Roger: A #TBT We’d Rather Avoid
It’s been a tumultuous seven weeks. On May 11, Dave went to the dentist to get a crown. His teeth took a toll during chemo back in 2011. It happens.
Post procedure, he noticed a lump on the side of his neck. It took a CT, PET scan, surgical biopsy, and several consults with his local med team and the Mayo Clinic to get the final diagnosis today: his R rating has officially changed from remission to recurrence.
Everyone agrees that it is somewhat odd for his Lymphoma (known in these parts as ‘Roger’) to come back this late in the game. Seriously. Dave was just a few months away from ringing the five-year “I’m Good” bell. He was all like running 10ks and having ridiculous fun with Pike 27. It was hard to keep up with him.
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Flying Pig 10k, May 2015
Additionally, there were no symptoms. No pain. No fatigue. No night sweats. No weight loss. No fever. None of the above. And trust me, Dave was interrogated every which way about all of these things. Like a kid, he just shook his head, “No.. nope.. nuh-uh…” countering every quizzical glance with recall of what he has been feeling… great, strong, joyous.
Pike 27 opening for the Fauntleroys, Taft Theatre, October 2014
So here we are. We’ve wondered what this all means. We’ve cried. We’ve railed. We’ve hit things. We’ve sat in silence just waiting for answers… signs… a phone call that this was a mistake. But it isn’t. It’s our real. Summer of 2015 has gotten pretty real in a way we didn’t see coming.
We’ll get through this. It’s going to take some work and some grit but it can be done. He can do it. So many of you have reached out with your love and wonderful support. Seriously. It’s been showered on Dave and all of us like a storm. We’ve received it with arms open wide. We are lucky people.
Speaking of luck… during diagnosis today (which was made complicated by a background viral infection and a note that once again, Dave’s case is “odd”) we did get some good news. Unlike 2010-11, Dave’s Lymphoma is now CD20 positive. This means that once treatment starts, the docs will most likely add Rituximab into the mix. In the world of chemo drugs, it’s the kick ass boot you want on your side — able to thwart the nasty in ways it didn’t see coming.
Next week, there will be one more round of consultation with the stem cell transplant team to align to final plan. We anticipate chemo (“salvage chemo” as it was called) will begin early July followed by the autologous transplant. I know, a lot to take in. And, similar to a summer movie sequel, it has to have more drama, more action and more tension. Maybe it helps that we’ve been in these waters before and know to 1.) keep your head up and 2.) always pack a chain saw. Roger, you really, really don’t know who you called out. Get ready. ~Jacqui
Nashville or Bust 