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Last week I had my blood test and I was able to view the results the next day online through a free service called myehealth, medicine that is available in my province. A new person took my blood and they were understanding when I told them I needed to take a photo afterwards. What is also cool, information pills is that a technician passed by, noted that they hadn’t seen me for a while, and asked how I was doing.
These are strange days. I’m sitting here looking at my blood test results and really not understanding what everything means. Broadly I realize that I have higher cancer levels, but I’m also worried about whether there are larger issues I should be concerned about. Sometimes blood test results provide more questions than answers. I am remaining calm though. I have an excellent Hematologist and I know I will be contacted if any blood test reveals problems that need be addressed before my next scheduled appointment.
| Date | Albumin | Beta Globulin 2 | Gamma Globulin | igG | igA | igM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reference Range | 34.0-53.0 | 1.8 – 4.8 | 5.1 – 15.0 | 6.7 – 15.2 | .70 – 4.00 | .40 – 2.30 |
| Nov | 41.3 | 11.8 | 5.5 | 16.9 | .37 | .36 |
| Oct | 46.2 | 9.5 | 6.4 | 14.8 | .39 | .27 |
| Sept | 45.1 | 6.2 | 7.1 | 12.8 | .36 | .21 |
| July | 45.9 | 4.9 | 6.9 | 10.8 | .34 | .25 |
| June | 45.3 | 4.0 | 6.6 | 9.9 | .33 | .30 |
| May | 46.5 | 3.5 | 7.3 | 9.2 | .33 | .26 |
| Apr | 47.9 | 2.8 | 7.0 | 9.2 | .28 | .23 |
| Mar | 48.3 | 2.8 | 7.0 | 8.9 | .31 | .33 |
| Feb | 51.4 | 2.8 | 6.4 | 7.7 | .24 | .38 |
| Jan | 47.6 | 3.0 | 6.2 | 7.5 | .17 | .33 |
| Nov | 45.6 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 7.1 | .14 | .10 |
Test comment: There is a monoclonal band (approx. 9 g/L) in the beta 2 region. This band was previously identified as IgM lambda. Polyclonal immunoglobulins are not suppressed.
| Date | WBC | Hemoglobin | Platelet Count | Neutrophils |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reference Range | 4.0 – 11.0 | 135 – 170 | 150 – 400 | 2.0 – 8.0 |
| Nov | 2.7 | 130 | 265 | 1.3 |
| Oct | 4.1 | 139 | 305 | 2.1 |
| Sept | 3.7 | 135 | 241 | 1.8 |
| July | 2.9 | 133 | 247 | 1.4 |
| June | 3.4 | 135 | 265 | 1.8 |
| May | 3.2 | 138 | 294 | 1.5 |
| Apr | 2.3 | 137 | 243 | 0.9 |
| Mar | 2.0 | 135 | 211 | 0.8 |
| Feb | 2.0 | 132 | 208 | 0.9 |
| Jan | 1.9 | 124 | 217 | 0.7 |
| Nov | 2.2 | 118 | 220 | 1.1 |
In addition, the following Hematology Profile measures were slightly below normal:
Hematocrit .39 (.4 – .5)
MCV 81 (82 – 98)
Lymphocytes 1.1 (1.2 – 3.5)
Staying positive!
To recap: I have Multiple Myeloma, a rare blood cancer. It is incurable, but treatable. From February to November 2013, I received Velcade chemo through weekly in-hospital injections as an outpatient. In October, I found out my cancer had returned, and sometime in 2015, I expect to be in treatment again.
I love photography and use it for my mental and physical health. I haven’t taken many photos since my macbookpro died during the summer though. You can view my pictures on Pinterest.
January 2013: UBC Wreck Beach
