Author Archives: Beth

07Mar 2013

The Myeloma Twins

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During the time I was in treatment, I coordinated my doctor visits and chemo with another myeloma patient who lives about 25 miles from here.  We traveled to Chapel Hill appointments together and, when we were told the only treatment left to us was a stem cell transplant, we had ours together through The Duke Adult Blood and Marrow Transplant (ABMT) Program in Durham, NC.  We even had apartments next door to one another!

One of our doctors started calling us the “myeloma twins.”

I’m really glad to have just gotten the news that Joyce is moving to Pinehurst, which borders on Southern Pines (where I live)!  She’ll only be a few miles away, so we’ll get to see each other more often.

Yay!

18Feb 2013

Test results from February blood draw

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I got these results last week.  Pretty much the only difference between these results and the last ones is that the IgA is about 200 mg/dL higher.  Last time, it was 663.  The m-spikes are the same.  This time, the kappa/lambda free light chain ratio is just inside the normal range.  IgM and IgG are suppressed, and at about the same levels they were in October.  Why the increase in IgA? My doctor suggested that it may simply be a normal immune response to something.

Blood tests for myeloma Feb 2012

09Dec 2012

October Lab Results

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Everything’s pretty much the same as it was last time.  Still stable. Two m-spikes that add up to 0.8 g/dL.  The last time I had blood drawn, the test results were pretty much the same.

October Myeloma Blood Test Results

15Aug 2012

Latest Labs

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The serum free light chains weren’t back yet when I got this. I don’t think about this stuff as much as I used to, so I probably won’t even call in to ask about it. I’ll wait for my next appointment in a couple of months to find out.

I had been seeing the doc every 4 months, but now it’s going to be every 3 months, due to a small increase in m-spike. The doc asked me if I want to start maintenance, but I said no. The m-spike was somewhere about 0.3 five years ago after I had my auto SCT.
Myeloma blood test results 2012 July

15Aug 2012

Good intro to multiple myeloma from MD Anderson

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23May 2012

Puppy Mills in North Carolina

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This was forwarded to me on the AAMC mailing list.

 

This is a picture of a puppy currently residing in a puppy mill in North Carolina. Under present state law, because she has “food, water and shelter” she cannot be rescued. Only when she is dead will she probably get out of this cage.
We are hoping (probably against hope) that the legislature might take some time away from passing a fracking bill, to consider legislation that would define the requirements of “food, shelter and water” a bit better than is pictured here, as well as require exercise and veterinary care.

Puppy Mills in North Carolina

If you agree that this is cruel and inhumane treatment, please let your legislators know. In Moore County, your state representative is Jamie Boles ( [email protected] ) and your state senator is Harris Blake ( [email protected] ). You might also address comments to the Senator Pro Tem Phil Berger ( [email protected] ) and Speaker of the House Thom Tillis ( [email protected] ).

There are a lot of animals in North Carolina that would appreciate your speaking up for them.

07Feb 2012

Latest Myeloma Lab Test Results

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I’m pretty late in posting these. Click for to see more bigger.
Latest Lab Test Results Myeloma

27Oct 2011

Jay Bradner: Open-source cancer research

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Hey! Run, do not walk, over to Margaret’s blog now and read about the work of Jay Bradner, who just may have figured out a way to stop myeloma dead in its tracks. After watching the video below, I started wishing I was a mouse!

Beth