My latest results are in

 Diagnosis, My MCL  No Responses »
Mar 132007
 

And I’m happy to report, my platelets are back up to 218, after dropping to a new low of 195 last month, so that is somewhat reassuring.

After thinking about it a little more, I remembered I had increased the amount of green tea I had been drinking, from about 4 tea bags a day to 6 tea bags a day over the last 2 or 3 months. It has been reported that green tea can inhibit platelet aggregation, and is likely the reason my platelet count was down last month.

Of course why it is back up again, is another question, but that is a good thing, and I’m not going to worry about it. I’ve learned when and when not to worry!

As for everthing else, nothing much has changed.

Two other measures I watch closely, my absolute lymphocyte count and hemoglobin have remained stable for the past 6 months at around 80 thou/cumm and 12.4 g/dl respectively.

Tomorrow I visit my oncologist to discuss all this, and for the obligatory bimonthly general examination, that is to check my spleen, other lymphnodes, my heart, lungs etc. and talk about other stuff. I really don’t need to go so often, but I do so for the personal interactions that occur between my doctor and some of the staff.

I don’t want anyone forgetting what a great guy I am, should treatment become necessary.

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 Posted by Marc at 3:41 pm

Knowing when and when not to worry

 Golf  2 Responses »
Mar 112007
 

It appears that failing to truncate my signature line, in the email I referred to in yesterdays post, did not produce any unexpected or unusual responses from anyone, when I arrived at the golf course.

Instead of worrying about that, I should have been worrying about my golf game, especially considering the fact, I had just taken a lesson on Wednesday.

Anyone who plays the game of golf, knows full well, the surest way to screw up a round of golf is to proceed it with a lesson.

It’s not that lessons are bad, it’s just trying to change old habits on the course, rather than on the range, only produces disastrous results, and I represented a perfect example of that yesterday. (I usually figure it takes me about two months before a lesson takes hold.)

I did manage to break 100 (shot a 99), but it took playing 4 over par for the last 7 holes to accomplish that. If you don’t want to do the math, for the first 11 holes I was 24 over (par was 71 on this course). But even though I scored good on those final 7 holes, and except for a few good shots, I was not hitting the ball good. I just had a few lucky shots, and a few good putts along the way.

All I can say is, I’d better go practice some more! I’ve got another tournament next Sunday with the Eldorado mens club.

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 Posted by Marc at 1:12 pm

Ooops!

 Golf, Life, My MCL  No Responses »
Mar 092007
 

Just sent an email to someone, which included my entire signature line (shown below, and used when communicating with others on the lymphoma/leukemia/myeloma message boards) who I hadn’t intended to see it.

Marc – Long Beach, CA
Dx atypical MCL(CD5-) 3/26/02
Leukemic Phase; Age 58 – No treatment yet
Husband of Edie – DX MM April ’06
Radiation X 18 of T2 plasmacytoma
Started Zometa treatments May ’06
Start Thalidomide + Low Dose Dexamethasome Jan ’07

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The future is just a concept we use to avoid living today

I’m playing in a golf tournament this weekend, and I sent payment for the tournament through the bill pay system of my bank. I did that 2 weeks ago, but I was told today the check had not been received. So I spent about 30 minutes talking to several people, most of whom had no clue what they were doing, before finally getting the check stopped,

And no sooner do I get that accomplished, the person emails me, indicating he found the check.

I was so flustered, I responded back, neglecting to truncate the signature line.

Oh well, such is life. He may not even notice it or understand it, although I have my doubts. I don’t know how you could miss it (it’s so big) or not understand it.

But it’s not like I’ve been making a tremendous effort to hide the fact. Sooooo……….

I’ll see how it goes tomorrow. I’m playing in this persons fivesome.

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 Posted by Marc at 2:31 pm

My 15 minutes of fame!

 Diagnosis, Life, My MCL  1 Response »
Mar 072007
 

Almost everyone in the world is going to know me now! At least those who read “Blogging at life’s end“, in the Lifestyles section of ASAP, the AP’s new multimedia service, today.

I’m not sure I like the title, “Blogging at life’s end” though. Everyone may now be thinking I’m in the last throws of life, since four of the six featured bloggers have already died.

Of course Dick Cheney said the insurgency, in Iraq, “was in its last throws” a few years back, and we are all aware of the accuracy of that statement. (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself! Just because I said I wouldn’t read any more news related blogs or blogs promoting a political agenda, doesn’t mean I can’t throw in the occasional jab every once in awhile.)

So let me set the record straight. I’m not in the last throws of life!

Still the article is a fair representation of what I indicated in the interview. I just wish she had referred to me as Marc, instead of Kashinsky.

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 Posted by Marc at 2:49 pm

I’m done!

 Cycling, Life, Off Topic  2 Responses »
Mar 062007
 

I’m done reading news related blogs, and blogs promoting a political agenda. They have become way too combative, and just aren’t worth the aggravation and time. There are far more pleasurable pursuits I could be partaking in, rather than sitting on my butt, debating some issue with individuals who believe “it’s all about them”.

It’s as if they believe everyone was born with the same intelligence, the same athletic ability and were afforded the same opportunities in life, and if you happen to be poor, sick or down on your luck, it’s because you made bad choices in life, and it’s not their problem.

I can’t understand that lack of compassion, but neither am I willing to try and sway the opinions of those who feel that way any more.

So I’ve decided to quit cold turkey, and limit myself to reading blogs on wine, cycling, golf and of fellow patient bloggers.

And to top it off, yesterday I bought a new set of wheels for my current bike, and I just went an ordered a new Torelli monocoque full carbon frame (shown at the right), and I’m building it with Campagnolo Chorus components.

It won’t be in for about 2 weeks though. Bummer! But at least I have some news wheels to play with.

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 Posted by Marc at 11:13 am

Golf! Maybe tougher than fighting lymphoma

 Golf, My MCL, Off Topic  No Responses »
Mar 042007
 

Last week, Tiger Woods had a 3 foot putt for birdie, on the second play off hole, to win his match, at the Accenture Match Play Competition, on Friday, and get to the quarter finals on Saturday. Unbelieveably he missed that putt, and went on to lose the next play off hole.

And today almost the same thing happened again to another golfer.

Boo Weekley had a one stroke lead going in to the final hole of the Honda Classic today. All he had to do was par the last hole, a 604 yard, par 5 hole. He reached the green in regulation and his 30 foot (???) putt for birdie, came up 3′-3″ short.

Still an easy putt you would think. Well not so when $990,000 is on the line, and Boo missed the putt, leaving the ball 3′-2″ from the cup. Fortunately he made the putt coming back, but it left him in a 4 way tie for first place, with a play off to continue tomorrow, from the 10th hole.

But I know exactly how it is. Other than trying to hit a baseball traveling at 100+ mph, there is no other sport that requires so much skill. Maybe that is why so many ex baseball players make such good golfers.

It might even make living with lymphoma seem easy.

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 Posted by Marc at 4:43 pm
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