Decent News

I apologize for taking so long to update this. I have been "snowed under" in June and July with work. In the past week I had trouble getting into the blog. Any way....

Right after my last post, Debbie fainted at the ocologist's office while a new inexperienced tech was trying to take a blood sample in late June. That revealed a very slow pulse, 48, which was apparently a side effect of the Revlimid. She is case # 17 with that side effect. (It is a very new drug.) So he took her off it. A cardiologist checked her 3 weeks ago and said no major problems, thankfully. In the 5 weeks she has been off the Revlimid, her pain diminished and has now disappeared and her pulse rate is close to back to normal now. The oncologist has been on vacation and we see him tomorrow, expecting him to put her back on the Revlimid at a reduced dosage. He says the Revlimid is the main fighter of the Myeloma. Since being off it for 5 weeks, there was little improvement in her M Protein marker number coming down (from 0.6 to 0.5). Also, we assume the pain she felt back in June was due to the Revlimid attacking hot spots. She is feeling much better now. We were a little disappointed in such minor improvement showing up in the blood work yesterday, but we rejoice that it was improvement. She has resumed all her normal household duties, and was able to maintain her discipling studies thru the summer and hosting 2 small groups. So that was a blessing.

Thanks for your prayers.