Just as I was about to sign off my blog…

The past few months have seen a steady improvement.
This included:
Regaining all my lost pounds thanks to eating well and Shoshi’s great cuisine
Traveling again on business
Going to work every day and enjoying it
No limitation on any activities: skiing, snow shoveling, etc.
Even my stomach got a lot better

There were some special moments.
The blog has provided more than what I had ever envisioned. First for me, it helped me express the status, ups, downs, fun and sad moments. For others, it was an easy way to stay in touch and provide some perspective on life, encouragement and hope.
The magical moments were the events where I got feedback to my blog about how much it has helped other people that I don’t even know. It was priceless.
Just two examples:
An overseas colleague’s mother got really sick and gave up on treatments. Convincing her to read my blog, changed her stand 180 deg. and she is now fighting for life. Another email came from someone I don’t even know who got the blog from friends. She has the same Multiple Myeloma as I had. I was able to get her in touch with specialists in Boston, compare the local treatment to the one done overseas and share some experiences as I was more advanced in the process. It was heart warming to see how my blog has helped others. So you can never know and you have my blessing to send my blog to anyone that you wish.

I was healthy again, felt great, started to make long term plans and was about to sign off the blog and move on.

Never a dull moment and maybe Murphy wins a lot!
Life is full of surprises and throws at you some tricky curved balls.

In late Nov. 2009 I went for my usual checkup, 2 months after the last one, and prepared myself for the start of the maintenance program. This is a standard procedure 6 months after the stem cell transplant to suppress any relapse and involves low dosage chemo pills. No big deal.
I got bad news: the numbers were not good and the light maintenance had to be changed to a heavy duty one.
Here is where it gets complicated. The numbers are still normal, but on the high side, after being very low 2 months ago. Because of the trend and my history (the disease advanced very rapidly), my doctor didn’t want to take a chance and decided to hit me hard and fast with high caliber ammunition.
And so, just as we were about the say goodbye to 2009, one more disappointment managed to slip in this narrow crack (Aya: this was your phrase!).
Needless to say, the blog is on and you will have to bear with it for some time.

Although I had a few worries about a relapse, like every ex-cancer patient, it was nevertheless a big surprise. This time it took me 3 days to digest the new situation. In one word: a big disappointment!
Pulling myself together I arrived to the same conclusions like last time: we’ll fight it and in a style! It was yet another call for battle stations, deja-vu.
I put on my P-51 Mustang T-shirt , got into my car with the CD playing the famous marches, and ‘flew’ to the hospital to start battle #2: additional tests that lasted a full day, including the painful bone marrow biopsy (drilling into the heap bone, which confirmed the findings) and many more tests.
We had plans: Christmas skiing in Vermont and plans are plans!
My doctor was a bit surprised and with no objection on her behalf, we went skiing, with a promise to show up in Dana Farber on the early morning after the ski day – Saturday 7:30 am! They wanted me to start that quickly.
We traveled to Vermont a day before Christmas, as we do for many years. Skiing on Christmas day is the best.
The slopes were ours as most people stayed at home. This year we went all 4 of us (with Neta and Lior) to a big mountain in Vermont and we had a blast. The weather wasn’t too cold, no wind and the trails were long with magnificent views of the area. Most of the time we skied above the clouds level. Lucky for me the pain in the bone (because of the drilling) was gone just a day before the ski. In any case, I would have skied.
On the way back, we stopped by a shrine which is famous for its unique Christmas lights. They decorate the whole slope of the snowy mountain with colorful lightings and decorations – quiet a scene (see the pictures below). After 3 hours we came home tired, happy and with tight muscles.
Without much rest, I was in Dana Farber in the following Morning (Saturday!) at 7:30 am to start treatments in my 2nd chapter. Rolling out of bed at an ungodly hour on a very cold Saturday (-12 c), was not something I looked for.

The first round of treatments was intense: a full week at Dana Farber, starting on Saturday, for 6 hours every day for 6 consecutive days. Then twice a week for two weeks, a week off, and so on. The science behind it is intriguing: I get a special daily shot (Plexifor) for 6 days that releases the bad Myeloma cells from the bone marrow. Once in the open, another chemo (Valcade) zaps them (hopefully). The Plexifor is $6000 per a tiny shot. Multiply by 6, almost twice a month, plus the other treatments, and the monthly cost is staggering.
The goal is to bring the numbers down and continue with the planned maintenance program. I hope I will not have to go through another stem cell transplant. Never mind the process, but not being able to eat and drink for so long, is not for me!

Today I have completed cycle-1. Soon Shoshi and I will travel to Israel for a short visit (plans are plans!). Then come back and dive to the routine I know so well. My car has Dana Farber on its auto-pilot and as usual, with Orbotech’s great medical insurance, my biggest expense will be the parking in Boston.

On the positive side, this type of heavy maintenance is at the time where my strength is back, my weight is normal, I don’t get tired as I used to be and I am sure I’ll tolerate the treatments. I have been on Velcade for 2 years and it is very manageable.

Now that we put the bad news and the medical update behind us, a few other updates (see more pictures below).
On Thanksgiving day I went to see the traditional high school (American) football match between our town Needham and Wellesley (our neighbor town). This is the oldest football tradition among any schools in the US and we celebrated its 118th year! It was a good game, lots of touch-downs but we lost…
December started with a reminder that the New England winters can be cold and white. A few snow storms dumped lots of the white fluff, sometime with temperatures dipping to -16 C. I was very happy to be able to shovel the snow for hours and enjoy it too. I know that the local New Englanders think that I am crazy. They hate it.
After 5 months in Spain, Neta came back home. She organized her adventure in Spain from start to end, taught English to the family she lived with, traveled in Spain during the weekends, made many friends and managed to sneak also a 2 weeks visit to Israel. No wonder my father and I admire her determination and call her “the diligent ant”. (Neta: I hope you understand that this is a compliment).
Pierre and Inbal are now living and working in Kampala, Uganda. We miss them a lot. Skype connection is bad and it is a cheerful moment when we manage to see them both on a screen for a few moments. Sometimes I take a lunch box to work and on the lid is says “Pierre” – leftover from the time Pierre and Inbal lived at our home. Pierre: I am thinking of you even when I have lunch! Between Paris, Kampala and Boston, the family teams are starting to plan the wedding in May and to nail down the dates, places, guest list, etc. What looked ages ago, is only a few months from now.
Lior came home from college for the winter break. Suddenly the house was full again. Lots of girls, showers, etc. I still can’t believe that she is in college. University is a strange business: the actual study days are fewer than 200, the tuition is very high and yet they are all in some financial difficulties.
On New Year’s eve I was still in Dana Farber at 6 pm. I came home, rested, changed and went with Shoshi to our friends New Year party. It is already a tradition: we dress nicely, have a gourmet dinner at one of our friends’ home, play games, dance, eat again, toast the champagne and stay until late. Thanks to our friends Rima and Shimshon, this year’s party was phenomenal and memorable in every aspect.
Going back to work was very fulfilling. Being involved in many aspects of our business and the personal contact with the teams, is adding to the good feeling (and some good results too). I can’t see how people can work from home as a policy. Something important is missing. Our business in North America is challenging, yet with an excellent team and good products, we shall overcome!
Yesterday we said goodbye to Neta. She flew to Colombia for one year on behalf of World Teach (http://www.worldteach.org/) . She will be in Manizales (coffee growing region in the mountains) as a volunteer elementary teacher. We all wish her luck, satisfaction, happiness, new friendships, safety and health. As parents it is our job to be worried, especially when your kids go so far away. Today, 2 days after arriving to Bogota, Neta celebrated her birthday with her new colleagues. Time flies...
This wasn’t an easy moment for me. We have become an international family and I guess it is in the genes of our family. Our immediate family is now spread between US (MA and NH), Colombia and Uganda. I had plans for Safari with Inbal & Pierre as well as a trip to Colombia. These will have to wait for a while.
My next mission is to figure out how to get everyone to the wedding and for sure this will require an Excel file.

This is for now. Let’s really hope for no more bad surprises.
Always optimistic!
Yours
Guy