My Digital Life

What a busy past few weeks this has been. I'm glad to share that I passed both Comptia A+ exams and am now a certified computer technician. It was designation suggested for work and has been a personal goal of mine for a while. I've also been enjoying what was left of my vacation by doing some nothing, which takes some doing. Oh yes, and researching new vehicles, mainly small crossovers and SUVs. I can't but help being a bit morbid and wonder if it's the last vehicle I'll ever buy. Trying to decide between a Subaru Forester, a Nissan Rogue or a Hyundai Santa Fe. Or maybe I'll just get a team of dogs and a good sled to carry me through the winter. Mush.

Health-wise, nothing all that new to report. A Bence-Jones test I had done a few weeks ago was rejected thanks to traces of blood in my urine. I don't see any blood when I urinate and hope this isn't a sign of another health issue. Bone pain and extremity sensations continue, varying from throbbing, pins and needles to warmth. Could be related to MM neuropathy or just arthritis. That's the hassle of MM. It makes you paranoid since you wonder if every little ache and pain signals the progression of the disease. Oh cancer, how I loathe thee.

In changing the subject, I'll leave you with this jem - Idioteque by one of my very favourite bands - Radiohead. I love this band for their muscial complexity, energy, artistry and sound. Top notch, in my book.

Thinking Ahead about Biophosphates

Howdy. I haven't posted in a while due to studying for my A+ Certification and enjoying goofing off during my vacation. All said, I've been feeling pretty good apart from increasingly frequent pain in my humerus, femur and tibia bones. My doctor says while this could be a symptom of myeloma, it could just be arthritis. I've also been experiencing what I think is neuropathy in my extremities (tips of fingers and toes). Although my MM has been diagnosed at stage I and indolent, it's still a bit unnerving to think about what might be coming. Still, I'm not letting this stop me from living and it seldom gets be worried. I went through a major "freak out" period just prior to being officially diagnosed, between my bone marrow biopsy and results appointment. I refuse to feel like that again. Although I'm feeling positive I am still being proactive.

Although skeletal surveys show my bones to be strong and free of lesions, I am aware that in the future I may need to take biophosphates. These drugs are also used in treating osteoperosis, and are used to bind areas where bones have been destroyed. A rare but serious side effect is osteonecrosis of the jaw, where the jaw bones do not receive adequate oxygen or nutrients and can collapse. This side effect occurs in 1-6% of patients, and can be caused by dental work prior to or during taking biophosphate drugs. For this reason, it is recommended patients have dental work compelted prior to taking biophosphates or stop taking the drugs prior dental procedures (on their doctor's recommendations, of course). In thinking ahead, I'm getting a filling replaced in efforts to fix a fractured tooth. Oh, the joy. My dentist said I would not be a high risk for jaw disease, but did recommend the problem be addressed.

You can read more about biophosphates and MM here.

Going to the dentist reminds me of the following skit featuring Tim Conway and Harvey Korman. I love how they stuggle to keep a straight face through the skit. Fortunately, my dentist is much more competent than this guy. Enjoy.

UPDATE: I jist goth backsh from da dentisht. Went well, but I'm shtill a bit fwozen.

Multiple Myeloma Genome Unlocked

A fellow myeloma forum member once said "it's a good time to have multiple myeloma", in reference to the rapid pace of discoveries about the disease and what makes it tick. Case in point - the MM genome has been unlocked. Hopefully this will lead to more effective and individualized treatments, and possibly a cure down the road. I find comfort in my faith in science and medicine, and am confident several new options will be available when this disease progresses. Good news for anyone with MM.

In other news, it's been a busy week. I attended an intensive Cisco A+ Essentials Skills training and passed with flying colours. Now for the A+ Certification exam. Yep, I'm a geek. And speaking of which, someone took footage from Star Wars and created a Han Solo PI video, as a tribute (or sorts) to Magnum PI. Here's a side-by-side comparison. I think it's pretty impressive.

Results Day

I met with my doctor today and all is well! No bone lesions, kidneys are functioning normally and blood numbers are excellent. The doctor said the MM is still indolent and has stretched the time until my next appointment. However...

My x-ray results show compression of the C3 vertebrae, and there is an indication I'k suffering from spina bifida. This was news to me and my doctor. Because I had the x-rays taken at my local hospital (instead of the one I travel to for the oncology appointments), my doctor insisted the x-rays be re-interpreted. I can't help but think mine were mixed up with someone else's.

All in all, good news! Must say I feel a bit odd to have started a cancer blog when I'm still at stage I, not that I'm complaining.

In other news... As some of you might know, my wife and I went to NYC this July and had a fantastic trip. I took a pile of videos and photos, most of which I posted on facebook. Here's the first video I took, on our way from the airport to our hotel. Listen closely.

Fight Myeloma Podcast

I stumbled across a podast called Fight Myeloma on iTunes this evening. It's from the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, and features info on wellness, patient stories and myeloma basics. You can access the podcast on the Hunstman Cancer Institute website, or from iTunes.

Need a Laugh?

Need a smile, laugh or distraction from thoughts of cancer - or life in general for that matter? Check out Awkward Family Photos. You might even want to submit one of your own... or not. Here's a preview, and you're welcome.

Back Home & Back to Reality

I am still buzzing from my trip to NYC. What energy, flow, buildings, warmth, crowds, fun and noise! My wife and I had a great time, loved the 2 musicals and 1 play we saw (I highly recommend God of Carnage), and The Late Show with David Letterman was fun. I got my photos taken with Rupert and Biff Henderson, which was quite a thrill, being a long-time fan. We had a good mix of seeing tourist attractions and just hanging out and absorbing the New York experience. We had a great tour or Greenwich Village and Soho, which focused on rock & roll landmarks such as Cafe Wha?, the site of the famed CBGB's and Electric Lady Studios (thanks, Shawn!). We will definitely be going back. Inspired, I took hundreds of photos and video, uploading them to Facebook to share with family and friends. Seems I've inspired a few to take their own trip to the Big Apple!

The trip made me forget about my cancer, which was one of the best parts. I have more blood tests and another skeletal survey today with results later this month. The trip was both a great distraction and a ton of fun. I'm leaving it on my bucket list, however. We will definitely be going back!