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Lowered cancer levels again
Last evening as I continued to get over an extended cold, viagra 60mg I took a walk in a grassy area to relax and enjoy the weather while the sun was going down. On Sunday I completed Cycle 4 Week 3 of my chemo treatment. Apologies for the delay, however a week ago Tuesday, I had my monthly blood test and I’m happy to report that my cancer levels dropped again. As I’ve stated before, in BC, I can use an online service called myehealth, to get free access to my lab results as soon as available (around 24 hours).
The igG is my cancer marker. My multiple myeloma resides in the Beta 2 Globulin region. As noted below, my myeloma cells continue to decrease there.
| 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 |
| May | 42 | 17.2 | 2.5 | 18.7 | .28 | .33 |
| Apr | 44.4 | 19.2 | 1.5 | 21.4 | .29 | .41 |
| Mar | 39.1 | 27.1 | 2.6 | 27.5 | .26 | .50 |
| Feb | 38.9 | 33.9 | 3.0 | 36.1 | .33 | .53 |
| Jan | 39.3 | 30.6 | 3.7 | 33.4 | .29 | .22 |
My Hematologist (specialist of blood diseases) wants my cancer levels to remain below 18.0, which is half of 36.1. I’m almost there and remain optimistic about my June.
My Hematology Profile is the Complete Blood Counts test I have every 2 weeks that measures my overall health.
| Date | WBC | Hemoglobin | Platelet Count | Neutrophils |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reference Range | 4.0 – 11.0 | 135 – 170 | 150 – 400 | 2.0 – 8.0 |
| May | 12.4 | 118 | 271 | 8.9 |
| May | 10.0 | 118 | 320 | 5.2 |
| Apr | 12.5 | 123 | 297 | 9.8 |
| Apr | 7.6 | 113 | 357 | 3.9 |
| Mar | 7.0 | 133 | 247 | 5.6 |
| Mar | 6.8 | 127 | 467 | 5.2 |
| Feb | 5.5 | 133 | 191 | 4.6 |
| Jan | 4.4 | 129 | 206 | 2.3 |
I can’t emphasize enough how well this treatment is going. Yes, I have significant weight from the steroids and I’m not that strong mentally, but overall the side effects have been minimal. I’m feeling super fortunate. I continue to get lots of rest, eat well, and I remain focused on positivity each day.
Thanks everyone for your ongoing encouragement and positive support!
To recap: I have Multiple Myeloma and anemia, 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. From February 9th 2015, I am on Pomalyst and dexamethasone chemo treatment (Pom/dex). On May 31st, I finish Cycle 4.
Weekly chemo-inspired self-portraits can be viewed in my flickr album.
May 2014: Granville Island
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Reflecting on my invisible illness
Today I was sitting in a park thinking about my life with multiple myeloma and how it is an invisible illness. I was reflecting on how you can’t really tell that I’m a cancer patient on chemo treatment. Because of that when I meet someone new, stuff
I’m always unsure when it is the right time to tell them about my cancer. Basically I don’t want to freak anyone out nor lose them as a potential friend. I’m not stressing about this though. I just remain positive, focus on making friends, and enjoying life.
On Sunday I completed Cycle 5 Week 1. Last week I had a complete blood count, a blood test that measured my overall health while on chemo treatment. The results looked good (see normal range in brackets). The hemoglobin (red blood cells) is below normal because I have anemia.
| Date | WBC | Hemoglobin | Platelet Count | Neutrophils |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reference Range | 4.0 – 11.0 | 135 – 170 | 150 – 400 | 2.0 – 8.0 |
| June | 6.5 | 122 | 439 | 4.7 |
| May | 10 | 118 | 320 | 5.2 |
| Apr | 7.6 | 113 | 357 | 3.9 |
| Mar | 7.0 | 133 | 247 | 5.6 |
| Mar | 6.8 | 127 | 467 | 5.2 |
| Feb | 5.5 | 133 | 191 | 4.6 |
| Jan | 4.4 | 129 | 206 | 2.3 |
To recap: I have multiple myeloma and anemia, 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. From February 9th 2015, I am on Pomalyst and dexamethasone chemo treatment (Pom/dex). On June 1st I began Cycle 5 for 4 weeks.
Weekly chemo-inspired self-portraits can be viewed in my flickr album.
May 2014: Segway on the seawall
