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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/action/view/entry_id/1009610
by Sum1
Rated: E · Book · Travel · #1779685
I travel the country on business, sometimes the world. Come see where I've been.
#1009610 added May 3, 2021 at 10:15pm
Restrictions: None
Finally, A Path To Follow
Locale: Bloomington, Illinois

 May 3rd, 2021

         I saw Dr. Sriratana today, he's the Hematologist I've been seeing.  He said that the Bone Marrow test confirmed what he thought.  I have a Multiple Myeloma.  He told me that my marrow came back at 50% Plasma.  To put it in perspective, a healthy person has about 2-3% Plasma in their marrow, if someone was being monitored, they would start treating them if it rose to 15%.  Mine is 50...

         The good news in all this?  It can be treated without using Radiation or Chemo.  I am scheduled for Sinus Surgery on 26 May, he wants me to get that done.  He also wants me to take a pretty heavy dose of an antibiotic before the surgery.  Since I see my general practitioner on Monday, I'll see if he will prescribe it for me.  If not, Dr. Sriratana said to contact him, and he will do it.  Once the Sinus Surgery is behind me, his treatments will start.  I see him on June 7.  The treatments will consist of weekly shots, and an oral medication I will take for 3 weeks, then a week off, and repeat.  After 6 months of this, he will check my bone marrow again.

         What he saw in my blood tests is this.  My Immunoglobulin A: IgA (found in the mucous membranes of the lungs, sinuses, stomach, and intestines) is high, very high, around 2300 or so, which the Allergist interpreted as a sinus infection (since an MRI showed my sinus cavities completely blocked)  Along with this, my  Immunoglobulin G, the most common type of antibody in your blood and other body fluids) are low, very low.  It's been getting lower and lower each time this test has been run.  These antibodies protect you against infection by "remembering" which germs you've been exposed to before.  Dr. Sriratana says these shots and oral medications he's going to put me on will lower my IG-A level, while raising my IG-G.  Only time will tell there, huh.

         If this treatment fails to correct the IG-A and IG-G level well enough, there's another road to take.  But we haven't started this road yet, so I'll worry about that road if and when we get to it.  *Smile*  What I do know is that I will be seeing doctors for the rest of my life it seems.

In Closing

         I have been home since the second week of January, and will be home the rest of this year more than likely.  I teach the  RCMP next week.  I may travel (my manager said "In an emergency" I could travel), but I doubt it.  Til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE!

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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/action/view/entry_id/1009610