[Golf addict]

My story - Rob Faxon

by Golf addict on Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:35 am

An avid golfer (you might say an addict), I have been active all my life. Competitive sailor (Hobie Cats for many years), I don't do well without being involved with a physical activity. In the summer and fall of 2010, I had what I assumed was a pulled muscle in my back. PT would take care of it for about a week, but a swing of a golf club would bring it back.

After a painful round at a beautiful golf course in the Sierras (Martis Camp), my spine doctor told me to stop golf until the end of the year (mid-October till January) to see if my back issue would calm down. In December, I went back because of some overall soreness in my back, even without golf. He ordered a contrast MRI and found the degenerated vertebrae (T11), and a couple other leisons on my spine pushing against my spinal cord.

Within 48 hours of the MRI I was in the hospital. I had prostate cancer a few years earlier and the thought was the PC had returned. Only after a bone marrow biopsy did they discover it to be multiple myeloma.

By the end of the week I had started radiation, had spinal surgery to insert rods and pins to hold the damaged vertebrae apart and in place so my spine wouldn't collapse. Finishing radiation, they started me on "targeted therapy", Revlimid / Velcade / dex (RVD), for 4 months. As well, pamidronate [Aredia] (bone stimulating med) to strengthen my bones, including the not yet destroyed vertebrae. The pamidronate went on for 2 years.

After the targeted therapy, my care was transferred to Stanford for a stem cell transplant. Two rounds of chemo (1 month each) yielded two bags of cells for my transplant. Transplant was in August 2011, and was successful. However, no golf till the next spring (tough to stay away for 14 months).

After the transplant, I had 2.5 years of 'normal life', with no maintenance program (my choice). In January of this year (2014), the multiple myeloma returned. This time it went after my shoulder, and attacked my glenoid process (the socket of the ball & socket joint). Had radiation again, back on pamidronate, Velcade / dex for 5 months, now switched over to a maintenance dose of Revlimid / dex (1/2 the treatment dose). Was told to expect about a year minimally of this routine.

[Joy]

Re: My story - Rob Faxon

by Joy on Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:08 pm

Wow Golf Addict! You've been through a lot ! But it sounds like most of your treatments have worked out well for you. Wishing you best of luck in your treatment and a lot of golf in your future !