The mission is remission

Ninety days ago, I had my stem cell transplant. Every day since has pointed toward today, when the follow-up testing would determine if I am in remission, or if the myeloma is still active. For the past two days, I have undergone extensive testing, including a bone marrow biopsy and a PET scan, to determine the outcomes of the chemotherapy and stem cell transplant. This afternoon, we got the results, and I'm happy to say that they are very positive. It is not a Complete Response, in which none of the markers of myeloma can be detected, but it is a "Very Good Partial Response," which is pretty darned good. Every marker of the disease has been drastically reduced. Total proteins from 17,000 mg to 99 mg; monoclonal proteins from 15,000 mg to 45 mg; hemoglobin back into the normal range for the first time in a year; less than 5% bone marrow involvement; no detectable circulating cells. The doctors think that it is possible that the markers will continue to decline for several more months. All of this means that I am in remission, and my unmutated chromosomal makeup suggests that it should be durable, which is defined as two or more years. The median remission lasts two years, but this number is dragged down by patients with mutated chromosomes, who tend to have very short remissions. I am confident that my remission will last much longer than that. No further treatment is necessary at this time; just ongoing monitoring on a quarterly basis. Even when the myeloma comes back, as it inevitably will if I live long enough, I have another stem cell transplant in the bank, and there are a number of promising therapies that are in testing stages right now that will by then be available to beat the disease back into remission once more. I now view multiple myeloma as a chronic condition that can be managed, not as an acute disease. This should allow me to dance at my kids' weddings and spoil their children for many years to come! I am so grateful to the physicians here at the Clinic for the superb care they have provided. I am also thankful for Florence, who has been my everything during this long ordeal. Finally, I will always be filled with gratitude to our friends, relatives, and followers of this blog for your help, your prayers, your support, and your all-around indispensableness! All of that good karma is not only appreciated--it worked!