Back in the 1990s I ran a website devoted to medical humor. I’m not an artist, but I hired one to create cartoons based on my ideas. I’ve toyed around with doing something like this in the “Cancer world.” I have found others doing it already, I will probably will not make a herculean effort…

My PET scan is complete. The results show five small bony lytic lesions BUT those are typical for active Multiple Myeloma, even MM in remission. The thing we were worried about, pain in my right ribs (small area) x 4 months, did not show cancer-related findings. That pain came on after spending several hours per…

I know there are a handful of aspiring writers like me who come to this page. I will give a peek preview and update of my present project. Bryan Rogers, PA-C, went to Yemen to save the children … he left Yemen to save the world. It usually takes me about six months to write…

Where to begin? This morning my latest labs returned with a consistent evidence that since April my cancer is returning, although slowly. My renal function slightly worse. Other labs okay. I saw my myeloma specialist last Tuesday. She is still in agreement that my myeloma is coming out of remission, but it is doing it…

I hate to leave things undone, however, I considered dropping this topic. But I do have unfinished business within it. The danger is I’m writing on another one of those steroid nights, I have a deluge of thoughts … meanwhile sleep evades me. First, I will make it clear to anyone who is not familiar…

Once a week, with my chemo, I must take a hefty dose of steroids. Those nights I fall asleep and then awaken about midnight and am up for the rest of the night (typical side effects). During those early mornings, my mind (again from the steroids) become filled with a stream of important thoughts. This…

The theme song to the movie and tv series, Mash, was Suicide is Painless. It is too cumbersome to explain that song here, but to say, of course suicide is anything but. Suicide brings incredible pain to a family, maybe more so than any other cause of death. There is anger married to the bereavement,…

Labs back. The kidneys are still at their improved state. The cancer is definitely coming out of remission, but on a slow course. This trend is clear since April. I don’t have to do anything new just yet, but if this trend continues, by December, (or sooner), I will need to grid up my loins…

Our hearts are heavy, pulled into the earth like a stone. The swing is straight and still, strung to the ground like a plumb. Their absence penetrates all the busy places with silence once more. Goodbye dear children … please, oh please come again.

Monthly labs returned this morning. First the good news. My renal labs had a remarkable improvement (after dropping last month). This month my estimated GFR went from 22.2 to 27.5 which is a rather profound improvement for 30 days. Now my kidneys are functioning at about half normal rather than just a fraction. My cancer…