• My renal function is slowly improving, but not near enough to get off dialysis, which I still do two times a week. It is still a major area of prayer.
• I just received my latest cancer labs. My bad protein is still dropping, meaning that chemo is working. At diagnosis, my level was 2658 mg/l. Now it is 89 mg/L. Complete remission is considered when the level is normal, which is >24. So we are getting close.
• With the addition of a large dose of steroids, my last round of chemotherapy had far less side effects. This week was a week off from chemo and I felt better each day as the side effects (constant flu-like syndrome) slowly lifted. I will start my next round on Monday.
• Because I cannot get more than 72 hours away from my dialysis machine, we cannot not leave the area. But with this break from chemo, Denise and I took a road trip up through British Columbia and it has been (still on the trip as I write) has been wonderful!
• I am still plagued by many symptoms, mostly neurological, that is from my renal failure. I keep praying that this would heal, but so far it is no better.
• I hope to get to the University of Washington to see a Multiple Myeloma specialist. The referral was lost again and we started over with this. I hope that I’m a candidate for stem cell transplant, which would give me the most hope for a future of a few years. Having renal failure is one strike against me qualifying. I am “in training” to increased my chances, by walking 4 miles per day and trying to loose a few pounds.

We need to get on the road so I will do a part II post with details for family and others who are interested in those. But above is the essence of the update.