Mixed Metaphors

The plan has been changed mid-game. My docs are going to put me on Revlimid instead of Velcade. The upside: Revlimid is in a pill form, instead of IV like Velcade. The downside: the side effects are multiple and serious. We’re talking deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms, with a side of cytopenias (very low blood counts). I pray I’m one of the lucky ones who gets by without any problems. It’s funny but true; the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know. So right now I’m looking back fondly at Velcade. I’ll take a stomach ache over deep vein thrombosis any day! Guess I should take a stroll down memory lane and read a few blogs back, when I wanted to stop it immediately. Beware of what you wish for….

This whole thing is just a crap shoot, really, so I’m just throwing the dice again to see what I get. Why, you ask? Because none of these drugs are meant for AL amyloidosis. They were developed for multiple myeloma. The two diseases have some of the same characteristics, so the drugs do work for amyloidosis. But when you are in this leaky old boat called AL amyloidosis, you just wish someone would say, “Take this, it’ll stop the leaks immediately!” NOT going to happen. I just have faith that eventually everything we throw at this disease will stop it. I really do believe that we will succeed, but the path is crooked and full of switch-backs and steep inclines. Persevere, everyone. (Forgive me, this whole paragraph is a ridiculous mess of mixed metaphors.)

I was recently contacted by a lovely lady from Texas named Vasca whose husband was just diagnosed with AL amyloidosis. They are preparing for the fight with determination and faith. Please say a prayer for Michael that he will have an excellent response to treatment. Click here to follow his progress at their blogspot.

I can’t believe that July is almost gone already. The summer goes so fast, so why doesn’t February??? Hang in there, everyone.  ; )