Day 3650

Today marks 10 years since I was diagnosed with Leukemia.  Words cannot accurately capture how grateful I am to all my friends, family, doctors, nurses, who have stood beside me through all the years.  I am blessed beyond measure.  I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to speak with other newly diagnosed leukemia patients over the years.  Giving advice, sharing my experience, crying together, but mostly just listening to them.  For all of those currently in this battle, hearing the doctor say the big C word doesn't define you or put an expiration date on your life.   

Day 1827 (5 Years)

Today marks my last milestone to achieve, 5 years survival!  I thank God every day for this gift and even in these dark times, I remember that things can always be worse.  For all those out there who are fighting, no matter the stage you're in Keep Fighting! 

Day 1275

6 more months have come and gone and another good checkup.  My blood is great, and all my levels are stable from the previous checks. 

My health is good, just dealing with normal life issues which is a good thing! 

Today we celebrated and remembered with many others at the annual Light the Night.  I am thankful for all of those that donate and participate in these walks to raise awareness and funds to find a cure. 

It was very cold! 

White for survivors, yellow for remembrance, and red for all those affected. 

Day 1095 - 3 Years

3 years ago today I was diagnosed with AML.  I am so thankful to everyone who has partnered with me over these years. Thank God that I am still cancer free and winning each day!

I had a checkup last week and Dr. Tokaz said my labs were perfect.  Next lab and check up will be in 6 months!

Day 1030

Sorry for the long pause in posting, boring and no news is a good place to be!!  I had the flu a few weeks ago, the first time I have been sick since being diagnosed.  Because I was already on antibiotics and then started to feel horrible and had a high fever, I went to the ER to be checked and get my blood work done.   Everything came back great, just positive for the flu. 

No problem, you have to be alive to be sick!  

I recovered well which makes me happy that my immune system is working well.  

I had a CT scan and my organizing pneumonia is still gone so all good there too!  I have a check up in May and expect everything to go great.  This May will be 3 years since being diagnosed, so awesome!   

Day 730

---- 2 YEARS ----

Today, May 14th 2017, marks 2 years since I was diagnosed with Leukemia.  I am proud and honored to report that I am still in full and complete remission!  The burden has been light, He is true to His word.  

At the end of April I had a check up and all my levels are doing awesome.  Dr. Tokaz said most of the underlying blood cells and chemicals have all bounced back very well.  I don't even have to get antibiotics anymore if I am not feeling well.  I am normal (Yea Yea, I know -as normal as I can be).  

Sorry for not posting sooner or posting more often but life is uneventful, which is what it should be.

Thank you for all the prayers and support for me and my family!

Day 570

I had a bone marrow biopsy two weeks ago and I received the wonderful call from Dr. Tokaz that everything is 100% clear.  This should be my last bone marrow biopsy EVER!  I am counting this as the end of my bone marrow biopsies and putting that part of my life behind me.  All I have to do is labs every 2 months and a check up in 6 months!  Awesome! 

Note to other people in treatment:  The screw method is by far the worse!  It really makes your area and muscles sore for 2 weeks.  The drill is only sore for a few days.  The mallet is somewhere in the middle.  It is OK to ask the doctor to use the drill, after all it is your bone they are drilling!   Maybe I can save you a week or two of a sore backside by my recommendation.  

Screw Type - Not ideal! 

Merry Christmas to everyone and thank you for all the prayers and support you have given me and my family over the 1.5 years.  Praise God for another great Christmas!  

Day 540

Light the Night 2016 was awesome!   It was amazing to see so many people supporting the cause.  Survivors had white lanterns, supporters had red, and yellow was for those to remember.
 They did a thing where the survivors stood in the middle forming a circle while everyone else was around them.  It was very emotional because there were very few white lanterns, maybe 50-75 out of the whole crowd.  I am very blessed and honored to be a survivor.   Thank you to everyone who donated and to everyone who participated.
Watch the video to get a feel for the event.
Light the night Austin Video

My kids and my nurses, Dave, Cathy, and Holly.  

 

I am feeling good.  I had some colds and coughs that needed some treatment but otherwise I am great.  I will see my oncologist later this month for a check up and to schedule my, hopefully, last bone marrow biopsy.  

Day 504

Friends and Family,

The annual Light the Night walk for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society will be Saturday November 12^th @ 6:00PM at the Circuit of the America’s.  I am inviting you to join our team and walk with your light demonstrating your support to end blood cancers or to donate to our team.     I thank you in advance for your support which will make a difference in the lives of thousands of patients battling blood cancers.  I am alive today because of the walks and donations from the prior years.    

I really appreciate your generosity and I look forward to walking victoriously with you!!

http://pages.lightthenight.org/sctx/AustinL16/roadtovictory

Thank you,

Josh Pucci

Day 480

I received a pleasant call from my oncologist, Dr. Tokaz, inviting me and my wife to a concert called Band Against Cancer with headliner Martina McBride.  It was such a surprise and a great thing to hear from him with non-treatment related issues.  

Our VIP badges

I went to pick them up from his office and stopped by to see some of my favorite nurses at South Austin Medical Center, BMT.  Notice how I said some, nurses are tremendously jealous creatures and effort must be made in order to not upset them.  Beth, usually the charge nurse, had her favorite "Happy Fall Y'all" sign up.  She runs a tight ship and was always super great to me!  

Board with all the nurses and staff's names on it.  

Denetta (on the phone), me, Holly, and Natalie.  Three of the all-stars!!

 We had FRONT row seats.  No one in front of us!  It was truly amazing.   My wife and I were able to meet other survivors and many of the staff members that we have come to know and love.

Cassadee Pope

Holly, Wife, me, and Cathy

We saw Cathy, one of my night nurses early in my treatment.  She moved to the clinic where she gave me several blood transfusions.  

Enjoying victory! 

Dr. Tokaz in the back with his survivors!!  

 There is Dr. Tokaz in all his glory!  Thank you sir for all that you have done for me, my family, and many others!

Martina Right in front of me.  We shared a few deep stares and laughs during "Rose Garden"

Thanks to Sarah Cannon for supporting bone marrow transplant centers in local communities so patients can receive treatment with their support groups close to home.  I personally benefited from my local center the BMT floor @ St. Davids South Austin.  

"Approximately every 3 minutes one person in the United States (US) is diagnosed with a blood cancer.  Approximately every 9 minutes, someone in the US dies from a blood cancer. This statistic represents approximately 160 people each day or more than six people every hour."

Concerts like this help raise money and awareness for the need for a cure and for people to join the bone marrow registry! Register Here

Day 465

I had my final follow up with my pulmonologist to make sure my organizing pneumonia had not returned.  A final CT showed that it is still clear and all that remains is some scare tissue that shouldn't cause any problems.  My labs have been OK, the only thing that was low was my white blood cells, which is a good problem since Leukemia makes your white blood cells high!
I have my next follow up with my oncologist in November so other than that I am just on cruise control.
My son started 2nd grade and my daughter is doing ballet, these are the things that you really cherish when you had a period of time that you couldn't participate or even see them!

September is Leukemia awareness month.  Get your blood checked once a year at your physical exam!

Day 434

I got the good news call from my oncologist last night!  My latest bone marrow biopsy is 100% clear.  I am still in full remission!  Right now my next one is planned for the end of the year, around December.
I am feeling good, but I don't like the "screw" method.  I am still swollen and a bit sore, nothing bad but it is just a big difference compared to the others I have had done.

I hope this blog is helpful for others dealing with Leukemia and the treatments that go with it.  It is hard enough to fight for your life, and those affected shouldn't have to do it blindly. So, I hope the little bit I have shared helps someone in their battle!

Day 426

I had a bone marrow biopsy on Friday.  It was just routine, to fully ensure I am still in 100% remission.   The team at South Austin are great and it is nice have the same people take care of you, it just makes the process go smoother and a little more enjoyable.   I had a different doctor perform the procedure this time, and he doesn't use the drill or the mallet...he just screws it into your bone  So now I know that this method is my least favorite.  The muscles are more sore, I guess from working me over?

I will have the good results in about two weeks. I will keep everyone updated once I hear from the doctor.  Otherwise, I am feeling great.  Lots of energy and excited to be enjoying the summer outside this year!

Our family vacation to Mexico

Day 367

May 14th, was the 1 year anniversary of being diagnosed with Leukemia.  I am doing great!  So much has happened in 1 years time. All my monthly checks are coming back perfect.  I will have another bone biopsy sometime in July just as a check up.

When I look back on everything it feels like a different world.  Like looking at a storm that passed over you, something unimaginable. How could I have gone through that?

But now, I am so strong.  I feel great!  I have gained back all my weight and I have more energy than I can ever remember having!  I play with my kids until they get tired.  I know see that same storm as a strength and not a weakness, as a victory and not a battle, and a reminder of where I will never go again!

Day 297

Great news!  I am still in complete remission!!  There were no cancer cells and not a single cell with the messed up 8th and 21st chromosome.   I knew it would come back clear because I am feeling so well but it is great to hear that from the doctors.

I will get my blood checked once per month for the next 4-5 months.  In six months, June, I will get another bone marrow biopsy just to keep checking.  So for now, just living a normal life thank I am thanking God everyday for his healing and blessings.

Day 286

Hi everyone.  I need to give an update on how I am doing.  Leukemia-wise I am doing great, I have a lot more energy, my color is back to normal, my hair is fully back, and most of my blood levels are back to normal . Platelets are the only thing that are still low, which they expected because they are the most sensitive of all the blood cells.  I have visited the nurses at the bone marrow transplant floor (where I spent 11 weeks) several times since being cured and it really blesses them to see healthy patients and blesses me to be able to walk in and walk OUT!  

Tomorrow I will have another bone marrow biopsy.  This is just a standard checkup and part of my survivorship treatment.  I am doing it at South Austin Hospital so that the I can have the same pathologist review the cells.  This is important because she has seen my leukemia cells and my normal cells so she can easily give a correct diagnosis.   Also, most of the doctors at South Austin use the drill, which I prefer over the mallet!  

Side note, I had my gallbladder removed after an exhaustive search to find the source of severe abdominal pain and high liver enzymes.  It was a frustrating experience since all the tests kept coming back normal but the doctors kept thinking it was the gallbladder.  I feel much better now, no more pain, just recovering a bit from the incisions.  No more hospitals for me!  I am done with that chapter of my life!!

Thank you all for continuing to pray for me and my family.  I cannot express my thanks and appreciation to everyone enough.  

Picture of the kids!  

Day 214

Today I got my port removed, a very big psychological victory for me.  It was great having it during treatment but it was always in the way at home with the kids and never let me fully relax while doing activities.
It was a simple procedure that I elected to have under general anesthesia to be stress free for me!  I am doing good and just relaxing at home now. Just a few days of rest and I should be back to normal.
I am continuing to get stronger and build my muscles daily.  I am walking further and faster and able to do more normal activities.  I am so blessed to have this all behind me during the Christmas season.
I will get labs done every two weeks and then another bone marrow biopsy at the end of February just to make sure everything is good.  After that I should move to having the biopsy every 6 months.

Thank you again for all your support and prayers.  Merry Christmas everyone!!  

Day 202

I am cured!   Thank you Jesus!

The full results have come back from my biopsy and it was 100% clean of any leukemia cells.  There was no genetic signs of any leukemia!  My treatment is done and there is nothing left for me to do except get my port removed and continue to gain my strength back.

I will have a follow up appointment next week with my oncologist to go over my plan moving forward, like how often to get blood tests, biopsies, and such.

Thank you for everyone's prayers, support, help, encouragement, and love during this time.  My family and I are very grateful for everything.  Merry Christmas to all!

Day 190

Great news, I have my bone marrow biopsy scheduled for next Tuesday, the 24th. So hopefully I will have the results by mid December.  I am continuing to feel better each day and gain strength.  I trimmed the bushes in the front yard yesterday and I think I overdid myself, but at least I'm moving around and making progress.

The CT Scan of my lungs showed that the last two areas of inflammation cleared up but two more grew. Just like last time.  So, I have to go back on steroids indefinitely until it clears up.  The pulmonologist was not worried since they have cleared up before and they look the same as the ones they did the biopsy on.  It is just annoying to have to be on steroids again.  For some reason, my body is making this inflammation, it is not any type of infection.

Day 187

Good news, I haven't had a fever since coming home on Friday!  I am still gaining strength from being sick and in the hospital a week but getting better each day.  I got my labs done yesterday and they were awesome!  WBC was 2.9, Neutrophils 1.8, Platelets 102, and HGB 9.9.  Just last a week and a half ago I had 0.2 WBC and 0 Neutrophils so they have really come back which stopped my fever and allowed me to go home!  They are up enough to schedule my bone marrow biopsy, so I should receive a call today from the hospital to get that scheduled in the next week or so.

I did the math the other day, in 6 months I have stayed in the hospital 11 weeks not including all the outpatient biopsies and blood transfusions that take up the whole day.  It is such an amazing feeling to know that I won't have to do that again, that season of my life is over.

Just to recap for everyone:

Final Steps:
1. Get final bone marrow biopsy to confirm no leukemia cells are there  There wasn't any 4 months          ago and I have done 4 rounds of chemo since then so there should be zero!
2. Get the results from the biopsy, that should take about 2 weeks from the biopsy date.
3. After the all clear is given, get my port removed.  I am praying to get all this done by December to     be done and ready for the new year.
4. Monthly checkups and lab work with doctor.