Skip to main content

A semi decent birthday present

It's hard to believe I've actually made it to another birthday. My 61st to be exact.

When I was diagnosed with MCL over 7 years ago, I said I would be happy if I could just get 5 good years. Well, I've far exceeded that goal, and now have come to realize, that another 5 years won't be good enough. 

And why should it? I'm not feeling significantly different than when I was first diagnosed. Sure I'm 7 years older, and I've slowed down a little, but who doesn't once they get over 50?

The only real problem is always dealing with the fact of an incurable disease hanging over your head, and never really knowing when the shoe is going to drop, and things start to get worse. [Fortunately I've got a good support group close by to help me with that.]

But at least for now, everything is the same. My latest blood work is in, and everything is still stable, essentially the same as it has been for the past 18 months. My platelets and LDH were even slightly improved over last months, which is good, but I attribute that more to lab variation than anything more profound happening.

So happy birthday to me!

Comments

ginger sanford said…
I too have been on watch and wait (only two years so far) and know what you mean. Happy Birthday to you and enjoy every moment treatment free
Becky said…
Happy birthday, Marc. I bet you will make medical history.
Gerry said…
Should have said something this AM, I would have bought your green tea! Congradulations last April was my 11th year in remission but then again I'm much older than you!
Happy Birthday good friend..........
G
Marc said…
T thought I actually commented here earlier, but apparently not.

Anywaze thanks all, and especially Gerry for offering to buy me green tea. How about tomorrow morning?

Oh, and Becky, I'm not sure about this medical history. I guess as long as it's good history, that will be a good thing.

Popular posts from this blog

The results are in

And I am iron deficient, big time. [Which would account for my low hemoglobin] Test Result Ref Range IRON 30 59-158 mcg/dL TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY 231 250-420 mcg/dL IRON SAT 13 20-50 % My Ferritin levels were good, but that could be because Ferritin is also an "acute phase reactant", that is sometimes increased with acute or chronic disease. Folate and B12 levels were also within the normal range. The only problem now is determining what is causing the iron deficiency, which in the case of men, is [very] rare. My oncologist has given me a Globin Fecal test to perform, and has scheduled me for a consultation with a colorectal surgeon to discuss performing a colonoscopy, which could be problematic because of my large spleen. In the mean time, I've decided to start taking an iron supplement, it's only the quantity that is causing me some consternation. I've been told by a very knowledgeable person that to overcome an iron deficiency, I need to be taking 300 mg o...

Stop the stupidity!

Rural medical center (in Georgia) suspended from vaccination program after inoculating school district staff. Give me a break! Trying to get kids back to school, while protecting teachers, bus drivers and other staff, is exactly what school districts should be doing. If they have vaccines, give them out. We should be giving out vaccines to all who want them, whenever available. Trying to adhere to rigid guidelines will only result in fewer people getting vaccines, resulting in the discarding of precious vaccines, and less protection for everyone. Of course we should be giving first priority to healthcare workers, and any other essential public service employees, such as policeman, fireman, etc. first, but when they're not around to receive shots, or refuse shots, then give them to anyone willing to take them. What I would have objected to is the medical center trying to capitalize on the pandemic to make a profit, from giving vaccines to people far down the list of recipients, but ...

When is enough, enough?

Today I learned, Lance Armstrong, the most drug tested athlete in the history of sport, is being accused of doping, again . This time by the US Anti Doping Agency (USADA), who claim they have collected blood samples from him in 2009 and 2010 that were “fully consistent with blood manipulation including EPO use and/or blood transfusions.” Really! What took them so long? The French have been trying to make allegations of drug doping stick for years, ever since he won his first Tour d'France, but to no avail. And now the USADA claims to have evidence to support that claim, and they've waited almost 3 years before releasing this evidence. Needless to say, I am skeptical. Then there's this from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO): Increasing the federal excise tax on cigarettes by 50 cents per pack eventually would increase Medicare and Social Security spending, slightly. Eventually? What is the CBO suggesting here? That we should encourage smoking, because if we don't, in...