Coasting

Miles officially finished his immunotherapy Thanksgiving day.
He feels well.  Imaging December 12.
Every day is Thanksgiving.  Leave an impression.

Cycle 3, good for me

Miles here,
The first half of my antibody cycle has been much, much better than the one before. I haven't pressed the button to receive my PCA (morphine) through IV that helps me control my pain at all. As usual, the nurses and doctors are fantastic and the support from my friends and family at home is even better!
In between cycles I've been playing football and we've had a pretty good start to our season. The team beat Souhegan Valley (Amherst) and we had a tough loss to Manchester, but we will see them again.
The Oyster River Football Program is doing a calendar raffle for the month of October. Tickets are $10 and you have 31 chances per ticket to win gift cards to local restaurants, salons, apparel retailers and cash prizes. The grand prize is $250 cash. To buy a ticket, text me at (603)923-8677 or email me at goldbergmiles@gmail.com.

Thank You, T-cells and Immunoglobulins

Eleven weeks after his right lower lung lobectomy, and with two cycles of immunotherapy in the books, Miles had his surveillance chest CT today. Result: negative.  No bad stuff seen.  No new tumor growth visible. Fantastic news for this great kid and all of us supporting him.  Positive attitude = strong immune system.

Guess who played nose tackle in the OR 7/8th grade football season opener yesterday.  Yes, number 41, Miles G, with a padded port and red cleats. And a win, to boot.  Nice work, team.

Miles appeared on the Dennis & Callahan Show, also broadcast on NESN, on August 29, to support the 2016 Jimmy Fund Telethon.  Here's the link:
Miles Jimmy Fund Telethon Interview 2016

Cycle 3 of 5 is about to start.  Onward.  Now get back to your homework, kids.

Dog Days

Miles completed his second round of Dinutuximab last week.  Unlike his first infusion, taken in the wake of lung surgery and a 3 week hospitalization, this round he was in front of the 8-ball, with good physical reserve.  The biggest potential side effect of this antibody immunotherapy is pain, which he had none of.  He used only a fraction of the pain medicine required the first time, and he was better than lucid the whole time. 

Special thanks to nurses Laura, Emily, Grace, and Carly--they, with other nurses and clinical assistants help Miles sail smoothly. 

So, he's back in the saddle for the last week of Summer.  Between treatment rounds, Miles did his vacation thing, not dissimilar from his buds.  He saw Coldplay at Gillette, caroused with his friends, swam at the lake, tended beehives, caught a gym-full of pokemon, and spent a week baseballing in Cooperstown.

You may have heard of, or even seen, the video produced by the teacher-friend team of Tregea & Schroeder.  Suffice to say its compilation of teachers' and friends' inspiring wishes is powerful and moving. Thank you all for keeping it real, and clearing a path.

Thanks to Becca and Tam for our first tour of the hive and its yield.

Becca inspects with a hand from Miles

Home for Three Weeks

Miles got home Wednesday evening after his first immunotherapy treatment. He is a little tired, down a few pounds, and his near-vision is a little blurry. Miles gives himself a daily injection to boost his immune system.  Otherwise, life is normal. His nurses and doctors were happily surprised by how well he tolerated this first round. 

I'm not as think as you sleepy I am

The dinutuximab is administered IV in two 20-hour courses. Miles gets a four-hour reprieve in between--where we're at during this posting. The benadryl, gabapentin, and pain medicine around-the-clock keep him schnookerdoodled. He perked up this morning after some good overnight snoozing. Miles has teetered the fence between dreamland and consciousness without pain or other significant side effects. He has minimal swelling, his urine output is adequate, and his blood pressure is holding steady.