A brief recap

Like all good serial TV shows, a recap of previous events is appreciated by viewers, the same is true here. This summer (and for the next year) I am undergoing treatment for a form of blood cancer called Multiple Myeloma.

As they say... Previously on... (remember that this is a brief recap)

During the summer of 2005 I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and began taking drugs to diminish the cancer with the intention of being treated with an Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (aka auto transplant) in the summer of 2006. The meds were effective at reducing the cancer and I continued to teach my regular schedule at St. Peter-Marian HS. With the support and cooperation of my school, early during the summer of 2006 I went into Brigham and Women's Hospital for the "Auto" transplant. I was in the hospital for about 3 weeks and things there went well. I went home and continued to improve. I returned to school and a full teaching schedule that fall of 2006.

The point of the Autologous transplant is to kill off the cancer (which is largely in the bone marrow) with strong chemo then rebuild the bone marrow (also damaged by the chemo) by returning my stem cells into my system that will go to the bones and re-establish my marrow. I had collected my own stem cells 2 weeks prior to hospitalization. Since I am returning my own stem cells into my body there is no problem with rejection.

My hair grew back, I got stronger, I had a more or less normal school year. I also got sick much more often than I ever had before. I seemed to catch every germ that wandered by in spite of the great cooperation from my very understanding students. My newly formed bone marrow didn't provide the same immunities that I'd developed over the years, in fact all my childhood vaccinations and immunities were now gone as well.

For most patients that have an autologous stem cell transplant, there is an extended period of remission that can last for months or years. I am one of the unfortunate few that didn't directly benefit from the procedure. My cancer load was roughly the same after the transplant as it was before. In addition to the disappointing results of the Auto transplant, a couple other blood disorders evolved: myelodisplastic syndrome and auto-immune hemolytic anemia.

This summer's procedure has the potential of fixing all three problems. This summer, my big procedure is a Reduced Intensity (nonmyeloablative) Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant, (aka mini-allo transplant.) There are many similarities between the auto and mini-allo transplants. But... this summer's procedure is riskier and requires a much longer recovery period.

More about this summer and the current medical fun and games in my next post...