kemmer 1.86 Miles - January 28 2012

Walked Kemmer 1.86 miles from home to the Mine Hill. I was way overdressed and I won't do that again. Forgot to mention yesterday that my sense of taste is still altered some, but I can smell - so, I don't really miss the full taste of things.

So, How Do I Feel - January 27 2012

My cold seems to be over and I took my last dose of the 10-day course of Augmentin this morning. Mornings are best for me. I have pretty good energy and manage to get all of my household chores completed and a walk with Kemmer in each morning. I am still bothered by an aching left leg which I'm more aware of each evening and night. I'm taking Tylenol 500 mg for that twice during the night. My acid stomach still bothers me, but a daily dose of Prilosec 40 mg and 150 mg Zantac seems to keep that in check. My skin is extremely dry and living here in ultra-dry Idaho doesn't help - using lots of lotion, Aspercreme ointment, and sunscreen (I use Coppertone Water Babies for children because it does not sting my eyes and right now the only part of me exposed to the sun is my face, neck, and occasionally my hands. The neuropathy in my fingertips continues and is LOTS worse when my hands get cold. By 7 PM each evening my energy is toast and I often fall asleep on the sofa before I go to bed.


Today was another beautiful one in the Big Lost River Valley and I managed to extend my walk to 1.80 miles with a 100 foot gain in elevation (20 degrees with a nice icy wind, but I was dressed appropriately and stayed warm).

More Labs and Walked 1.40 Miles - January 26 2012

I received a couple more labs from January 16 2012 today via fax. My phosphorus, uric acid, and total protein are all normal.

Kemmer and I walked 1.40 miles this afternoon - more briskly than yesterday. Hard to tell who loves these walks more..... My sinus cold is pretty much history. I just have another day of Augmentin left - hoping one 10-day course is enough.

Hair Growth Continues and a Walk - January 25 2012

I lost my hair on September 6 2011. It started to grow on October 16 2011 and here you have it on January 25 2012. I'm not sure what the dents in my forehead are from but, they weren't permanent. 

I walked Kemmer 1.40 miles this afternoon - at times briskly and at times strolling.

Lab Value Results for January 25 2012

Drove to the Lost Rivers Medical Center Laboratory in Arco, Idaho this morning for my weekly labs. 

They faxed the results to me just hours later. My white blood cell count is low at 2.2 (norms 4.0-11.2) - more staying away from sick people and crowds and good hand washing always; platelets normal at 210 (norms 140-440); and hemoglobin normal at 14.5 (norms 12.0-16.0). In fact, my hemoglobin at 14.5 is as high as it has ever been since my diagnosis in May 2011.

My comprehensive metabolic panel is essentially normal. My liver enzymes (ALT/SGPT and AST/SGOT) which have been slightly increased probably due to Fragmin are normal today. My CO2 was low at 19.5 (norms 22-34) and I don't know what that means. Everything else was normal including my albumin and globulin which are good indicators that I'm eating well.

Beta-2 Microglobulin, Immunoglobulin A, G, M, and Free Kappa Lambda Light Chain Results of January 16 2012

I finally managed to convince Dr. Shull's office to fax me the results of my January 16 2012 labs. My Beta-2 Microglobulin was fine at 1.93 (it was 1.80 last check on 11/9/2012). My Immunoglobulin A was low at  22 (norms 3.3-19.4); immunoglobulin G was low at 588 (norms 694-1618); and immunoglobulin M was low at 9 (norms 48-271). I think these values are to be expected after an autologous stem cell transplant (I had my transplant on 9/13/2011).


My Kappa Light Chain, Free was 10.76 (norms 3.3-19.4); Lambda Light Chain, Free 5.69 (norms 5.7- 26.3); and my Kappa/Lambda, Free was 1.89 (norms 02.6-1.65). They evidently did not order an m-spike value. I will discuss this with Dr. Shull. If I were to go out of remission these are the important lab values that will detect the change. So, I'll admit it - I'm always anxious about these results - but, no worry today!

Shoveled Snow and Walked 0.58 Miles - January 23 2012

I shoveled a lot of snow twice today both at home and for my father...it feels good to be active again! Had a bad night with pain behind my left knee. I've had this off and on ever since my stem cell transplant, but it never stays. I feel fine today.

My cold is much much improved and my nose quit dripping.


Walked Kemmer 0.58 miles with my Yaks on for traction. 

We found a big yellow ball in my field...never too old for FUN!

Cold Symptoms Improving and a Beautiful Walk - January 22 2012

My cold symptoms (dripping nose, sore throat, and weariness) are improving. I took 1/2 Claritin again this morning which really helps with the runny nose business.


I walked Kemmer to the Big Lost River Smelter Bridge and back for 1.18 miles. It was a sunshine day with lots of blue skies. I was way overdressed.

Wore my Yaks for traction.

 Our Mt. McCaleb and Lower Cedar Creek Canyon to the right from Smelter Avenue.

Somewhat Better Today - January 21 2012

My cold and dripping nose continues, but I feel somewhat better. I took only 1/2 Claritin today and continue with the Augmentin. Took 150 mg of Fluconazole. We had new snow overnight. My neighbor, Gale Lords, came over and plowed my driveway for me...so nice!

I love the new snow. I went over to my father's house and shoveled his walk for him. Here is a photo of Mackay Idaho Main Street at 11:15 AM this morning....hopping busy???

Now, I Have a Cold - January 20 2012

My sinus drainage has morphed in to a good old fashioned cold with a runny nose, some sneezing, swollen glands, and a sore throat. I continue to take Augmentin 875-125 mg twice daily (started on January 17 2012), so hopefully it won't progress to something else. Hoping my new immune system is up to this! Trying to keep hydrated with tons of water. I took a Claritin to help with my dripping nose and it worked.


I did manage to walk Kemmer just 0.44 miles on the Mine Hill. I forgot my Yaks (ice and snow grippers for my boots) and it was just too slick to walk safely even though we only had about 1 inch of snow...also forgot my camera! Shoveled my driveway, so I wasn't a slug ALL day.

Okay...the Skinny On My Heart - January 19 2012

The cardiologist's office called yesterday and made an appointment for me at 2 PM today with Patrick Gorman, MD in Idaho Falls, Idaho.


Woke this morning to about 1 inch of new snow.

So, I decided to leave a tad early for my 100 mile drive across the high country desert to Idaho Falls. Gratefully, the snow covered road turned dry just below Mackay. Once out of the Big Lost River Valley, the wind was blowing a GALE!

I had to wait more than 2 hours for Dr. Gorman because he had been called to an emergency at the hospital. 

When, Dr. Gorman got back to the office he spent well over an hour with me!

Okay...now the skinny on my heart. Dr. Gorman said I am NOT A TICKING TIME BOMB! The blood clot in the right atrium of my heart is most probably NOT going to MOVE - if it were to move - it would have already moved. Although the echocardiogram reveals that the blood clot is "Mobile", it is tethered too. If the blood clot were to detach and go to my lung, it is "marble sized" and would not cause that much damage - but, again Dr. Gorman stressed that the clot was not going anywhere. I may have this blood clot forever.

Most importantly, I DO NOT NEED TO LIMIT MY ACTIVITY in any way. I can walk, hike, and even shovel snow!

As for the right sided chest pain that had me in the emergency room on January 17 2012, Dr. Gorman said that might have been a very small clot from an IV stick that went to my right lung and caused the pain - even though I had a negative (normal) CT Pulmonary Angiogram. 

I told Dr. Gorman that the right sided chest pain radiating to my neck continued until I took 8 mg of dexamethasone by mouth January 18 2012 (I had some from my pre-stem cell transplant). So, I now have a gut ache, but the pain in my chest, although not gone, is much better.

I told Dr. Gorman that the pain might have been from the Zometa that I received on January 16 2012. I've only had Zometa 2 times prior and both of those times, I also received 20 to 40 mg of IV Dex with it. Both of the prior times, I ached all over for a couple of days after, but never a pain like I had after this last dose.

Dr. Gorman felt like the 12,500 mg Fragmin was adequate to continue on for at least 6 months. After 6 months, he will take me off the Fragmin and see how I do. I'll have to continue some blood thinner even after the Fragmin since I'll be on Revlimid which can cause blood clots.

Dr. Gorman would like to follow my blood clot with echocardiograms every month - so, I'll get my next one on February 5 2012.

We discussed the need for intravenous access down the road if my veins don't hold up. He thought a pic-line that terminated above the heart and not in the heart would be the best option for me....but, I wondered to myself if they have buried port that would terminate above the heart...less chance of infection.

I left Idaho Falls on a real HIGH - I am so relieved!

Echocardiogram Results from January 5 2012

Adventure in the Emergency Room - January 17 2012

Yesterday, I received intravenous Zometa 4 mg. I was gone from home 8 hours with the 200 mile round trip drive and a couple of shopping trips after my Zometa appointment. When I got home, I ate dinner and fell asleep on the sofa. I woke up at 8 PM with pain in my right chest that radiated through to my back and up the left side of neck and back of my head. The pain was alarming to me since I have not had anything like this EVER and I do have that mobile blood clot in the right atrium of my heart. I was not short of breath and I did not know what I should do. So, I took 1/2 Percocet and went to bed.

I didn't sleep well and the pain persisted. So, once daylight came, I drove over to Ron's place and asked him if he would drive me to the emergency room in Idaho Falls (100 miles). Fortuitously, Ron was just warming his truck up (minus 5 degrees) and was heading to Idaho Falls for some shopping. So, we went in Bart (2006 Honda Pilot) and headed across the desert arriving at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center Emergency Room at 11 AM. 

They took me right in. I had a chest x-ray and an EKG right away. 

Started an IV after 2 pokes. 

They hooked me to a cardiac monitor and all of my vital signs were normal. 

I was seen by Dr. Rosenberg. I had to wait 2 hours for a CT with contrast of my lungs. This test is quick and the contrast really gives you a HOT FLUSHING SENSATION all over your body. Then, I had to wait for the results of the CT. I hadn't eaten all day and I asked for a snack. I thought they would bring me a couple of saltines, but was surprised when they brought a nice little lunch box with a turkey sandwich and fruit cup.

Finally, 4 3/4 hours after I arrived, Dr. Rosenberg came in and told me that they could not find any evidence of a blood clot in my lungs. He didn't know WHY my right chest and neck were hurting and suggested that maybe I had pain from scar tissue from my removed Bard Power Port. I tried to think about how I might have hurt myself yesterday and couldn't remember doing anything out of the ordinary. Now, I'm thinking it is some sort of WEIRD reaction to the Zometa - but, it seems strange that it would only hurt on one side. Dr. Rosenberg consulted my oncologist, Dr. Shull and they decided to send me home. 

I was relieved! But, I still have the pain in my right chest and neck! But, a lot less anxiety!

Started 10 days of Augmentin for a sore throat and sinus drainage.

Monthly Zometa - January 16 2012

 Snake River Onocology, Idaho Falls, Idaho

My white count was low today at 3.6 (norms 4.1-10.9), but my hemoglobin was normal at 13.9 (noms 12-18), and my platelets were normal at 200 (norms 140-440). All of the other lab values are sent out and I don't know when I'll get the results.