Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

I forgot to restate the name of my blood cancer, and a few of you have reminded me that it would be helpful. Sorry about that. It is known as CLL and is a cancer of the white blood cells (which follows that is is also a disease of the immune system). It is a chronic and relatively slow growing blood cancer compared to the ones with "blastic" somewhere in the name. Most of patients who die from it, die of pneumonia because of their compromised immune systems and susceptible lungs. I was diagnosed a year ago August, and doctors agree that I have had it for 3 to 4 years already.

Which reminds me, I will soon be sporting my face masks again as the flu season revs up!

Thanks for reminding me...

Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise

Hi Everyone,

I plan to start putting my health updates in this blog to facilitate communication. The last blood test was in early October and the next will be in early January. I thank you for your continued prayers and support concerning my health. You have been so faithful and I am always grateful.

Despite my Doctors' caution not to get too excited, I can't help feeling encouraged by the current trend. My White Blood Count has dropped again. The doctors continue to call this stable. A year ago August they were a little over 30,000, they stayed around 27,000 for most of the year. Three months ago they slipped into the 25,000s and now they have slipped down further into the 23,000s (normal is around 3,000 to 9,500). With this disease they can go up to 100,000 and in really bad cases up to 500,000. So I'm doing great by those standards.

They usually start medication at around 30,000 but use other indicators to make the final decision. Since I have been stable instead of increasing, I am still able to dodge the medication "bullet." This is helpful because your chemotherapy status affects your ability to eventually be treated with some of the newer and better methodologies.

My energy levels have vastly improved too. I am concentrating on exercising regularly, as in 1 hour a day 5 days a week. My last bad fatigue episode was in June when I was traveling with Nancy Hughes, returning from a conference in Pennsylvania. Nancy had to take care of me the last two days when I crashed. I was grateful for her presence and care. I don't know how to explain to people what this feels like - it's not being tired. It is going completely mentally blank and not being able to make the simplest decisions (i. e. "Do you want to eat?"), feeling like I cannot lift my arms and legs, and having a body that sways as if it were in a high wind. Like I said, I have not experienced an episode in 4 months and I am very grateful for this. I have learned a lesson - when I am tired, I stop and sit down. This and regular exercise and plenty of rest seem to be helping me enormously.

Another piece of good news is that a spot on my lungs turned out to be benign. There was a possibility that it indicated a secondary cancer, but this was completely dismissed. I struggled with some fear about this, but the possibility dried up. I'm so relieved!

Thanks again for your faithful prayers and concern and friendship. Despite my conservative Doctors, I feel encouraged and blessed. I thank the Lord for this grace in our lives, whether it be short or long.