ZZZZZZZZZAPPP

Today I began radiation treatments to eradicate the plasmacytoma on my right shoulder and another place under my left eye. The treatments don't take long, just a few minutes. Indeed, the set up takes longer than the actual treatment. So, I can go on my lunch hour, and not miss much work. Some one asked me today what I was having for lunch so I told them I was having an isotope sandwich with a side of photons. Oh well, it seemed funny at the time. I have only been scheduled for 10 treatments, so one down and just nine to go. Hopefully I'll be able to move my arm freely again. After the radiation it should be a return to chemo, and possibly another transplant. It is the Easter season, a time to celebrate new life. Perhaps this is new life for me.
St. Peregrine, Pray for Us
Blessed John XXIII, Pray for Us
Deacon John
Thursday in the Octave of Easter
April 16, 2009

Learning Patience All Over Again

We saw the oncologist this morning about starting radiation treatments for this enormous plasmacytoma on my shoulder, and a small, but growing, place under my left eye. We hoped to get started, but, today turned out to be just a preliminary event. Now we have to return on Tuesday for some scans, then we may start actual treatment on the following Monday. I know there has to be a plan, but why all of the seeming foot-dragging? It has been more than a month since I first called my oncologist about this place on my shoulder. The good news from today is that they want to finish the radiation as quickly as possible, perhaps just two weeks of treatments. Once radiation is complete we can get on with whatever else is planned for treating this (scatological term) disease. The treatments can be harsh, but the waiting is the worst of all. Ah, well. patience, patience.
St. Peregrine, Pray for Us
Blessed John XXIII, Pray for Us
Deacon John
Good Friday
April 10, 2009

An Idea

If you check the sidebar on the right hand side of this blog you will see that I have added a picture of Blessed John XXIII. The last few weeks as I have waited to see if Poindexter had returned or not, something (or Someone?) urged me to pray to Blessed John for his intercession, asking that I may be healed. I thought, why not? He is certainly (to me) the most important Pope of my lifetime. He brought about changes that affected millions, and changes that affect me directly. Without the changes he started, I could not do what I do, I could not be what I am, a Deacon of this Church. And, he's a namesake. So I have begun praying daily for Blessed John XXIII's intercession, that I might be healed, and that a cure for Multiple Myeloma might be found, so all can be healed. I hope that you will join me in this prayer for Blessed John's intercession, especially for the discovery of a cure.
Deacon John
Palm Sunday
April 5, 2009

Fighting Anew

About a month ago I was celebrating being in remission for six months. Well, it seems our old friend Poindexter had other ideas. Over the past month a place has grown on my right shoulder to the point it looks like I'm trying to grow a second head. A biopsy confirmed that it is a plasma cytoma, a recurrence of the Multiple Myeloma the autologous stem cell transplant had put in remission. While not the best of news, it is not the worst of news either. My oncologist assured me that it is not desperation time, that there is still much that can be done, including the possibility of another transplant. He is currently consulting with the transplant team at the University of Chicago where my transplant was done, to see what treatment they want to do. In the meantime I will begin radiation treatment on the tumor on my shoulder to stop the bone damage it is doing. Before I spoke of this disease being a gift. It still is. I knew it would come back, I simply hoped it wouldn't be this soon. No, I'm not happy, but I will do what I must, the most important thing being to trust God and pray. God has brought me this far, I'm not giving up on God now. So, pray as I enter the ring again, and start fighting anew.
Deacon John
Saturday of the Fifth Week in Lent
April 4, 2009