Ken Pavett

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. The journey to wellness is endless.

My father Ken was diagnosed with multiple myeloma at Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia on 5/15/17. This news came as a shock and surprise to an otherwise healthy 75 year-old male.  It all began when Dad was having back pain that was not alleviated for the past few weeks. This was (so we thought) due to an injury that occurred while lifting a heavy item (his spirit is much younger than his body). His nurse practitioner acted swiftly, taking a CBC (complete blood count) to check and see if something more was askew. Obviously it was. He was immediately transferred to the hospital and admitted. A variety of tests were taken and sent out to three different hospital systems, including the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for further confirmation and advice as to how to proceed. A bone marrow biopsy was all that was needed to solidify a diagnosis.  His kidneys were in renal failure and rapidly declining every day. Fortunately his creatinine was only 4.4 and not in the 7's where he would have to be on dialysis for the rest of his life (which without haste he said he would never do).  His first dose of chemotherapy was provided prior to his discharge from the hospital. We have to stop the cancer proliferation of light chain proteins from his plasma with the chemotherapy regimen in order to improve the kidney function. We had a catheter placed on Wednesday the 17th for his six apheresis procedures scheduled within the next two weeks. Their hasn't been a stage associated with the disease. Mom and Dad would prefer that others didn't ask, as they would like to focus on the healing and the process of healing and not the disease (so don't ask, don't tell). We will inform all by this website as changes occur so stay tuned! Mom is needing to be not only present for Dad right now but also staying balanced and healthy for herself so that the two of them can spend as much time as possible together in love, light and healing. THIS IS OVERWHELMING! We are all finding ways to pitch in the best ways we each know how, with our special gifts and talents. Spending less time telling his story and more time with our father and in self care is what is needed so we all  continue to remain healthy in mind, body and spirit.  Sometimes you get cancer. There isn't one person immune from the possibilities of acquiring such an awful disease. In fact, everyone has cancer cells in their bodies. Simply said, some proliferate. There isn't a time that can tell you if  and when the switch will be flipped. What I can say is that even though his body is compromised at this time and the cancer switch is on, so is the love. The journey to wellness is endless.