“100 DAY APPOINTMENT” (ON DAY 104)

DECEMBER 5, 2022 – Today was my “100-day appointment” with my transplant doc. I no longer view him as strictly “a research doc,” though he re-revealed himself when I disclosed that I’ve volunteered for a clinical study of a post-transplant maintenance treatment (at my regular oncologist’s clinic) for multiple myeloma: “Fantastic!” he said. “I’m all in favor of participation in clinical studies.” Of course he is—he’s a research doc!

But Dr. Betts is also a very caring human being with a good sense of humor. He’s an excellent communicator, as well.  After our exchange of pleasantries, he reviewed “my numbers.” They’re excellent and prove the efficacy of the stem cell transplant. As fully expected, I still have some “residual numbers,” which is why the standard of care includes post-transplant treatment. When I asked what my class standing was among transplant patients, he said spontaneously, “Oh, you’re doing really well.”

He then gave me a science lesson about T-cells, my relative lack thereof and the need to boost them. That process takes about a year from the transplant. “When it comes to defenses against fungal and viral infection,” said Dr. Betts, “you have a ways to go. With good white cell, good neutrophil counts but low T-cells—you’re at 100; you want to be at 200—you have lots of soldiers but too few generals.”

When the good doctor heard about my “bud-capping” operation in the Northwoods, he didn’t scowl. Instead, he elaborated on fungal infections and cautioned me to exercise care on the pine tree front. Additionally, I’m to “mask up” when during such activities as building our granddaughter’s gnome home—constructed out of natural materials from the woods—a project to which I’ve already devoted over 100 hours . . . unmasked.

Next, Dr. Betts explained my Covid vaccination plan—including today’s initial shot—and assured me that my flu vaccination a few weeks back “was perfectly good” (no reduced efficacy because of the transplant).

We then really got down to business when he mentioned his musical kids—a violinist son, an oboist daughter (both in GYTCS), and a younger cellist daughter. He mentioned TwoSetViolin on YouTube, which his son thinks is “hilarious” and with a laugh disclosed to us (Beth attended the appointment with me) that in high school he was a drummer.

Dr. Betts reacted with genuine interest when I mentioned, “I hail from a family of professional violinists.” Beth then divulged that I play the fiddle too and this led to a wider conversation about music.

When I asked if I could go skiing today despite the Covid vaccination, he hesitated. “Maybe take it easy for a couple of days,” he said. But after the appointment and vaccine—administered by Nurse John, himself both a downhill and x-c skier—I went skiing anyway, celebrating the fact that compared to a year ago I’m feeling 1,000% . . . strike that. There’s no comparison to how I felt a year ago.

My next appointment with Dr. Betts is 180 days post-transplant. By then I hope to have logged at least 90 ski days this season—45 times more than last season.

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© 2022 by Eric Nilsson