Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Here is the email I sent my family today.


Good afternoon.

Well, my appointment went well today. Noelle and I love my oncologist and we have a diagnosis. I have Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. It's a type of leukemia that typically doesn't occur until someone is in their 70's, so Dr. Frame (or Dr. Rick, as he prefers to be called) is very determined to get going on my treatment right away. He says that my type of leukemia tends to respond very favorably to aggressive treatment. So...here's what we're in for...

Tuesday, October 9 - 11:45am - bone scan and CT scan at LDS Hospital to see how my bones and organs may be manifesting symptoms of cancer.

Wednesday, October 10 - 3:00pm - Chemotherapy class - a class for Noelle and I to help us be prepared for chemotherapy, it's side effects, emotional/psychological effects, etc.

Friday, October 12 - 9:30am - bone marrow biopsy - they will punch a hole in the upper-back part of my pelvis and then extract a small amount of bone marrow for testing.

Monday, October 15 - Wednesday, October 17 - 3 successive days of chemotherapy. Day one is about 8 hours; days 2 and 3 are about 4 hours each. This will continue in this pattern every 28 days for 6 months, at which time we and Dr. Rick will assess how my body is responding to treatment and determine what comes next.

Assuming my body responds well to treatment, Dr. Rick is guessing that this fight to eradicate the cancer from my body, or at least put it into remission, will probably take a year or two. Of course, with cancer, you never know. Every body responds differently, but we're focusing our energies, thoughts and prayers in the direction of healing.

I continue to feel a good measure of peace about all of this. I'm not freaking out about it. I'm just focussed on getting well. The strangest thing about all of this is that I don't feel sick...at all. Granted, I know that will change with chemo.

Yesterday, one of our old friends from BYUH posted something on Facebook I'd like to share...

"Just when all seems to be going right,challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain."    - Elder Richard G. Scott, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I believe that the Lord, in His loving kindness, will be stretching me (and my family) for a while. In the end, I'm confident that I'll be where and what He wants me to be and that I'll be better conditioned to do what He needs me to do.

I love you all. As always, you're welcome to call us if you'd like to talk about this...or anything else, for that matter.