Dialysis went well today.

I went in for my lab work and my hemoglobin was 11.1 (great) and my platelets were 19,000 (good for me). Today was my appointment to see my oncologist, Dr. Page. I asked him to decipher the results of the Free Kappa & Lambda Lt. Chain Assay I had in January. He explained it very well and the bottom line is it does not show amyloid deposits in my blood and shows no evidence of Multiple Myeloma and both of those findings are very good. These tests are relatively new and I am glad to have the test as part of my records.

I asked Dr. Page if anyone ever has stem cells that do not develop and he said it was a possibility. He feels we have gotten a minimal response from the stem cells and that will probably be all we get because he said with me being a year out from the transplant, he does not feel they are going to respond any better. He has told me before that each time I get blood and platelets (over a long period of time) they do me less and less good. I asked him if my stem cells were not going to work, when would we know that and what then? He said the platelets will be the best gage and when they are between five and ten and a transplant does not move that number then we will know. I asked him what then, would I continue to get transfusions? He said yes but we will deal with that when it happens. At this time, they have nothing else to offer.

The last two times I have received transfusions have resulted in me itching all over at dialysis the next day. I asked Dr. Page if this was just a coincidence and he said it was more likely that my system is building antibodies against receiving so many transfusions. As I receive more of each, my body will fight the intruder with antibodies. It is just my body trying to control the situation and it is unable to do so. It is trying its best but my maladies are just too strong for it to deal with. Too much being thrown at it over these last six years.