I know I’ve been bad and haven’t updated in a long while. M and I have been pretty busy and his cousin just got married! Congrats Tim and Laura!
MD Anderson
Dad has been a patient exclusively at MD Anderson for the last couple of weeks. While initially, the vibes of a whole hospital dedicated to cancer was incredibly frightening to Mom and Dad, I think they are starting the see the benefits.
MD Anderson is kicking their butts. Which they needed. Desperately. They have Dad with a Diabetes counselor, a nutritionist and more. While Mom and Dad are pretty sick of the heading downtown for appointments, at lease someone is constantly watching them and making sure they stay on track.
And I love it because I can access Dad’s test results and appointment schedule. Mom (I love you Mommy!) is the WORST at getting any information to me. Not only does she not understand all the numbers, I never knew when their appointments are! Whew! Thanks MD Anderson for making it so I don’t have to bother her about all that. Instead we get to talk about my shopping adventures and her spa treatments 
.
I’m starting to teach myself how to read the Lab Results. I figure that at SOME point I’ll be educated enough to speak in MM language, but right now I’m still coping with understanding free light chain ratios and LDH. Thanks to the folks on the Myeloma Beacon Forums for helping me sort out everything.
New Treatments
Our doctor has recommended that Dad go on VDT PACE as a part of Total Therapy 3. VDT PACE is essentially a high dose of several drugs. It’s part of a very aggressive treatment called Total Therapy that comes from the University of Arkansas, where they have one of the most well known Multiple Myeloma centers. It’s an intense regimen with tandem stem cell transplants (that means two). We don’t know right now if Dad will even respond the VDT PACE so the SCTs seem very, very far away. Especially since it’s something he doesn’t really want.
About VDT PACE:
VDT PACE is very aggressive and Dad will be in the hospital for a few days. He will most likely loose his hair. Which is sad because he still had a good amount!
V= Velcade (Bortezomib)
D = Dexamethasone (Decadron)
T = Thalidomide (Thalomid)
P = Cisplatin (Cisplatinum)
A = Adriamycin (Doxorubicin)
C = Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
E = Etoposide (Eposin)
Attitude
I feel like I’m beating a dead horse on this subject but I am just so concerned about Dad’s approach to this disease. I know that the cancer and the treatment has made it hard for him to think clearly, but it’s so hard to sit back and not watch him fight.
Mom send out letters one year (I think around Christmas) that talked about how important attitude is. The phrase was 10% of life is what happens to you and 90% is how you react to it. Really think we all need to find that and re-read it.
This Week
Dad goes in for treatment on Wednesday. I’ll do my best to keep everyone updated in the next few days. I’m going to still be in MA, not TX as I’m getting Anna for the next two weeks.