I don’t usually do a cancer update unless there is a significant change. Thank God, there has not been a substantial change as I am doing well, on one single agent, a monoclonal antibody, daratumumab, which is keeping my cancer in remission.

I was having daily diarrhea for most of the past six years due to my treatments. Right now, I am on a program, colesevelam, which has helped tremendously, with just episodic diarrhea now.

But I am writing about multiple Myeloma and my experience because, for reasons I am not sure about, my readership has shot up 300% in the past two weeks, from people around the world, about a thousand per week. In trying to make sense of what those new visitors are reading, it is roughly divided between my usual ramblings, deconstructing Christianity for those who no longer find it sensible, my books, and my cancer story. So, in respect of those who are curious about my cancer, I thought I would give them an update (they are mainly reading my old updates).

Each month, like most cancer patients, I check my labs, which tell me if the cancer is surging or still in remission. I had a detailed workup last summer, including a clonoseq, which showed I had an average of 8 cancer cells per million in my bone marrow. While low, it is perched on the edge of my life, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. My subsequent treatment would likely be a bispecific antibody.

The good news for us is that there is a revolution going on, developing treatments, at least one new one per year. However, that progress took a real punch in the gut when the Trump administration drastically cut research funding, so they could give significant tax breaks to the highest-income earners, their political donors.

The new addition this year is that I am doing IV-IG infusions on a monthly or every other month basis, based on my own natural IgG being below 700. Multiple Myeloma, being a cancer of the immune system, creates low immunity, and the most common cause of death among us is overwhelming infections. This new strategy has been constructive; for the past few winters, I’ve battled pneumonia. This year, not even bronchitis.

Another cancer update: I am hard at work on my new nonfiction book, How Cancer Taught Me to Swear. I have about two more chapters to write before my editing begins. I never wanted to write about my cancer journey, as many patients have done so. But it was recommended that I do, especially if I wrote it as a satire and commentary on how we, and our society, deal with cancer.

Writing this book has forced me to relive some tough days and to give deep thought to life, suffering, and death.

Lastly, I am still hard at work on my stone cottage, my cancer therapy. However, I will have a significant setback. I tore my left shoulder badly two years ago. I cannot raise my left arm. I have seen an orthopedist, and he thinks he can help me via surgery. It would cost me six months before I am back to normal, or better than my present normal.

With my cancer, I am not a good surgical candidate. But the physician thinks this stitch in time could save nine, which would be a total shoulder replacement later on.

Thanks so much for your interest.

Mike