Update On My Health

[maddrakkett]

Many of you have read what I've been through with my heart attack last month and low blood cell count. Well, I got the results of my bone marrow biopsy today and it is a positive diagnosis for myelodysplastic syndrome, or MDS, formerly known as "preleukemia" and I will be undergoing some chemotherapy treatments at the end of the month.

My bone marrow looked normal, but the DNA in the bone marrow returned very abnormal results. The good news is I'm still young at 43, but the trouble is my cell counts are already very low and the treatment will make them lower before turning them around. If it doesn't succeed in reversing my blood counts, then I'm looking at a bone marrow transplant, if a matching donor can be found. Then there's no guarantee any of this will even work. A third of people diagnoses with MDA progress into acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), the kind that took my mother-in-law's life.

Let's all pray that the treatments do their job and my age overcomes the low cell counts until things can turn around.

As for my job, my doctor wants to request that I only return to part-time or a reduced capacity of physically strenous work, at least until I improve enough. But part-time will not pay the bills I already have, not to mention any medical bills, though insurance and my health savings account should reduce my final medical debt to only about $2200.00, the price of a nice Warwick... :wink:

I've also been advised to apply now for social security disability, in case this drags out to longer than 6 months, at which point my job automatically terminates employment. Since Social Security takes months to put the disability through, I was told to get it started now and it might be there if I should lose my job.

Quite a bit on my plate...

 

[Lewis]

im so sorry, i dont know what to say, im just so sorry. keep strong mate and post here everyday, and the most important thing is to keep positive at all times.

 

[Grgzilla]

Shit Mark,I dunno what to say.
You got my support mate.If you have MSN messenger,ad me.Anytime I'm online & ya wanna chin wag,I'll be there.
I got my fingers crossed that the chemo does the trick.Remember to try to keep in a postive frame of mind,it's bloody hard,I know.I dont normally pray mate,but I will for you.

 

[IncX]

i pray you will get thru your ordeal ...

 

[maddrakkett]

Thanks guys. I do want you all to know I am in good spirits and strong in my faith, confident in my destination. It's a far better place that I will go to, but I pray I don't get called there too soon! I also leave it in God's hands, whatever He decides to do. It does no good to worry, but a happy heart and good attitude is like medicine, and my faith in God makes me happier than anything else - even happier than my Warwick basses!

 

[Grgzilla]

Thanks guys. I do want you all to know I am in good spirits and strong in my faith, confident in my destination. It's a far better place that I will go to, but I pray I don't get called there too soon! I also leave it in God's hands, whatever He decides to do. It does no good to worry, but a happy heart and good attitude is like medicine, and my faith in God makes me happier than anything else - even happier than my Warwick basses!

That's the spirit mate.Keep yer chin up.

 

[JanVanHove]

:shock:

Damn, Mark, I'm so sorry to hear that... I'll be keeping you in my thoughts, mate, cancer is a heartless bitch, but it can be beat. Just stay positive and focused, and give all the love you can to your family and friends...

Keep us updated, we certainly will keep you in our thoughts...

 

[Mr Praline]

Man, this really sucks. Hope everything works out for the best.

 

[Charmand G]

I`m crossing my fingers, theeth, toes and testies for you, man. It`s one hell of a situation to be in, and I hope your guts and faith will keep you up.

We`ll be here if it`s anything you need to talk about, you know.

 

[Eberbachl]

Sorry to hear about it. Stay strong, and keep your chin up. You've got a fantastic attitude. You'll beat it

 

[astar]

I hope you go well through the chemo and that it works out well...kick its ass

 

[kgm]

You hang on in there mate - we'll all be thinking of you.

 

[bassplayer22]

We will be praying for you Mark!

Tim

 

[Selig]

Mate, I know you only by reading things you've written here on the board, but my prayers are nonetheless with you. Romans 8:28 can be hard to understand in these situations, but I find it nonetheless helps me to remind myself of it:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

 

[bassoctopus]

Keep positive - you're doing a good job so far.

 

[Tv IV Dogs]

Dude, thats some pretty horrid news, I think the important thing is to stay positive and not let it get you down. Cancer in all its forms is not the death sentance it used to be...

...my Aunt had cancer of the breast and lung, about 8 years ago, and she managed to beat it with chemotherapy, and is now an exceedingly healthy and happy person.

My thoughts are with you.

 

[jay]

My thought are with you Mark. Stay strong bro...

 

[Callum]

my thoughts are with you man.

 

[Boyitz]

Thoughts and prayers to you, my good man.

 

[maddrakkett]

Mate, I know you only by reading things you've written here on the board, but my prayers are nonetheless with you. Romans 8:28 can be hard to understand in these situations, but I find it nonetheless helps me to remind myself of it:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Thanks man. That verse has been an anchor for my soul in many situations over my life. Many people have called it "platitudes" as if it had no real meaning, but it's the Word of God with very real truth and promise that I live by. If my faith is real (and it is), then I trust that verse, ESPECIALLY in times like this!

That's also one of the reasons I feel I can post my health concerns freely here, because there are so many good people here from around the world who've never met me and maybe have only seen me on the Warwick Forum poster or only read my posts, but who genuinely care and don't hold or allow personal bias to get in the way, but who bring encouragement in whatever way they can, whether it be a prayer, an uplifting word, a story of known cancer survivors (thanks Tv IV Dogs - your Aunt is an encouragement of hope for me), a simple "hello," or a helpful Bible verse, or humor (I'm still laughing after reading that Charmand G is crossing his testies for me! :lol: NHS, of course...). It blows my mind and humbles my heart to know there are people from all over the world who not only share my love for Warwick, but who actually are concerned for me and my condition. Woah, there's tears welling up in my eyes... :sniff:

Thanks again all!