Remission!

As the title of the post suggests, I’m in remission! I had my 1 year anniversary on October 1st. Just a few days prior to that I went into the oncology clinic for a pulmonary function test and another bone marrow biopsy. While I wasn’t expecting anything but good news, it is still a few tense days while we wait for the test results to come back. As the test results returned, it was becoming increasingly clear that they would be able to give me a clear status of remission.

I still have a few remaining issues that we are dealing with. My liver values like to jump all over the place. Fatigue is still very real and doesn’t seem to relent. I also have some lingering effects of chemo that affect my cognitive ability. I’m working through some new medication and attempting a few cognitive behavioral tactics in order to mitigate some of the effects. While it’s not perfect yet, I do feel better than I did a few months ago.

I haven’t started returning to work just yet. My fatigue and lack of mental clarity/focus give me some apprehension about returning. However I’m doing my best to increase my endurance and staying on top of my doctors so that we continue to find the possible route to take.

I have fared really well all things considered. My graft vs host disease has been almost minimal and the other side effects I’ve dealt with have been just as small. Annoying but small.

I do have one more announcement if you have made it this far. I’m going to be working the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (https://www.lls.org/) this coming year. I was nominated as a Visionary of the Year and will be taking myself out of my normal routine to try and raise both awareness and funds for this great organization. You can read more about my nomination here:

https://pages.lls.org/voy/sc/lc23/wkuenzel

I have lofty goals but I’m hoping that I can lean on my supporters to help me find a way to give back. I know I can never repay those that have helped me so much but what I can do is work to pay it forward. Kick off won’t start until February 16th but there’s a lot we can do between now and then.