Bryce
Brief Trip Home
I got disconnected from Blina Tuesday evening. My labs looked decent, so I decided to head home for a few days. I landed in Bentonville Thursday morning. Mary Beth wasn’t due back from Minnesota until Friday afternoon.
Walking into the house was surreal. Things had been moved, and without MB and Alice, it didn’t feel like home – it felt like an old memory. That said, it was spotless. Like really clean. Big thanks to my Sam’s Club crew for hiring professional cancer cleaners. When you’re neutropenic, nothing says luxury like cleanliness.
Friday morning, I woke up to a tickle on my arm. Cute, right? Except the tickle was blood. Dripping from my PICC. I’d managed to dislodge the insertion site while laying on my arm. For a few seconds, I wasn’t sure if this was user error or if my platelets had vanished and I was about to star in a medical thriller called Bleeding Out. I elevated my arm, bleeding stopped, crisis averted.
I texted Dr. Lockwood – solid human – and he got me in for labs right away. Results were excellent. Slightly neutropenic, but everything else was shockingly normal. That gave me a YUGE shot of confidence that treatment was working. So much so that I picked up Bubs from the boarder early, no longer worried that a well-meaning tail wag would land me in the ICU.
That afternoon, I met Mary Beth and Alice at the airport. Alice didn’t recognize me – new haircut, sunglasses, chemo dad chic. MB did. One out of two, not bad.
The weekend was great. Also hard. Being home with Mary Beth and Alice was incredible, but knowing it was temporary and fleeting hit differently. A weekend with Alice wiped me out. That roly-poly toddler is a chaos machine. She’s developed a lot in only a few weeks and it was fun watching her problem solve, stack things, walk around the house while holding my hand, giggling, and just radiating chubby baby cuteness.
Biggest takeaway: Mary Beth has it way harder than I do. I get chemo, immunotherapy, a hospital bed, and an IV drip full of science. She gets 24/7 toddler duty, a job, a needy dog, and a house to maintain. I’m in awe of everything she’s juggling – and a little ashamed I ever thought I had it rough.
Mayo It Is
Tuesday’s appointment with Dr. Jabbour confirmed what I already knew: I’m heading to Mayo for CAR-T. Apparently, we need to harvest my cells sooner rather than later because, surprise surprise, they don’t get stronger the more chemo you throw at them. It’s frustrating that it’s taken this long to get here – but at this point, “frustrating” is just background noise.
The plan is to fly to Mayo on August 11. Ideally, we knock everything out in one trip, but so far they’re only committing to “initial consultations” and testing.
After the appointment with Dr. Jabbour, I got to enjoy my second unsedated bone marrow biopsy. This one was performed by a new nurse under the guidance of a veteran, which felt a lot like learning to drive on a manual transmission… during a storm.
As soon as the lidocaine went in, I knew I was in for a treat. The whole thing lacked rhythm – like the needle was exploring different zip codes instead of staying on a straight path. It was painful. All of it. But in the end, they said the sample was “beautiful,” which is probably the nicest thing anyone’s said to – or about – my bone marrow in a while.
Hospital Math
I was admitted Tuesday evening to start Cycle 2. MD Anderson has a few traditions that weren’t part of the program at UAMS. One of them happens during intake: a nurse calls in a second nurse, and you’re asked to drop your pants so they can take a picture of your sacrum. Then one of them – usually the lucky one – spreads your cheeks and swabs your butthole. For science. Or infection control. Or fun. I’m not totally clear.
Before MD Anderson, I believe only two living humans had ever seen my chocolate starfish. I’m now up to six. Four of them are nurses here. Yesterday, while walking laps on the floor, I noticed that all four were working. There are 56 rooms on the floor. If each nurse is assigned three rooms, that’s about 19 nurses. That means 21% of the nurses on the floor have seen my butthole.
As I made my rounds, each of them smiled and said hello. Was it just standard nurse politeness? Or the unspoken bond of shared trauma? No way to know.
Anyway, the rest of the stay has been uneventful thus far. Blinatumomab starts tomorrow :/
HOW ABOUT SOME GOOD NEWS
Traumatic bone marrow biopsy aside, the specimen was -quote –beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that no leukemia was detected at the 10,000-cell level. That’s after one cycle, with a super mutation, and starting at 70% involvement.
This is a massive milestone.
They’ve sent it off for next-gen sequencing -1 million cells deep – but hitting MRD-negative at 10K is the first big hurdle. In Dr. Jabbour’s dose-dense trial data from November, 94% of patients who were clear at 10K ended the trial clear on NGS.
This is the first real sign that I might dodge transplant. For the first time in a while, it feels like I’m catching some “go-rights.” And damn, it feels good.
The Running Tally
- Red blood cells consumed: 1
- Red blood cells donated (on my behalf): 22 +5 from the last update thanks to Cashion (2), Rachel, Aunt Karen, and Aunt Loretta
- Platelets consumed: 1
- Platelets donated: 0
Huge high five Bryce!!! You got this!
Look at you! Blincyto is doing its job!
Bryce, we’ve met a couple times. I’m a good friend Of Therese and Tom and the whole fam☺️
You are always in my prayers each morning.
This is such a good blog, for many reasons. But I have to say, as clear as your words are about your progress, they are equally entertaining and as clear as crystal! You’ve certainly conquered humility courageously beautiful. ♥️
MB and Alice are the ‘special’ pick-me-up to your day whether by FaceTime or face-to-face.
You made me wake up James, was uncontrollably laughing through the butthole digression. Love your humor through all this. Reminds me of some of my dad’s retellings of these sorts of interactions with nurses.
I am SO psyched for these test results and that you were well enough to have real quality time with MB and Big Al and Bubs dog. I hope this next round is manageable and the 1M sample comes back clean as a whistle and there are no new frustrations.
Thinking of you all the time, man. We signed up for be the match and will get on blood donating in your honor shortly. Hang in there.
Oh, Bryce! You and your family are so beautiful. I love how much credit you give to MB. She is amazing and your daughter is the cutest toddler!!! I’m glad you got to soak it all in after the hell of treatment. Stay strong and kick cancer’s ass!!!
so glad to hear that!
Bryce, you know I am an old woman always hoping to learn new things. Well thanks to
Your blog I have learned the term “chocolate starfish” and almost fell out of my chair laughing. 🤣
Dennis and I are praying for a complete recovery and support for MB and Alice.
I have questions. Who are the OTHER 2 that have fallen through your crack, besides the 4 nurses? Did you get a kiss afterward? Dinner? How does Squatty Potty feel about sharing you? The world may never know. 😉
I CACKLED reading your Hospital Math update. Then I got really excited reading about the results of your recent testing. But not so excited that it scares away the good news. (I’m not superstitious, just a little ‘stitious.) For real though, thrilled to hear of the progress being made. You deserve nothing but good news.
And, oh, that roly-poly baby. She is adorable and I know you ate up every second with her. Alice needs you as much as you need her! Mary Beth is on my wall of fame. Total baddie.
Keep up the good work Bryce! Sending love, energy, and unwavering faith.
Jenni
Also, you being a baddie is IMPLIED. I’m continuously amazed by how you’re facing this head-on and not taking any crap from anyone. You’re a special one, sir!
So glad you got to spent time with family and treatment is working well!
Bryce, I can’t say anything better or more true than what’s already been said, except you are simply amazing! I’m reading this while Dendog is making me toast and I’m laughing so hard I almost choked on my coffee. He looked at me and all I could say is you just have to read this. I thank God, for the gift of you, Bryce. You teach me WAY more than I, or may I say all of your fandom ever bargained for. You and I will always remember me “grilling” you at the sink doing dishes at Lake Miltona back in the day when you were still the “boyfriend,” like a very protective aunt asking you if you truly loved Mary Beth with the “forever” kind of love, and you looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Yes!” That memory is front and center in what you’ve just shared about her. But I know it’s not about Mary Beth and Alice (although that’s debatable); it is about you, and your medical team, including those nurses, who see chocolate starfish often enough. Laughing aside, you are simply incredible, and prayed for, and thought about EVERY DANG DAY!!! ❤️🩹❤️💝
P.S. My ADHD gets the best of me these days, but I’m putting it on my visual list, as not much stays in my brain anymore, to donate blood in your name.
Bryce, this is the third time I’ve tried to send my comments. Hopefully, the third time is the charm. I’m tech-challenged, as usual. In any case, I want to tell you how incredible you are! I cry, I laugh, and cry because I’m laughing so hard!
You always make me remember that night up at Lake Miltona when we were washing dishes, when you were still the “boyfriend,” and I asked you point-blank, like a very protective and nosy aunt, if you loved Mary Beth with the “forever” kind of love. You turned, looked at me straight in the eyes with no hesitation, and said, “Yes!” Fast forward to today, I know it’s not all about Mary Beth and Alice, although that’s debatable. I look at you three as an infallible triangle. You are all the best strength and medicine for each other! I’ll finish by saying you are prayed for and thought about EVERY DANG DAY!!!
P.S. My ADHD gets the best of me these days, but I’m putting blood donation on my visual to-do list, as not much stays in this brain of mine these days unless it’s written down.
So glad the treatment is working ❤️ as I know it is not an easy road but you are proof it can work. You are amazing!!
I am so glad you were able to spend a much deserved weekend at home. Alice is the cutest as is Mary Beth; such a beautiful family. Strength comes from love; you are surrounded by so much love ❤️
Sending love and prayers for continued successes.