I was not supposed to live.

BEATING A TRIPLE THREAT

I was not supposed to live. 

In April, 2012, my Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma needed treatment, but nothing worked. By the second core biopsy in October, 2012, we learned my blood cancer transformed to Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), an aggressive cancer, terminal if not defeated. Time is not your friend with DLBCL. Nothing worked until the 7th chemo cocktail in January, 2013, when my clock was ticking loudly, and believe me after all the salvage chemo I had, this effort was a shot in the dark, I think. It worked.

The problem with things not working had to do with an uncommon c-myc oncogene, a pathogen in my body that enables rapid cell growth. NOT good for someone with an aggressive cancer. My lymph nodes under my arms were literally softball size. Scary. So, I have two B-cell cancers in my body which is just bad luck, plus the c-myc oncogene. A triple threat.

I think if I can beat cancer, almost anyone can, given you do not get an always-terminal cancer diagnosis. How did I do it so far. YOU! Without you and your daily support, your "likes" and your comments (I treasure them) and your PRAYERS, (would be lost without them), and gifts (visits, card showers, and thoughtful things, soul food for a cancer fighter), it would have been a hard haul. YOU make the difference EVERY DAY. Early on, I faced how much time I would have if nothing worked, and what death would look like. And then I lived. I am one determined person who always believed I would be cured and given some more time, and I have great plans to do good with that time, God willing. God bless all of you for helping me everyday on my journey to wellness. I love you all! YOU keep me strong.

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Originally posted to Facebook as BEATING A TRIPLE THREAT on March 16, 2013. It received to date the most likes and comments of anything I have ever posted, anywhere. I am venturing into blogging again and wanted this to be my "first" post on my blog, After Cancer. I am still grateful to all of you for giving me the gift of life.

GREAT NEWS!

Betting with THE BEST! PennMedicine

My buddy Brinson tells me ALL CAPS means I'm shouting. YES, I AM. Shouting it from the mountain top on which we live. I have great news. After meeting with my NHL specialist, Sunita Nasta, MD, at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine in the Abramson Cancer Center, I know officially that my cancer has waned. Burned itself out in some areas, and smaller than when diagnosed in March, 2010. Significantly smaller. Cause for celebration.

Having a mobile blood cancer means it can transport itself elsewhere, but since mine momentarily has not morphed or moved, I have cause to give thanks for this blessing. Do I understand that at a later date, the news could reverse. Absolutely. But living in the moment, I am definitely grateful.

6 adult females and 1 male cria, 4+ months, 90+ lbs.

I asked my doctor what could make that difference, and the world of medicine just does not know. I asked myself what was different and shared that non-rhetorical with Nasta. Excercise. Winter on the mountain with a herd of llamas, even a small herd,  and a cria, keeps me outdoors a lot! On a snow day when my students and most teachers celebrate a free day, mine still begins at 4:30 AM and ends for a break about noon. Then, I'm back at the barn around 3 PM for another good hour. Not a complaint; a choice. One I welcome with alacrity. And this choice just might be life enhancing, although when I ventured into the world of llamas, I did not know I had cancer, so that choice would, in time, become serendipitous.

The why is simple. From Ottowa, Ontario, March 8, 2008.

Llamas may look harmless, but their immune system harbours some unique weapons against disease. In the 1990s, biologists in Belgium reported that unlike other mammals, the camelid family – which includes llamas, camels and alpacas – produce not one but two types of antibodies: the conventional Y-shaped molecules consisting of four protein chains; and smaller, two-chain antibodies. Within these two-chain antibodies, the part that recognizes and clings to foreign molecules, called "antigens", during an immune attack has been dubbed a single-domain antibody (sdAb).

Despite their modest size, single-domain antibodies can grasp their antigenic targets as firmly as conventional antibodies. What's more, they are hardier than monoclonal antibodies, the current standard antibody format for therapeutic purposes.

Winter Farmlife

I am not naive enough to believe that just being around llamas, breathing in their breath daily as they say hello and hang out with me, has a medical impact. But it does have a therapeutic benefit. I'm outdoors, surrounded by sensitive loving creatures who share my life in a place I love. Keeping a farm comes with differing seasonal challenges, but one constant remains. Physical exercise in the elements.

Inside Perelman

I began this post with an image of the best cancer center in PA, NJ, and DE. My hospital. My choice after much research. I will always bet on the best. If I must have cancer, my choice continues to be PennMedicine.

Related articles

• I'm Too Busy To Have Cancer! (beatingbackcancer.blogspot.com)
• Llamas 101: Llamas have their own language. (timesunion.com)
• Research into synthetic antibodies offers hope for new diagnostics (eurekalert.org)