Whew!

Here is a summary of my one year of treatment after diagnosis. Pretty short, huh? This little table does not include the wave of emotions that washed me from time to time, the sleepless nights, the pain, the anxiety. But I made it this far - as long as there is life, there is hope! As my friend from Cebu puts it, "Payts lang dyud, bay!"(Fight on, friend!)



Date Name of test Procedure Medications Notes Doctor

July 27, 2006	X-rays of all bones, Bone scan, Bone marrow biopsy, CAT scan, heart scan, Pulmonary Function Test, EKG, Several Blood Tests, 24-hour urine test	INTRAMEDULLARY NAILING		Had physical therapy until Dec 06	Dr Kristi Lynn Weber Orthopedic Surgeon
Aug - Sep 2006	Radiation, R femur.	Radiation, R femur. 10 doses.			Joseph M Herman, Radiation Oncologist
Sep-2006 to Feb	Monthly blood tests for kidney, liver, blood functions, test for kappa light chain in the blood, 24-hour urine test (electrophoresis)	CHEMOTHERAPY	Thalidomide 100 mg od; Dexamethasone 40 mg od. Zometa infusion once a month	Had tremors, moon face; numbness and tingling of both extremeties	Dr Zeshaan Rasheed Medical Oncologist
Mar - Apr 28, ‘07		Washout period in preparation for high dose chemotherapy			Rasheed/Huff
April 9, 10, 2007	X-rays of all bones, Bone scan, Bone marrow biopsy, CAT scan, heart scan, Pulmonary Function Test, EKG, Several Blood Tests, 24-hour urine test	Preparation for Phase 2 Clinical Trial for High dose Cytoxan and Rituximab for Multiple Myeloma			Dr Carol Ann Huff Medical Oncologist
April 29 - Present	Bone Marrow biopsy every 3 months; Blood and Urine exams every month for one year (up to Apr 08)	High dose chemotherapy, begun on April 29 for 20 days.	Cytoxan infusion Rituxan infusion once/wk for 4 weeks on Months 1, 3, 6, 9 & 12 (Aug 23-Sep 13 is 3rd month)	Blood counts gone really low, had transfusion: whole blood - 2 units, and 2 units of platelets.	Dr Carol Ann Huff Medical Oncologist