Greetings All and Happy Summer!  

My Last Post was about the October 2022 Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) 5K Walk/Run fundraiser in which I participated virtually.  I am thrilled to announce that, with the help of many of you, I raised almost $7,000.00 last year, twice that of my original goal!  The MMRF noticed this success, and is presenting me with their Spirit of Hope Award at this year's 5K Walk/Run event on September 30th in Washington, DC!  This is such an honor and a BIG DEAL!  It will enable me to bring awareness to an even larger audience about the 9/11 related illnesses, and potentially raise even more funds to find a cure for Multiple Myeloma! This year, I will be participating in person at the National Harbor with the goal of beating what I raised last year, and am looking forward to meeting many other Multiple Myeloma survivors!

Would you like to join my team?  I am looking for friends who may want to join my MMRF 5K Walk/Run team, help spread the word, and do the 5K Walk/Run either virtually or in-person!  If you are interested, please email me at LSchuler@me.com.  

Please support the search for a cure!  I humbly ask for your donation so a cure for Multiple Myeloma can be found soon!  Be sure to check with your employer about a matching donation or corporate donation.  I would be happy to offer to give a talk about my journey if there is interest.  

Here is the story of my journey and the link to donate:
https://give.themmrf.org/fundraiser/4372767?_ga=2.257670152.2073667854.1689025548-1396028116.1689025548

You may also be wondering about my current health status.  I am happy to report that, to date, I am still in a very good remission from the Multiple Myeloma and the kidney is functioning perfectly!  I have bloodwork done monthly for the kidney, and quarterly for the cancer.  In September I will have an annual bone marrow biopsy and PET scan.  I have had a few other bumps in the road due to the 9/11 exposure, as well as from being immunocompromised.  

This past October 2022, I experienced my first episode of Diverticulitis.  This is a very painful infection of the large intestine, sending me to the ER overnight, and then treated with strong antibiotics.  The Diverticulitis returned in April 2023 along with Colitis, again sending me to the ER, dosed with IV antibiotics overnight and extra strong antibiotics at home for the following 10 days.  The very next week, I was hit with Covid (for the first time), and then C. diff the week after that.   I was thankful to be eligible for Remdesivir infusions at Johns Hopkins Hospital which seemed to keep the Covid symptoms from getting too serious.  C. diff is another type of intestinal infection that can actually be caused by heavy doses of antibiotics, and is also treated with more antibiotics.   In addition to all that, this past November 2022, I had surgery to remove a large mass in my left sinus cavity.  It was, thankfully, benign, but clearly related to the 17+ sinus infections I have experienced since 9/11, many of which were resistant to antibiotics.  My sinuses will now be monitored as well.

Fundraising to find a cure for Multiple Myeloma gives me a small sense of control over this unpredictable and incurable cancer.  But it's not the only thing I have been up to....We have been fostering kittens and cats for many years through Animal Allies Rescue Foundation (AARF), which adds some extra work into our lives, but is evened out by the silliness and joy that kittens bring into a house!  I am on the Session of our small, historical Presbyterian Church; last year, I started a 9/11 Peer Support Group for FBI employees which has grown to almost 120 members; and I've also joined a ladies golf association and have been working (slowly) on lowering my handicap to where it was when I was a teenager!  Managing the household, taking care of my health and physical fitness, staying on top of regular chores, and supporting my kids as they grow into mature adults rounds out my very full life.  I admit to being a little overloaded and sometimes more stressed than I ever thought I could be in retirement, so I will be lightening up my schedule in the coming year.  But I am ever so grateful to still be here and feeling good enough to be doing all these things - prayerfully, my good fortune will continue for a long time to come.