Good News on the Homefront

Check Out Blaine's Progress (my dad's blog).

Ding ding ding! Welcome to Savage Family Household Buzzwords.

Cancer: A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.

Multliple Myeloma: A type of cancer that begins in plasma cells (white blood cells that produce antibodies).

Remission: A decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of cancer. In partial remission, some, but not all, signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. In complete remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared, although cancer still may be in the body.

Bone Marrow Transplant: A procedure to replace bone marrow that has been destroyed by treatment with high doses of anticancer drugs or radiation. Transplantation may be autologous (an individual's own marrow saved before treatment), allogeneic (marrow donated by someone else), or syngeneic (marrow donated by an identical twin). (They're going to do an autologous transplant with my dad, and then if it doesn't work they'll do allogeneic. The doctors are pretty confident the autologous one is going to do the job :) ).

Cure: To heal or restore health; a treatment to restore health.

Sometime I need to do a serious blog about what's going on with my dad, but let me summarize what's going on right now. Yesterday my dad went in for restaging, which is like a re-evaluation of what stage the cancer's at, where it's spreading, etc. For him restaging means an MRI as well as they've got to get another sample of his bone marrow. All of the lab results from my dad's chemo treatments have been so good that we're hoping the doctors are going to say he's in remission. GREAT, right??!!? YES, yes yes yes YES yes YES it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If, in a week when my dad gets his bone-marrow-lab results back, the doctors declare he is in remission, THEN that means a couple of things.

1. My dad won't have to do his next cycle of chemo (wicked good news, trust me)

2. He has to start getting ready for a BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT. Sweet, huh? Well, kinda. It's great because that means he's on his way to being cured. First, however, they have to give him a HUGE dose of chemotherapy that will completely kill his immune system and all of his bone marrow (healthy and sick). Then, they are going to regrow that bone marrow using healthy bone marrow they've harvested from his own body. Hopefully the bone marrow will grow more healthy bone marrow, replacing all of the cancerous bone marrow. I'm sure I don't have this down completely correct, but that's the basic gist of it.

The way my dad is recovering is literally a miracle. Most multiple myeloma patients aren't given much of a chance, and, as of yet, there isn't a permanent cure. However, we believe in a Heavenly Father who can do all things and will, as long as it is in accordance with His will. Thank you so so much to everyone who has prayed, fasted, and just been there with us through everything. Prayer really does work, and what is happening with my dad is evidence of that. Thanks so much for all that you do! I don't like using cliches, but your friendship does mean everything, and you will always have a special place in our hearts and home.

***Thanks***

to the National Cancer Institute

for the definitions!