This is About Myeloma, Right?

anemia, Journal, Polycythemia

ALL THIS DISCUSSION about Polycythemia may be a confusing for some readers. It’s rare to discover both diseases in one patient, much less simultaneously, so let me try to put it in some perspective.

Apparently secondary Polycythemia is not presently a big problem for me. In fact, speaking purely as a layman, I suspect the extra red blood cells may have offset the anemia that is a common aspect of Myeloma. Also, my RBC and other indicators have remained stable since a few weeks of treatments last Dec.-Jan.

Could the apparent Polycythemia actually have been a peculiar response of my body to my pre-Myeloma condition (MGUS)? Continue reading This is About Myeloma, Right? →

The Plot Thickens

Journal, Polycythemia

THE INVESTIGATION into Polycythemia in late Spring, early summer of 2013 meant several rounds of new and repeated tests over a period of weeks.

In short order my hematologist Dr. T. had additional news that he seemed genuinely sorry to deliver. It seems a blood test known as electrophoresis revealed I had what’s known as an MGUS — a Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance. This is a benign condition in which an abnormal protein (monoclonal protein, or M protein) is present in the blood, produced by misbehaving plasma cells. Plasma cells, a type of white blood cell found in the bone marrow, produce some of the antibodies that help the body fight infection. Continue reading The Plot Thickens →

A Minor in Poly Cy

Journal, Myeloma, Polycythemia

EVENTS UNFOLDED RAPIDLY in Spring of 2013 when my illness first presented itself.

I complained to my internist Dr. L about unaccustomed fatigue, headaches and shortness of breath during my annual checkup in May. He had been treating me successfully for high blood pressure for a number of years. Dr. L was curious enough to order a CBC (complete blood panel) which revealed a very high red blood cell count, high hemoglobin levels and high EPO (erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates red cell production).

“You need to consult a hematologist,” he advised, recommending Dr. T. So I did. Confirming blood tests and other tests ensued.

In short order, it was determined that an excess of red cells had made my blood extra thick to the point where it could not pass easily through my smallest blood vessels. It was labeled Polycythemia Vera — a bone marrow disorder, not a cancer, although perhaps that’s a purely academic distinction. Continue reading A Minor in Poly Cy →

My-My-Myeloma

Journal

WHAT EXACTLY am I smiling about?

For a year or so I’ve been battling a pretty scary cancer, called Multiple Myeloma, which affects the blood plasma cells that are created in the bone marrow. So far, I’ve done OK, with few perceptible symptoms, and fairly tolerable side effects from the chemo drugs.

On a daily basis, I confront a surreal circumstance, where my state of health is determined by test results on a sheet of paper. My medical team tells me I have improved significantly and that my prospects are quite good.

I’ll be dealing with Myeloma for the rest of my life. Continue reading My-My-Myeloma →