Month: January 2016

Onwards and Upwards No. 27

Hello my healing team,

I hope this update finds you well.

Although it has been relatively quiet, I have a few things to report on the health front.  Sarah and I recently took the opportunity to seek a second opinion from the (arguably) second most recognised Myeloma haematologists here in Melbourne.  Whilst I was a little hesitant to step outside of the shadow of my current haematologist, (the Nutty Professor) who happens to be the most recognised Myeloma haematologists here in Melbourne, on Sarah’s insistence we did. As a result, some of the decisions that we soon have to make relating to our path forward are a little clearer.  As you may recall, my shitty cancer has resurfaced and is growing.  At some stage soon, it is likely that I will need to commence a three month program of chemotherapy in an attempt to reduce the cancer.  Assuming this is successful, I will then reach a crossroad where I need to make a decision, a decision that is now more clear given our recent ‘second opinion’.  Our decision or choice is this…Likely longer lifespan with compromised quality of life OR Likely shorter lifespan with improved quality of life.

The associated options are;

• Option 1 – longer life span: Immediately following chemotherapy treatment, submit for another stem cell transplant where the stem cells from one of my brothers is transplanted into me.  Effectively an immune system transplant.  I understand that this option is my best chance of having a sustained longer term remission. However, it does have its risks with the most likely being reduced quality of life associated with Graft Vs Host disease, where the introduced immune system can attack my body.  This impacts everyone differently and can range from very minor side effects such as persistent nausea and diarrhoea, through to more significant side effects such as major organ damage or impairment and even death.  The upside, statistics suggest I will live longer with this option.
• Option 2 – improved quality of life: Following chemotherapy treatment, we shelve the stem cell transplant and commence a long term low dose chemotherapy program.  Whilst this has side effects, they are typically quite manageable (hence the improved quality of life).  However, stats suggest that the cancer will find a way to conquer the chemotherapy, and re-emerge more resilient to secondary chemo drugs.  With this option, whilst I can jump into the next stem cell transplant at any time, the longer I put it off and the more resilient the cancer becomes and the less effective the stem cell transplant is likely to be.
• Option 3 – Something in between.

The real kicker is that whilst I feel more comfortable that I understand my options, the actual outcome of any treatment is unknown as everyone responds differently.  Hmmmph!!  So for now we sit and wait.  I recently had another bone marrow biopsy, where they take bone and bone marrow from my pelvis and test for cancer prevalence.  I get the results back next week.  If the numbers are favourable, then I don’t need to make any decisions for a few months yet.  If they are significantly increased, then it may be decision time.  Fingers crossed hey.

In my recent updates, I have spoken about bucket lists and goal setting.  Why??  I share my thoughts on this because I hope to inspire people to live deliberately.  I want to inspire you, the people I care about, to be purposeful about what you do, what you achieve, and ultimately, the legacy that you will create and leave behind.  I know it sounds cliché, but we can all make a difference. We can make a difference in our lives and in the lives of others. We do this by setting goals to be the best we can be and by establishing a bucket list so that we can have as much fun whilst we navigate our current lives.  I have spent a lot of my life living in a place where I have been happy to accept comfortable mediocrity.  I didn’t plan to achieve, I simply walked the path as it emerged.  I was quite happy living in that manner.  However, I have found that with only minor changes / planning, I can be more deliberate about the way I live.  I can impact on more people, the people I care about. You.

Take care

Geoff.

Onwards and Upwards No. 26

Hello my healing team,

I hope this update finds you well.

I hope you had a very merry Christmas and enjoyed your New Years festivities.   I have had a blast camping on the Rosebud (Victoria) foreshore and beach with Sarah and the kids, several of my brothers, sisters (inlaw) and my beautiful nieces. It is made extra special as I grew up here, living opposite the beach between the ages of 4 to 7.  I recall the long summers where I would follow my older brothers around like a bad smell (rather like a little kid following his idols) as they got up to all kinds of mischief. As I watched their mischief, I watched and I learned.

It was here, with my brothers, that I first rode a bike then slowly improved by going over jumps, doing mono’s and riding with no hands.  I learnt how to swim, first in the pool, then at the beach. At the beach, I had to be able to swim out to the boating ‘nav poles’ (roughly 400m) if I was to be good enough to keep up with my brothers. With practice, I did. Another challenge was to pick up animals with out getting bitten. I learnt how to catch crabs and blue tongue lizards with my bare hands. But I still cannot bring myself to pick up a huntsman spider with bare hands. I have to use a towel to pick up those little buggers. I’ll happily leave that one to my brothers.

As I reminisce, I see that I was always learning. Back then, my learning came every time I hung out with my brothers. Now, I find that I have to seek out the opportunity to learn. I have to work hard to be as inquisitive as I was when I was a 6 year old, because if I am not inquisitive, the learning opportunity will pass right by me without me even recognising it. It is so easy to miss the opportunity. So what do I do to learn?  I sit back and observe. I ask questions. I read. I try to be inquisitive. I want to learn so I can continue along a path of self improvement, and so that I can continue to be challenged.

What do you do to remain inquisitive and to keep learning?  Whatever it is, take it into hyperdrive and enjoy.  All the best for 2016!

Take care

Geoff