Another Update!

My sister Dolly sent this quote to me, "Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a 'healing' cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are 'healed' by being given strength or understanding, or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us."
Now back to our story; after completing the 4-month protocol of oral chemo, a bone marrow biopsy showed that the cancer level had decreased from 60% to 4.3%! I was ready to head up to UIC. A week after the biopsy, I fell down the stairs at home; not just a few but 13! When I stopped rolling, I was at the bottom of the stairs in a heap up against the outside door. I lay there a few minutes and nothing seemed to hurt, so I got up and assessed myself. I had a long scrape on my right elbow and a bruise starting to form on my left bicep, not to mention my glasses being broken in 2 pieces. Anyway, I had to go to the doc for my weekly blood test that day and I told him about the fall. He sent me for an X-ray, which showed no problems. About 12 days later, my back, right between my shoulder blades, started hurting if I moved the wrong way. Then, within a few days, it became constant and I couldn't bear the pain! I went back to the doctor and he put me in the hospital on 5/14 so they could manage the pain and figure out what was wrong. I went thru a battery of x-rays, CT scans, & MRI's. Finally, the MRI showed a crushed vertebra. A spinal specialist did a Kyphoplasty operation, which is minimally invasive, and fixed the fracture. They sent me home to heal and within 5 days, my back was killing me again! They put me back into the hospital and just like before, the MRI showed a different fracture, which was missed because when they fixed the first fracture, it pulled the fracture below it up where it could now be seen. They were careful to review the films and reports to make sure there were no other fractures. I was sent home and within 2 days, I was back at the hospital. More tests and two other fractures were noted and repaired. Long story even longer, it was discovered that I fractured a number of vertebrae and was hospitalized (three separate times) having three separate surgeries and three separate sets of x-rays, CT scans, and MRI's. When they repaired one, another vertebra would show a fracture soon thereafter. They had to wait to do each surgery due to my being on blood thinners. I was released from the hospital on 6/27 with this HUGE, inflexible torso cast/brace that weights about 12 pounds. I have to wear it whenever I am out of bed. I still have three other linear vertebrae fractures and another in my tailbone that are healing on their own with the aid of the brace. I am sleeping in a hospital bed but thankfully don't have to wear the brace in bed.
So, needless to say, I missed my appointed UIC visit and was off of the oral cancer med so long, my doctor’s decided to put me on a different oral chemo med for one to three months, depending on how my body and the cancer reacts to it. I started the new med on 8/16, so that means that I will probably go to UIC in early November, barring any other set backs!
I am going to have to take an early disability retirement from work due to this cancer. I have nearly 26 years on the department, so the years have accumulated for retirement but I still have 7 1/2 years before I reach retirement age. So, I have a lot of paperwork to do and hoops to jump thru before I can sit back and rest.
Anyway, as of today, I am still wearing the back brace but my back seems stronger as time drags on. The new oral cancer med hasn't hit me too hard. I have started the second round. There are a few side effects, such as muscle and bone pain and my vision is adversely affected.
Thanks for all of the good thoughts and prayers; I sure can use them. My Mom sends me a card every week. They always make me tear up, but they are good tears. My sisters continue to call to cheer me up. I have analyzed what each of them offer when they call, and surprisingly, I have discovered that each of them have something unique to say to help take my mind off my troubles.
I hope to be able to write again after the next biopsy before I go to UIC. Thank you to all of you who are concerned for my well-being.