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Monday, September 21, 2020

Wrong and Right

Some examples of Wrong:

Recent text from friend:

Friend: When are we hanging out?
Me: 2021?
Friend: Seriously, come by and hang out.
Me: I wish I could but my immune system is crap, so I gotta be extra careful and can't do it
Friend: Lol

Text to therapist (In Feb):
Me: Hi Dr, I'm not going to make tomorrow's appointment, I need to take Gracie to a oncologist
Dr: Well, this is less than 24 hours so I'll need to charge you.
Me: Um, it's 22 hours, but whatever
Dr: Want to do a phone appointment? Otherwise I'll charge you

Same therapist (5 months later):
Dr: Hi Matt, just checking in. How are you?
Me: I'm surviving
Dr: Glad to hear you're doing well

Very Right:

At my visit with Dr Berenson last week, he said my myeloma is nearly undetectable. I'm coming up on 4 years on the Darzalex, Pom and Dex regimen and it's working great. If my lab results are the same next month, he'll do a bone marrow biopsy to check on abnormal plasma in my marrow. This surprised me a bit, given he typically doesn't see the point in doing a biopsy since we're not changing treatment at all. My plasma count was at 70% when diagnosed 9.5 years ago, so he'd like to get a new baseline. That's fine with me. We'll just do it in his office next month. The funny thing is sometimes I forget he's an actual doctor, I'm so used to coming in and chatting about non medical stuff with him. But he's a skilled and top specialist. Thank goodness.

1 comment:

  1. WOW!!!! I'm so jelly Matt! Maybe the key is the regular steroids you take??? How often do you? Every other day? Your dose? I'm a wreck, but better than June, July, Aug. And hey, I say get together with friends. Outside, distance, masks, but get together with friends, hike, bike, go outside, volunteer at your local animal shelter... Gracie would want you to do that :))
    Maybe we can have a "phone appt" chat soon. Or visit here, outside?? But get out and about, as you're doing so well! Soooooo happy for you Matt!!! xoxo Julie

    ReplyDelete

Berenson Oncology Success Rate

 Some reading about my myeloma specialist's success rate. A press release and an article from Targeted Oncology.