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Beautiful Buenos Aires
It is said by locals that an Argentinian is an Italian who speaks Spanish. That is because of the preponderance of the citizenry who have an Italian background. Spain and Germany have also contributed their fair share of immigrants. Kathy and I ate one of the best–maybe the best–Italian meals we have ever eaten in Buenos Aires. That is saying a lot since we have eaten Italian all over Italy.
We flew from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, mid-morning on Thursday, October 19. Rio is so naturally blessed and situated beautifully between the mountains, jungle and ocean. I wondered what Buenos Aires would be like. I knew the city was dubbed the Paris of South America. We quickly saw why. Beautiful French influenced and Art Deco buildings, huge parks and large fountains and statuary graced tree-lined streets and avenues. We were impressed! We learned about the “golden age” from the mid-1800’s through the early 1900’s when Argentina was one of the wealthiest countries in the world due to its mineral and agricultural exports to Europe. Industrial output followed as Argentina supplied South America with all types of products.
Our first two days were spent in the quiet, tree-lined haven of the Palermo district. Since it is spring here, the trees are budding out and the flower-laden trees are in full bloom. Reds, pinks, purples and yellows rained down on us as the flowers dropped. It was very relaxing walking and exploring. Kathy had rented an apartment and it was very nice. We purchased some food from a Jumbo supermarket. The store was large and immaculate and the stacks were all below eye level with perfectly-arranged produce. I saw not one can or product out of place. We rented an Uber to take us to our Sofitel hotel in the Recoleta district for the next two days. This district houses the old town from the “golden age.” It is very beautiful! The “Pink Palace” is now the residence of the President and it sits in a large city square. Impressive French style architecture stretches from it in every direction. Our tour to Patagonia started here with tours of the city being the first order of business.
Our Collette tour is a small group tour and we met our tour companions with a meal created for us by a private chef. It was delicious as the main course featured Argentinian steak. Appropriate Argentinian wine accompanied each course. Our tour companions are delightful folks! The next morning, we toured the famous Recoleta cemetery filled with Argentina’s greats and wealthy, including Eva Peron of “Evita” fame. She is still adored by most but sometimes hated in the country. Elaborate above ground mausoleums line cobbled lanes. Amazing. The colorful neighborhood of La Boca was fun. Once a shanty town, it was turned into shops and eateries housed in corrugated and brightly painted buildings. Music abounded at every turn. We were amazed at the new town across the river. Once the harbor and warehouse area (now moved) it was completely razed in the 1980’s. Now, stunning skyscrapers and tall apartment buildings are set among parks and upscale shopping areas along the river. No box type buildings here as stylish buildings with interesting architectural detail catch the eye. Both Kathy and I were unexpectedly in awe. It was a grand day in a beautiful city.
4.5 Million and Counting
I am now on a two month countdown to my stem cell transplant. My stem cell harvest at the Transplant Center, Methodist—Houston Medical Center, was a success. Kathy stayed at the Marriott across from Methodist while I was hospitalized for the procedure. I’ll be honest, while not painful, it was not my cup of tea, since it felt invasive. The catheter placed in my leg/groin was something I wanted to pull out soon after the surgery was completed. I needed this done since my arm veins were not sufficient for the procedure, and the femoral artery was the only option left.
I had been told that it could take up to three days of five hour daily sessions to collect enough stem cells for the transplant. I was prepared from that possibility. My first session was in the late morning after the catheter had been placed and stitched in my leg. I had a private nurse who stayed with me the entire time. The lead doctor of the unit fully explained to me what would happen during the stem cell harvest. Lying flat on my back, they hooked me up to the fancy, high tech machine through which my blood would flow and the stem cells would be removed. Tubing on the exit side of the machine brought the cleaned blood back into my body. I noticed my nurse who was monitoring the tech screens was very busy. Later, a man appeared also working on the machine. About one and a half hours into the procedure a main doctor from the hospital and the head of technology appeared at my bedside and informed me the, obviously, very expensive machine had a technology failure! A new machine was going to be brought in, and I would be disconnected from the defective machine and reconnected to the new one. The stem cells already collected would need to be discarded! Apologies were profuse and sincere. My nurse was more than solicitous. So, the five hour session turned into seven hours. The good news—in spite of the lost stem cells, they still gathered enough for the stem cell transplant! All praise to God! The average gathered for a transplant is 3 million cells. My blood yielded 4.5 million! After a night in the hospital for monitoring, I was released and got home earlier than anticipated.
I now have a two month break to recoup strength. I will take drugs, oral and infusion, to keep the multiple myeloma in check until mid October. I will be drug free for our trip to Patagonia. I now begin light exercise at The Club at Bonterra exercise facility, as well as walking. In mid October Kathy and I are able to go on our planned Patagonia adventure. I look forward to the spring time weather while there and the refreshing air of the Andes. My body will be, God willing, refreshed and strengthened for the grueling stem cell transplant process beginning in early November.
For the blessings of this multiple myeloma journey from my diagnosis to the immunomonoclonal targeted therapy to the stem cell harvest, I praise God with this doxology that ends the New Testament book of Philippians: “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Praise Report: My blood yielded a healthy amount of usable stem cells for the coming transplant; they are now safely frozen and stored.
Prayer Request: For my body to regain the strength and stamina necessary for the stem cell transplant procedure in November.
PRESS ON
He was adamant that this was his SUV–not mine! Flummoxed, I stood in the sun in 100 degree heat, although I am not supposed to be in the hot sun with the drugs I am taking for the Multiple Myeloma. He held onto the door handle of the vehicle–(mine!)–and I knew better than to try to get past him. I quickly surmised that he must have some type of dementia, and I was also concerned for him being in the hot sun. He told me his wife would soon come out of the grocery store and “set me straight.” I had gone with Kathy to the grocery store on a late Sunday afternoon to get in some walking in the cool, air-conditioned setting while she shopped. When I tired, I told her I would go to our vehicle and wait. I used the phone app. to start the vehicle and turn on the AC. But the gentleman would not let me pass! Eventually, the store manager found the gentleman’s wife, and she came and whisked her husband away to their vehicle an aisle over. Frankly, I was now overly exhausted.
I have been extremely exhausted the last month. I was excited to think that I might be nearing the end of my current Multiple Myeloma treatments, and I awaited the meeting with my hematologist/oncologist to get the results of all my recent labs. When we met this past week, I had a very good report with one exception—my M-spike protein number was still too high. Bottom line: I have six more weeks of treatments. During this time I will also go to Houston Methodist Hospital in the downtown Medical Center for tests of my vital organs to see if I qualify for a stem cell transplant. Because I am nine years over the general cut off for the transplant, Medicare requires I pass these tests. My doctor and I agreed that I needed to know now if I qualify. The stem cell transplant can get the M-spike protein down to one in a million leading to minimal drug maintenance until the ‘bad’ protein elects to multiply again. If I do not qualify for the stem cell transplant, my doctors will use more drugs to work on lowering the M- protein. My doctor said he wants me to have every option available. Sounds good to me!
A bone-building drug was added to my treatment schedule two weeks ago. Medicare would not OK the drug my doctor prescribed and so a generic substitute was used. It did not work for me! My worst side effect was swollen eyes with deep socket pressure. This lasted for days. I informed my doctor and he said, “Now I have the proof I need to get the drug I prescribed approved.” Soon, with six more weeks of treatment scheduled, I will get my doctor’s preferred name brand drug.
I had informed my doctors as I began treatment that Kathy and I had a planned trip to Patagonia in South America in October. They did not forget and planned a way for us to go. Amazing, right! I told Kathy that I needed to get out in spite of my exhaustion and fatigue. So I do force myself to “up and at ’em!” Yesterday, we went for a joy ride to Galveston to celebrate our grandson’s eighth birthday, and we walked along the gulf shore for fifteen minutes. It was a very short time, but it was wonderfully refreshing!
I have nearly always had the “press on” attitude for life. It is taken from Philippians 3:14: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” While the Apostle Paul is reminding us we have a heavenly home, the ultimate prize, our earthly life is one of pressing forward until that day when we are called home. Yes, this adventure has twists and turns not in my control. Yes, some days are hard. Yes, God is always there! Yes, I (we) are called to “press on!”
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