myeloma and amyloidosis update

It has been quite awhile since my last update ...

The good news is that everything continues as before. The three drugs (taken orally) - pomalidomide, dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide - have been keeping the myeloma and amyloidosis under control. It has now been seven and a half years since I started on these medications which, for some unknown reason, are particularly effective in my case.  The first three treatments that we tried beginning in 2011 were not nearly so effective. There is no way of knowing why this particular treatment plan is working but I am grateful that it is! It reminds me that every jourmey with myeloma is different and that the number of effective treatments increases every year.

We continue to play it safe when it comes to COVID given my weakened immune system and so far so good. My health has allowed me to return to running and now I head out on a five kilometer run around Crescent Beach three times a week. Next up, I will begin heading up the local hill to Crescent Park and work my way up to comfortable ten kilometer runs. As in the past daily walks and stretching is preventing injury. Fingers crossed!

I hope this report is encouraging to others living with myeloma and amyloidosis. Though these illnesses are incurable in my case they seem more chronic than fatal at this point. The loss of peripheral vision on the right side that resulted from a stroke two years ago is more of an issue for me than blood cancer. Partial blindness is a strange experience as I continually walk into people and things. It is not an obvious disability so people often forget or do not realize my blindness.