Wednesday, February 13, 2013

My New Best Friend ...

BORTEZOMIB!   This new best friend is actually an old friend that I haven't needed in my life for the last 16 months.  Well, I need it now.  I will be having low dose subcutaneous injections of Velcade (the more familiar and friendly name for this drug) every other week.  My husband asked my oncologist how many cycles there would be and he said, "Until the lambda light chain is back in the normal range."   Hopefully, Velcade will work for me like it did in the past.  If not, there is always Revlimid.

My last blood work showed that the lambda light chain numbers had climbed again, the ratio between kappa and lambda is dropping and the  Beta-2-Microglobulin, Serum has continued to rise. These markers are going in the wrong direction and it is upsetting.

Being back in treatment has been a difficult transition for me.  My whole mindset and emotional state are trying to adjust to this new reality of multiple myeloma back on the attack.  I was never completely comfortable while I was in remission, knowing that it was temporary.  However, I had hoped that "temporary" would last a long time and I was able to keep a relatively positive attitude.  Now, I am beset with fear and uncertainty about the chances of dominating this disease again.The one positive note in all of this is my oncologist said the amount of myeloma activity is still small, so I am hopeful that Velcade will be able to overpower it and beat it back into submission.   

When one is battling multiple myeloma or any aggressive disease, a fierce attitude is probably a good thing to have. To that end, I think I should be calling Velcade by its more ferocious sounding name: Bortezimib.

Though she be but little, she is fierce!
William Shakespeare 
 

My Lab Work

Component       Standard Range  11/29/12   1/3/13   1/31/13
Kappa Lght Chn, Free       3.3-8.0 mg/L  9.15   7.83   8.25
Lambda Lght Chn, Free      5.7-26.3 mg/L  42.64   51.37   62.64
Kappa/Lambda,Free      0.26-1.65 ratio  0.21   0.15   0.13
Component Standard Range 4/15/10 7/5/12  10/26/12   1/31/13
Beta-2-Microglobulin, Serum  < OR=2.51  2.25         2.60 2.81   3.03

8 comments:

  1. Oh, yes, Carole Leigh!

    Call that mighty drug its FULL BLOWN name so that it is your friend, fighting down those cells that have taken up room in your body and need to be blasted out - out - outtttta there.

    Yes, a warrior always has to be fierce with any enemy. And we, who are in your army of friends, will be fierce in our prayers, too. Amen.

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  2. dear carole leigh,

    dammit! myeloma makes me very angry when it messes with my friends. i am sorry you are back in treatment; i will BELIEVE right along with you that the BORTEZIMIB will pulverize whatever is making your markers misbehave - after all, it DOES sound like a good name for a super-hero.

    i will muster every fiber of FIERCE vibes i can to send to you for re-inforcements. your fierceness and BORTEZIMIB'S ferociousness - i think we're takin' war here. so myeloma - get ready to surrender!

    sending you much love, XOXO,

    karen, TC

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    1. Karen,
      We ARE talking war! I loved your comment....it brought a smile to my face. Thank you for always being there.
      Love,
      Carole Leigh

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  3. Hello, my friend! Great attitude, honey. Keep up the good fight!

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    1. Hello back, my friend. Thank you for your continued support!
      Love,
      Carole Leigh

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  4. My loved relative is still keeping the MM at bay with the Rev, so I am intending the same success for you. Winston Churchill said "we will never give up," and I am sure you will move forward with an aggressive mind set to bring yourself back into a more stable state. Aligning with your intentions...

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    1. Dear Samdy,
      I am so happy to hear that your relative is keeping MM at bay. I will keep Churchill's words in mind as I intend to get my light chains back to normal. GO BORTEZIMIB!!
      Love,
      Carole Leigh

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