HO HO HO Happy New Year!

Whew!  Made it through the holidays and am still healthy.  Although, I did have a little cold right after everyone left, but I laid low and rested and got through it without antibiotics.  That was quite an accomplishment considering all the grand kids were sick some with runny noses and a couple came down with Hand, Foot & Mouth disease, which is similar to chicken pox.  That diagnosis caused a flurry of activity as Jen came home from the clinic, threw things in their car and left for home!  Dr told them it was not good to be around her pregnant sister or me with my impaired immune system.  However, exposure had already taken place and Jeremy's youngest got it as did all 3 of Jeff's sister's kids. The rest of us escaped, probably because in the recesses of my mind there is this vague recollection that it had visited us when the kids were growing up.  Lifetime immunity is granted to those who partake!

Our household was a busy place during the holidays with all the little ones, the excitement of Christmas packages, cousins to play with and their toys everywhere, different sleeping schedules with a newborn in the house and naps for the other little ones.  I even enjoyed a few naps myself.  To answer your question regarding the newborn - Little Rosteeny made her appearance on November 12 and was named Wallis Bea, lovingly now referred to as Wallabea.  She is a cutie and has more than doubled her birth weight of 6 pounds already.

Now to bring you up to date with my health issues.  After reviewing the small amount of info that was recorded on the poorly functioning heart monitor, my cardiologist scheduled me for a chemical stress test.  I was able to "walk" the last one, but that was before my diagnosis.  There was quite a bit of prep for how quickly the actual test went.  Radioactive tracer injected, then 3-D pictures of my heart before and after.  At my appointment following all the tests, she concluded that my heart was actually in pretty good shape for my age and all that I have been through with treatment.  However, there was a strange anomaly on the EKG during my stress test that she was not able to explain.  She did not feel it warranted further investigation with an angiogram at this time. My blood pressure med dosage was adjusted and a very low dose beta-blocker was added to help with the racing pulse I was experiencing.  It has really helped and I can tell if I forget to take it.  Will see her again in March.

My most recent blood tests, done at the end of December, showed a very low white blood count and my platelets had dropped dramatically.  Neither one adequately recovered after treatment was stopped but instead of recovering they have continued a decline.  My free light chains (a marker for myeloma) have stayed in the normal range, but two other blood tests that can be indicators of cancer activity are elevated above normal levels, one has increased quite a bit.  What does that mean for me at this point?

Saw my Dr at UCSF and he felt things looked ok for now.  Thought the lower white count and lower platelets might be from the cold/virus I was coming down with when the test was done.  They just received a new PET/MRI machine and wanted to see if he could get me scheduled for testing in the new machine.  Would take several weeks before he could let me know, otherwise I was to return in July.

Following that appointment I saw my local Dr and he was a little more concerned about some of the test results.  He felt we needed to do some testing now to see what is going on.  So I am scheduled for a PET/CT, bone marrow biopsy and blood tests next week.  I will see him the first week of February for the results.  He said he would contact my Dr at UCSF regarding his concerns and the tests he has ordered.  So, I guess I don't get to experience the fancy, new machine that would have given even more detail than the PET/CT.

I continue day to day doing what I can, looking healthy, feeling good but knowing on the inside my health is just about as fragile as it can be.  It's hard not to plan lots of fun activities and travel when I feel good, but tests quickly remind me of my reality and it's the time of year to stay home and out of crowds where illness is prevalent this time of year.  My confinement gives more time for reflection and prayer. Trips to the grocery store and medical appointments are like getting a "get out of jail free card" in the game of life.  We do, however, have a couple things planned, as always, depending on my tests and labs.

We are especially grateful for those who continue to follow my blog and hold us up in prayer!  We are grateful the years the Lord has given us since my diagnosis.  It's been a miracle that 4 drugs have become available just when I needed a change in treatment which have prolonged my life but have also taken a toll on my body.  My daily reminder is that He is our strength and our source.