Pause

So, I must apologize for the very long time since I have posted on this blog.  The reason for my disappearance is because I was diagnosed with a blood cancer called Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (A.L.L.) in November 2013.  Immediately after that I went into treatment.  During the early stage of the treatment, one of the chemo medicines had a bad effect on me with the combination of steroids.  I had to go off treatment and went into rehabilitation at a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF).  That went for 6 weeks then I went into outpatient rehab. 

Shortly after that I returned to treatment, but on a different protocol mind you they were not sure if I was able to return at first.  From February 2014 through June 2014 I went through this protocol with no issues.  At least none like what happened during the first protocol.  Before the end of the treatment, we (My Oncologist, my wife and me) discussed doing a transplant.  After learning the level of survival percentages, we decided to proceed with the transplant.  The transplant ended up being stem cell and my younger brother became the donor.  I actually went through 2 transplants where the first one failed to graft in August 2014 and the second became a successful graft in October 2014. 

I finally made it home early November 2014 and now in the post-transplant stage, which could bring a whole new slew of possible problems.  The two largest are the return of cancer (same or different) or Graft verses Host Decease (GvHD).  So they and us are on constant monitoring of me and making sure neither of these and some lesser issues rear their ugly little heads.  During the treatment and even now I am what they call immunosuppressed, which means in a nut shell my immune system is very low.  Now my system is stronger, but one of the medicines I am on now keeps it kind of low or stagnant.  I should end sometime within the year.  I am now considered in Complete Remission which makes me a Cancer Survivor, but the journey is far from over.

Coming up on October 9th is the one year anniversary for my Stem Cell Transplant that actually took.  We plan to have a party to celebrate this and I also have to go for a series of tests (no fun, but.....) just to make sure nothing bad is happening. 

There is a plan for me to return to school hopefully in Spring 2016 and I can finish that journey.

If you want to learn more details of our journey to Fight The Big Fight please follow our blog at http://fightthebigfight.blogspot.com/ also if you are on Facebook, find our page (same name) and click like to get smaller updates counting up the days from the successful transplant.  This blog was started by me at first, but then when I started to have problems, my wife took it over and now it is in the eyes of the spouse/caregiver. 

BTW, this is Day +327.

It may be a while until my nest post on here, but like I said we plan for me to return to school in Spring 2015.

I am currently posting on my other blogs: Because I'm Wil my main sort of venting blog,  Sifl And Olly for only entertainment and Brainstorm! for Trivia, Riddles, Mind Games, etc.

I also have a YouTube page called CocoaVision (Click to see).

Take care.