Still in post-marathon ^[1] euphoria, I boarded the plane Sunday afternoon a week ago, and headed to Pittsburgh for my sister Deana’s Monday oncologist appointment.  All my energy was directed toward us getting the report we hoped for – clearance to move to transplant.

Deana picked me up and was wearing a Texas A&M baseball cap – an appropriate choice for Team BTHO MM ^[2].  I could see that she was bald underneath, and she later removed the cap to show me her head.  I had been concerned about how I would react, as I didn’t want to cry.  Who expects that their 39-year old sister will have cancer and endure chemotherapy so strong as to cause hair loss?  It was jarring, but I held it together.  Her hair will grow back…and we have her here, which is a great blessing.

We arrived at UPMC with Deana tallying up the bets for whether or not her plasma level would have dropped sufficiently to allow us to proceed.  Apparently, only my mother and I are optimists.  All others felt that another round of cyclophosphamide ^[3] (Cytoxan) was going to be necessary.

What a thrill to have Dr. Agha walk in and announce that Deana’s plasma was at 6 percent and we were moving forward.  I held back for a moment and then decided I was not going to contain my emotions.  I jumped up and kissed Deana – and came pretty close to kissing Dr. Agha too!

Many of you know that the worst is still in front of us.  What Deana will endure next is sometimes more than I can bear to think about.  It all seems very unfair that my sister should have to suffer through this.  However, we are not dwelling on that. We are getting closer to remission every day.

Deana will attend her transplant class on Wednesday and will then have her pre-transplant tests.  It is our hope that all of that will be without incident and allow her to have her catheter inserted on November 11, followed by cyclophosphamide on the 12^th, and the stem cell harvest approximately 10 days later.

It appears Deana will be spending December in the hospital, so I need to find out what kind of décor will be allowed, as it is imperative we make her room as festive as possible.  I’m guessing that a live tree will be out of the question, but I am not beyond bringing one if permitted.

As we met with the transplant coordinator, I was again reminded of the importance of blood donors.  I have been a regular donor since 1989, following my father’s heart attack and emergency triple bypass surgery.  Deana’s battle with multiple myeloma has only reignited my preaching to all who will listen about why all who are able to should give.  Deana will receive a six-pack of platelets as part of the protocol, and those will be made possible by generous people who take the time to donate blood.  Those of us in the myeloma community need to raise awareness of this critical component of treatment.

I continue my work advancing the myeloma foundations as well.   October 21 was Be Bold, Be Bald Day, an event to demonstrate solidarity with cancer patients.  Organized by Small Army for a Cause, participants could select from a number of cancer charities as recipients of their funds.  I (of course) chose the International Myeloma Foundation.  I spent the day in a bald cap, which I personalized in honor of my sister and added a BTHO MM on the back for good measure.  A t-shirt was part of the kit, and I had that on with a black pantsuit.  In 20 years of work, I do not believe I have ever worn a t-shirt with a suit.  The Be Bold, Be Bald poster adorned my office door and was also a cause of conversation, with many questions about whether I was going to shave my head.  I’ll take any opportunity to share our journey, as I never know when the next important nugget of information will fall at my feet.

Later this month, I will attend the Multipe Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) Gala in Connecticut , where I hope to meet many other MM warriors. I have also registered for Empire State Run Up and the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon as part of the MMRF Power Team. I’m finding my membership on the Power Team to be energizing and inspiring and would be delighted to welcome you to the group!

Until next time, thank you for your continued interest in my story and the wonderful feedback you provide.