Last Monday, 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, 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. I always get nervous during blood tests, that there will be a problem. As I’ve stated before, 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).
Once again, I’m ecstatic that my cancer levels (igG and Beta 2 Globulin) decreased again, as in previous months. My hematology profile is also good. My chemo treatment continues to be successful, with manageable side effects.
I’m loving life and staying positive each day!
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 |
| Dec | 43.3 | 7.4 | 5.4 | 11.2 | .84 | .49 |
| Nov | 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 |
| Dec | 8.8 | 133 | 416 | 7.0 |
| Nov | 5.7 | 136 | 447 | 4.7 |
| Nov | 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 |
To recap: On Sunday, December 6th, I completed Cycle 11 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).
Weekly chemo-inspired self-portraits can be viewed in my flickr album.
May 2014: Riding to Sunset
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