On September 18, 2020 I was given the worst diagnosis anyone could ever want to hear - “You have cancer”.  In that moment you start to realize the present and wonder about the future.  What does this mean for that priceless gift we all have - time, and how much of it do I have left? Google did not help, as reading the posts about your disease you realize that you do not have much time and one year all of a sudden seems so short when the predictions are so bleak. 

 

Well here we are a year later and so much has changed and yet so much is the same.

 

Changed is the fact that I have made it through the first two phases of my treatment and now am into my 2nd of 12 treatments in the third phase of my road to kicking this Cancer.

 

Changed is the fact that new innovations in my cancer and its treatment have been doing well in their trials, so if I should need another round of treatments there are new options available. 

 

Changed is the fact that I am now eligible to get the vaccine.

 

Not changed is that in almost two years now, COVID is still rampant and I need to be super cautious because I am still not COVID safe and the vaccine will likely not work for me, as the treatment regimen I am on blocks the effectiveness. 

 

This past year has been a tough one for sure, but as I look back on all that has transpired I am encouraged by the time in front of me and the gift I have been given to keep fighting the fight.

 

So as we turn the page to a new year in my battle, I want to thank you all for your continued support and love.  It is so helpful and meaningful to me and is one thing I hope does not change.

 

Marc

 

- Weekly blood levels were showing I still am very low on my counts.

- Two weeks ago the numbers finally starting inching up a bit.

- I am still very low on my critical numbers like Platelets (no sharp knives for me, says Lisa), White Blood Cells and Neutrophils (the important infection and illness fighters).  

- My Red Blood Cells, and Hemoglobin are both pretty good - not 100% normal but getting close - which explains why I have the energy I have.

- In a clinical trial I am in to test the before and after of transplant patients they have called me an outlier.  My body composition, lung / respiratory work, heart performance, and strength / stress tests have all not only rebounded from the pre-transplant levels in the 5 months post transplant but I actually have improved in my numbers. This is something they don’t typically see happen this early on.

 

I go today for my blood tests and hope the treatment last week did not effect my progress up, but if it did I will just keep fighting hard to get them to move in the right direction.

 

Stay tuned.