Bump In The Road #5

dys·cra·sia

dəˈskrāZH(ē)ə/

nounMEDICINE noun: dyscrasia; plural noun: dyscrasia         
          an abnormal or disordered state of the body or of a bodily part.
(Definition provided by Google)

"Dyscrasia" originates from the Greek language. It roots are the Greek “dus” and “krasis” and literally means “bad mixture” or “bad combination.”

Several months ago I wrote about a bump in the road regarding my health. 

The bump has grown and the dyscrasia was noted. It means my cells are between normal and having full blown Multiple Myeloma again. I’ll probably give more details later, but for now this means it is time to add to the maintenance chemo pill that I have been taking since shortly after my Stem Cell transplant in 2010. What are they adding? First, there is dexamethasone. It is a steroid that enhances the work of the chemo pill and helps in other ways. It has a few side effects, but is nothing compared to what other cancer patients endure. 

The second drug is Empliciti (Elotuzumab). It has to be administered via IV, so about ten days ago I got a port, and about a week ago I got my first round. I will get a dose every Tuesday for nine weeks, then every other week for, well, only God knows. I noticed no side effects from this drug last week.

Empliciti is one of the new immunotherapy drugs, and the way I understand it, causes my immune system to produce extra numbers of a certain kind of T-Cell, and it also reacts with the myeloma cells to make them noticeable to these T-Cells, which then attack them and destroy them. A helpful article can be found at http://www.themmrf.org/multiple-myeloma-knowledge-center/myeloma-drugs-guide/empliciti-elotuzumab/

And so we begin…

Hopefully this will be little more than an inconvenience in my schedule. The doctors tell me I should still be able to lead mission teams, maintain my schedule and keep on going. That is encouraging.

Pray…

But I do request your prayers. I need them. I have said since my diagnosis in 2009 that the main thing in my treatment is your prayers. The goal is always that God is glorified. 

My mom…

The delay in getting this word out was because I wanted to tell my mother in person. Some of you now she has been in the hospital and now in rehab. I was able to tell her that last Thursday. Pray for my mom as she, my brother and our families are working on some new living arrangements. It is a huge transition. My family moved into that house five months before I was born. 

As I posted earlier today on Facebook,

“Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10).