If you are following along, this past week my bone marrow transplant was cancelled, or some would say put on hold to see if an alternative therapy can bring down my lymphoma to a remission level so low that we can try again.

The week has been emotionally tough and we are hanging in there. My liver is healing from the toxic effects of the last drug I was taking. We have been informed by Lilly Oncology that they will make the drug Pirtobrutinib (LOXO-305) available to me once all the I’s have been dotted and the T’s crossed. We do not know when that will be.

This week I will have an IV infusion of a medication I have been given since July, Obinutuzumab. The hope is to keep my enlarging lymph nodes in check until Pirtobrutinib arrives. I have an appointment with my Oncologist on Tuesday and expect some kind of update, one way or another, regarding the schedule and as a result when we may be returning to Sacramento.

A friend of mine sent me an article I want to share. Written by Aakash Desai,MD, MPH Division of Medical Oncology, MayoClinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and published online this past October 6, 2022 in the journal of JAMA Oncology, it tells the story of how analogous treating cancer is to playing a game of chess. We found it very close to the way many of decisions for me have been made. The article is titled and you can read it by clicking on the title: “Avoiding Checkmate-Playing Chess with Cancer.”

We have appreciated all the caring we have felt this past week.

Larry and Sharon