Stick with it mate!
From what Ive seen there will be ups and downs. Itll be three steps forward then two back, and youll feel like youve walked every one of those steps twice over. Cancer covers a whole group of diseases, some worse but none good. Research is ongoing and treatment is getting better all the time, so stick with it.
I hope your treatments going well Pat, keep up the fight me old china.
Thanks Charles, as it happens that treatment worked, I feel 5 years younger and today my DOT physical certificate was renewed for another 2 years.
well done pat gd news 4 you . 
LOL.
The treatment did not go the way I had hoped, Last week my amazing doctor called to tell me he was stopping the chemo because although I felt better the tests showed it was not working, my IgM levels were still shooting up to alarming numbers, which meant the cancer was winning. I am now a week without the treatment but I have been given a miracle drug called ‘Imbruvica’ and I have to take 3 of these new pills at the same time every day. The drug costs and alarming $15,000.00 a month which as we know I could never afford, the costs are being met by a fund and all I have to do is donate $10.00 every month back into the fund.
I am going to post a link here to the fund in case any of you feel like donating. This disease can’t be cured and is hereditary, so all help and research will not only help the few that suffer this very rare cancer, it will help by giving a chance for my children and grandchildren also.
This is the link, even if you can’t donate, look at the site to understand what this thing is.
Thanks for even reading this.
Had an appointment this morning, I have been on the new drug since last Friday. I expected to at least have to have a transfusion but not so, my blood levels are holding and no more chemotherapy for as log as the situation improves, this is good news, I had the feeling those chemo treatments were killing me. So I can now lead an almost normal life, well as normal as possible, there will be an appointment every two weeks to check on me.
Wish me luck 
So far, So good! Good to hear it`s going well. Keep at it Pat.
That’s good news Pat. Some of the side effects of Chemo can be problematic. Good luck.
Paul
robinhood_1984:
What are the financial implications of this for you mate? Does your health insurance via Foodliner not cover it?
The new drug I am on now costs $15k a month 
It took my doctor to phone the insurance company up and rage at them to point out that if I don’t get it I will die. He has told me not to worry about the costs and he will make sure the bills are covered, the co-pay for me is $200.00 a month and I can’t afford that, with the help of a fund / charity I only have to pay $10.00 to the charity.
My bills so far are way about $250k which I can’t ever hope of paying. I have never been charged anything by the hospital, I suspect the doctor is helping in some way (he’s a good guy). Incidentally the cost of my first hospital visit for 3 blood transfusions was $48k.
Scary isn’t it.
No it’s not scary, it’s bloody criminal, how on earth can they justify those prices? I know a lot of research goes into it and many other factors, but holy rude word, that is mental.
BTW you’re an inspiration the way you’re coping with it mate, still going to work, still getting up at silly o clock to watch F1 and still on your crusade against Donald Trump, keep fighting it.
newmercman:
No it’s not scary, it’s bloody criminal, how on earth can they justify those prices? I know a lot of research goes into it and many other factors, but holy rude word, that is mental.BTW you’re an inspiration the way you’re coping with it mate, still going to work, still getting up at silly o clock to watch F1 and still on your crusade against Donald Trump, keep fighting it.
Thank you Mark
Thing is, I am in no way brave or strong, if you could see the tears in my eyes each time they come at me armed with half a dozen needles you would see how scared I am LOL. The worst thing I have experienced so far is the plasmapheresis process when they pushed a catheter down inside my jugular to my heart to completely filter my blood and when I started this new drug the doctor suggested doing it one more time to give it a fresh start, I flatly refused, I don’t ever want to go through that again, I lost so much blood before they started that I almost died. I know that if this treatment does not work I will have no choice but to do it, not just again, but every month as my Mother did, she had to have it because back then there was no other known treatment for the disease.
Hi Pat
I wish you all the luck in this world.
alans123:
Hi PatI wish you all the luck in this world.
Thank you
All the best Pat, keep up the good fight.
Thanks Charles, The good news is that on my recent hospital visit, which was this last Friday (14th April) my blood count was up and I am making my own red cells, my IgM’s have now dropped fro 6,900 to 3,160 which is an amazing outcome fro using the new drug, my weekly appointments have now been changed to monthly and at this rate, all being well I should be in the clear so long as I keep on the pills daily, if I stop taking them I will revert to being very sick again. Fact is the new drug will be keeping me alive and I can’t live without them, so I will keep taking them providing the affordable health care stays in place.
good news pat im back over next wk not sure what im doing but will look out 4ya gd luck m8
stevejones:
good news pat im back over next wk not sure what im doing but will look out 4ya gd luck m8
Glad to see you are coming back mate, I will be looking out for you, every time I see a Midland truck I still look thinking it might be you LOL.
ok pat will let ya know what my new colours will be when back lol stay well m8
Not sure it is related to your condition Pat, but makes for an interesting reading nonetheless