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Last Monday, about it I went in for my monthly big blood test to determine what my Hematology profile is (how my body responds overall to my chemo treatment) and learn what my Serum Proteins (Electrophoresis & Immunoglobulins) are, sick which are my cancer levels. The process was fairly quick. I drank lots of water beforehand and the technician was able to draw blood out of my left arm without difficulty. As I’ve stated before, doctor here in BC I use an online service called myehealth, to get free access to my lab results as soon as available (24 – 30 hours for the big test, same day for the small test).
I’m happy to report that the results are the best since I began chemo in Feb. My cancer levels dropped again and my hematology profile is in the normal range. These results are spectacular. My chemo continues to work exceptionally well fighting my multiple myeloma (MM).
The igG is the general cancer marker used by Hematologists to measure progress in a patient’s cancer level, however each patient can be unique. My particular multiple myeloma resides in the Beta-2 microglobulin region, that is the specific protein marker that we (my Hematologist and I) watch to determine the progress of the chemo treatment on my myeloma each month. It is the best indicator of how effective my Pomalyst chemo is.
| 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 2nd | 45 | 7.7 | 4.8 | 12.5 | 1.00 | .68 |
| Oct | 48.5 | 9.0 | 4.0 | 13.3 | .82 | .43 |
| Sept | 44.1 | 9.2 | 3.2 | 12.9 | .66 | .31 |
| Aug | 47.7 | 10.7 | 3.0 | 14.8 | .62 | .32 |
| July | 45.8 | 11.4 | 3.6 | 15.7 | .56 | .37 |
| June | 41.2 | 15.2 | 3.9 | 16.5 | .49 | .40 |
| 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 Hematology Profile is the Complete Blood Count 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 |
| Nov 2nd | 8.1 | 137 | 387 | 5.9 |
| Oct | 10.5 | 139 | 329 | 8.8 |
| Sept | 5.3 | 130 | 363 | 4.4 |
| Sept | 13.7 | 122 | 304 | 5.2 |
| Aug | 6.1 | 130 | 378 | 4.9 |
| Aug | 12.0 | 133 | 329 | 8.3 |
| July | 12.8 | 131 | 302 | 9.47 |
| July | 4.8 | 123 | 386 | 3.8 |
| June | 10.6 | 124 | 281 | 8.0 |
| June | 6.5 | 122 | 439 | 4.7 |
| 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 |
Feeling great. Doing a happy dance!
To recap: On Sunday, November 8th, I completed Cycle 10 Week 3. 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. Since February 9th 2015, I have been on Pomalyst and dexamethasone chemo treatment (Pom/dex). I start Cycle 11 on November 16th.
Weekly chemo-inspired self-portraits can be viewed in my flickr album.
Sept 2012: UBC Pacific Spirit Park
