Vannette
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
YOU CAN DO IT
There are days when I feel I cannot accomplish all that is needed, just for that one day. This lifts me up.
http://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/you-can-do-it-now?lang=eng
Stride forward,
Vannette
http://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/you-can-do-it-now?lang=eng
Stride forward,
Vannette
Thursday, October 24, 2013
FIND SOMETHING
This is sometimes so very hard to do. I feel at times life is just passing us by. We need to be more proactive and more assertive in our activities. Both Glen and I have become complacent. Not a good thing. Glen has been advised to get some physical therapy. Yea! Maybe I can slip some in there too.
Encouraging you "to do your thing",
Vannette
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
FOR THESE PHYSICAL GIFTS, THANKS BE TO GOD
The workings of the human body are indeed a miracle. The intricate working and role of each individual cell has been referred to "Invisible Miracles".
http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2738091800001
Be strong
Vannette
http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2738091800001
Be strong
Vannette
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Time Marches On
Wow. They say time flies when you are having fun. Well, sort of.
Its obviously been some time since my last post. I cannot explain why I quit writing. Don't know the answer to that one. March 08, 2012 is back a way. April 08, 2012 marked the one year anniversary of Glen's stem cell transplant. At that time he was on a twice a week, every other week schedule of maintenance chemotherapy. Velcade, Thalomide and Dex with Aredia once a month. Glen's "official" maintenance schedule actually began in September 2011 (six months post transplant) due to the battle we had with the insurance company over the denial of approval for the tandem transplant.
September 2012 brought a change up in medications. No more Thalomide. Cytoxin or Cyclophospamide takes its place. Schedule of treatment also changed. Now its every Monday with continued Aredia once a month. Velcade, Cytoxin, Dex and Aredia. AND all the other drugs that will most likely be a lifetime occurance. Glen's ports became stubborn. One worked, one didn't. Both worked. Neither worked . Something different every week. TPA (I don't know what that stands for) used quite frequently. With that and the fact that Glen can have his Velcade sub-q - in the middle of December 2012 it was decided that the port could come out. Done. Relief. Sub-q is so much quicker and less complicated.
Glen continued to have BMB and PET Scans about every 3 - 4 months with the result of "no evidence of cancer". For this we are grateful. September 2013 saw two years post transplant with no signs of relapse whatsoever. Upon having all major tests once again it was determined that "if it's not broke, don't fix it". In other words, what has been being done to control the myeloma is working. Let's not change a thing. With that Glen started another year of treatment every Monday, Velcade. Cytoxin bi-weekly, Aredia, monthly. Dex every Monday.
Glen did have a bit of a set back in March 2012 with his lungs. He was diagnosed with Atalactice (sp) and was hospitalized for two nights at the Uintah Basin Medical Center in Roosevelt Utah. Other than the time he spent admitted to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction Colorado at time of diagnosis, this is the only other time Glen has been hospitalized. He has been so very fortunate, blessed to have gone through the transplant and on-going treatment with little complication.
Glen became eligible for Medicare May 2013. This meant that he would no longer be covered by the SelectHealth through the HIPUtah program. While he was denied the tandem transplant, we were thankful for the coverage by this program. The hunt for a Medicare program that would best cover Glen's medical and prescriptions was quite the process. In the end he didn't have a choice. For our county in the state of Utah, there was only one plan available. So far it has covered him well. It is scary to have to be dependent on a government program to say the least.
When asked how Glen is doing, my answer is: Good. Glen is doing very well considering what he has and continues to go through. He is always fatigued. Has no stamina. Is no where as active as he once was. But he is able to do for himself, make choices for himself. He is no longer employed and is on Social Security Disability. He is able to spend time on the lake with a friend fishing, spent the summer changing wheel-lines around his mother's property, mow lawns, ride his four-wheeler, walk in the hills and hunt. During the 2011 and 2012 he didn't even try to hunt. This year he did. He was able to go elk hunting with our younger son. Though he exerted himself beyond what he should have done, he enjoyed every minute of being up on the mountain, out in the fresh air and away from home. This resulted in the take of a spike elk. Better, younger meat as far as I'm concerned. He has his trophy elk mounted, doesn't need another one. Ha, that's a wife talking there. We have no more walls for such things.
Our life is good. Not what we had dreamed of but good. Glen is a survivor of Multiple Myeloma. This is a very brief update but covers the most pertinent information. We are every so thankful to a loving Heavenly Father that knows our needs and blesses our lives daily.
Moving forward,
Vannette
Its obviously been some time since my last post. I cannot explain why I quit writing. Don't know the answer to that one. March 08, 2012 is back a way. April 08, 2012 marked the one year anniversary of Glen's stem cell transplant. At that time he was on a twice a week, every other week schedule of maintenance chemotherapy. Velcade, Thalomide and Dex with Aredia once a month. Glen's "official" maintenance schedule actually began in September 2011 (six months post transplant) due to the battle we had with the insurance company over the denial of approval for the tandem transplant.
September 2012 brought a change up in medications. No more Thalomide. Cytoxin or Cyclophospamide takes its place. Schedule of treatment also changed. Now its every Monday with continued Aredia once a month. Velcade, Cytoxin, Dex and Aredia. AND all the other drugs that will most likely be a lifetime occurance. Glen's ports became stubborn. One worked, one didn't. Both worked. Neither worked . Something different every week. TPA (I don't know what that stands for) used quite frequently. With that and the fact that Glen can have his Velcade sub-q - in the middle of December 2012 it was decided that the port could come out. Done. Relief. Sub-q is so much quicker and less complicated.
Glen continued to have BMB and PET Scans about every 3 - 4 months with the result of "no evidence of cancer". For this we are grateful. September 2013 saw two years post transplant with no signs of relapse whatsoever. Upon having all major tests once again it was determined that "if it's not broke, don't fix it". In other words, what has been being done to control the myeloma is working. Let's not change a thing. With that Glen started another year of treatment every Monday, Velcade. Cytoxin bi-weekly, Aredia, monthly. Dex every Monday.
Glen did have a bit of a set back in March 2012 with his lungs. He was diagnosed with Atalactice (sp) and was hospitalized for two nights at the Uintah Basin Medical Center in Roosevelt Utah. Other than the time he spent admitted to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction Colorado at time of diagnosis, this is the only other time Glen has been hospitalized. He has been so very fortunate, blessed to have gone through the transplant and on-going treatment with little complication.
Glen became eligible for Medicare May 2013. This meant that he would no longer be covered by the SelectHealth through the HIPUtah program. While he was denied the tandem transplant, we were thankful for the coverage by this program. The hunt for a Medicare program that would best cover Glen's medical and prescriptions was quite the process. In the end he didn't have a choice. For our county in the state of Utah, there was only one plan available. So far it has covered him well. It is scary to have to be dependent on a government program to say the least.
When asked how Glen is doing, my answer is: Good. Glen is doing very well considering what he has and continues to go through. He is always fatigued. Has no stamina. Is no where as active as he once was. But he is able to do for himself, make choices for himself. He is no longer employed and is on Social Security Disability. He is able to spend time on the lake with a friend fishing, spent the summer changing wheel-lines around his mother's property, mow lawns, ride his four-wheeler, walk in the hills and hunt. During the 2011 and 2012 he didn't even try to hunt. This year he did. He was able to go elk hunting with our younger son. Though he exerted himself beyond what he should have done, he enjoyed every minute of being up on the mountain, out in the fresh air and away from home. This resulted in the take of a spike elk. Better, younger meat as far as I'm concerned. He has his trophy elk mounted, doesn't need another one. Ha, that's a wife talking there. We have no more walls for such things.
Our life is good. Not what we had dreamed of but good. Glen is a survivor of Multiple Myeloma. This is a very brief update but covers the most pertinent information. We are every so thankful to a loving Heavenly Father that knows our needs and blesses our lives daily.
Moving forward,
Vannette
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Great News
Glen's follow-up appointment went well. No eveidence of myeloma in the bone marrow and no new lessions on the bones.
Whoot, hoot!
We are to continue with the maintenance schedule; VDT in 28 day cycles for at least another six cyles. Instead of a three month follow-up we get to go six.
Dr. Zangari is definately different than Dr. Tricot. Very quick and often hard to understand what he is saying because of his accent and speed with which he talks. He's Italian! However, when other doctors at the Huntsman volunteered to take on some of the patients due to Dr. Tricot's exit (while is search for a new doctor), Dr. Zangari stepped up and said no. He would see all of them. I don't know if that refers to just the myeloma patients. Our clinic is a BMT clinic as well for other types of cancers. Kuddos to him for his dedication to the field in which he specializes in.
We thank our Heavenly Father daily for all that he has blessed us with.
Keep Strong,
Vannette
Whoot, hoot!
We are to continue with the maintenance schedule; VDT in 28 day cycles for at least another six cyles. Instead of a three month follow-up we get to go six.
Dr. Zangari is definately different than Dr. Tricot. Very quick and often hard to understand what he is saying because of his accent and speed with which he talks. He's Italian! However, when other doctors at the Huntsman volunteered to take on some of the patients due to Dr. Tricot's exit (while is search for a new doctor), Dr. Zangari stepped up and said no. He would see all of them. I don't know if that refers to just the myeloma patients. Our clinic is a BMT clinic as well for other types of cancers. Kuddos to him for his dedication to the field in which he specializes in.
We thank our Heavenly Father daily for all that he has blessed us with.
Keep Strong,
Vannette
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