http://www.sponsafier.com/#/gallery/view/367247

I thought you may be interested to know that the International Myeloma Foundation has entered a Toyota racecar design in a contest called Sponsafier. The winning entry will be built as a full sized car, and your votes can help push myeloma awareness across the finish line.

The idea and the car design come from a myeloma patient in Normal, Illinois. Keith May has covered the car with slogans to raise awareness of myeloma, and the work being done to beat it. The IMF has named the car “The survivor.”

“Survivor” is one of several hundred entries in the Sponsafier contest. Some entries are just artistic designs and some like Keith’s support a cause. For the next 12 days, please log onto nascar.myeloma.org to vote for Keith’s design. Please also ask your friends, families and colleagues to vote too.

This is a great opportunity to educate a new audience about myeloma and blood cancers, the advances that have been made in treatment and the challenges that lie ahead.

http://feresaknit.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/whys-africa-not-red/

Our toxic environments have a lot to do with why we got myeloma. (see http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090813142148.htm)

From the maps linked in Paula’s blog, you can see that the industrialized countries have more MM in their populations.

There’s some information to be found on myeloma cancer clusters by googling:

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=meyloma+cancer+clusters&aq=f&aqi=m1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=ea2cd8eab02d18af

I’ve been really lazy about posting these days.  There’s a lot going on.

Here’s some news from the garden!

I have one tomato that’s almost ready to be picked, there are some jalapenos and one broccoli plant that’s showing signs of actually becoming broccoli.  Green beans are still a bit off in the future, as are the squash.  There’s been loads of rain and lots of hot sun.

Test: Result (Normal Range)

IGG: 455 (600-1700)
IGM: 34 (35-290)
IGA: 466 (40-400)

This is from last time, so you can see there’s not much change!

IGG: 466 (600-1700)
IGM: 31 (35-290)
IGA: 408 (40-400)

I found a new web site that I’m still checking out.  It has details about lab tests and other info.
http://www.clinlabnavigator.com/

Anyway, the doc says I’m still smoldering!

I was at Five Points Pet Resort a couple of weeks ago, where this green-winged macaw engaged us.  He has a lot of personality!

I’m writing from StoryCorps, America’s largest nonprofit national
oral history project. Because our broadcast this morning on NPR talks
about the experience of a family affected by multiple myeloma, I
thought it might be worth sharing with your readers. Please have a
listen!
Sy Saliba talks to his daughter, Yvette, about her mother, Pat, who
passed away from multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, in 2005.
http://bit.ly/93jYOB

StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit project whose mission is to
honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening. Since 2003,
tens of thousands of people from across the country have interviewed
family and friends through StoryCorps. Each conversation is recorded
on a free CD to take home and share and is also archived for
generations to come at the Library of Congress.

I’ve been spending a lot of time trying to get the pool clean. It’s been slow going though.  I’m having a bit of a problem with algae, but I think it’s finally been conquered.  After I walk the dog tonight, I’m going to jump in!

Anyway, it was a great night for a walk, so Buddy and I went out. I took this picture with my trusty iPhone.

The snake pictured is a scarlet king snake.  I found it in my pool, but not in time to save it.  It’s not as big as it looks in the picture.  I estimate it to have been about 8″ long.

The hearse was parked in the bank parking lot.

There are three families of geese in the neighborhood where my aunt lives.  Last time I was by there, I got out of the car to take a picture.  I didn’t get close though!  Geese can be scary!

The site has a new look and will allow you to read a short excerpt of posts, search posts and browse by tags.  You can also help spread the word by sharing blogs posts on many social networking sites.

You’ll see what I mean.  Head on over to http://www.myelomablogs.org/.