Jake and Ed (note right eye is affected by shingles)
All is well on the cancer front. I had my check up with Cedars this week and
lab results were very good. Immune system
is normal. Kidneys and liver are
good. IGG, IGA, IGM all in normal
ranges. Significantly, no M Protein detected, which is the primary measure For
Multiple Myeloma. Although this result merits
further inquiry, since I was originally a non-secreter, meaning I didn’t secret
the M Protein even though my disease was active. However, it is likely that my status as a non-secreter
has changed now that I have a donor’s immune system. I have posed this question to my oncologist. Waiting for response.
My latest health issue was not cancer related. Despite having received the Shingrix vaccine
to prevent shingles in September 2021, which is supposed to be 90% effective, I
contracted shingles in late August. The
virus affected the right side of my facial nerves. Essentially, I had shingles around my
eye. A course of anti-viral meds
resolved the virus, but in its wake is a lingering postherpetic neuralgia. This has been a problem for over 3 months. It manifests as a burning sensation from the
crown of my head to the bottom of my eye socket and extending to the tip of my
nose. It was very uncomfortable and very
much interrupted my life. I have
received treatment and the discomfort is about 75% resolved.
The shingles episode interrupted a European vacation we had
planned. Included in the original itinerary
was a visit to London to meet my donor, Jake.
Two weeks into the trip, I was so miserable that I decided to fly home
from Spain. The trip involved a stayover
in London, so I actually did get to meet with Jake and his family. In
fact, I spent the evening with them. We
had a wonderful time, and I was treated as a blood relative, which technically,
I am.
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