I Am Still In Remission!

Now some of you are thinking "Huh, why is this news?"

Well it's news because since New Year's Day, I thought I was out of my remission. I was soooo angry. I felt cheated. I had been promised 18 to 24 months and it hadn't even been 11. I had things to do!

And now I can still do those things.

New Year's Day I noticed - GROSS ALERT - that my urine was cloudy. I mentioned it to Grace & Jen. What did it mean? I promised them that I would call Kate and mention it.

A few days later I was curious enough to Google it. I typed "cloudy urine" and immediately got upset. I didn't bother reading the results, I changed the search to "urine protein". The first result listed the possible causes and there it was "Multiple Myeloma". I laughed nervously. I know that I block unpleasant things, but this was ridiculous. I knew somewhere deep down what it was all along. I just didn't want to know it.

So I kept it to myself. Not altogether mind you, but pretty much. Grace and Jen and my parents knew something was up. They were watching me get weaker and weaker. My parents didn't push it. But my Dad just started going into my room and taking my laundry and other stuff like that. But finally on February 2nd, I just felt I had to tell someone. So I told my parents. My mother had to confide in her brother. Unfortunately, Grace overheard one of their subsequent conversations. She and Jennifer demanded to go to my February 10th appointment. I refused and my mother backed me.

So on February 10th I go and we talk about and it turns out that there is no sign of it in my blood. They have tested for the IgA protein and the level is in the normal range. They wanted a urine sample, but I was too tired to stick around and promised to come in another day. So that was enough to bolster my spirits. The assured me that the fatigue had nothing to do with the myeloma. My white blood cell count was down, which led them to believe I was having a tough time recovering from a virus.

I explained all this to Jen and Grace and little by little some other people.

I got the urine test. I also got a blood test to see if I was low on a different protein, IgG.

And today Kate called -

"You were right about the urine. You were right about the protein. But it's not Bence-Jones."

I was flabbergasted. There is no trace of cancer in my blood or urine. They've ruled out diabetes and kidney failure. They gave me antibiotics for the resurgent head/chest cold. I have an echo scheduled for the 12th and I see them again on March 13th. March 13th is Mama Kelley's birthday, she would have been 99 had she lived. Everyone thinks it's a good omen. My appointment is at 1300 hours.....3.....13.....13, her actual date of birth.

Mama Kelley will take care of me and my mystery protein and my mystery fatigue.