Relapsed High Risk Myeloma - Update August 8 2013

Up early Thursday, 8 Aug 2013 and drove to St. Luke’s Hospital MSTI in Twin Falls, Idaho. I slept almost the entire way in the back. RN MeLisa drew by labs out of my Bart Power Port – hit the side first, but it will heal.

We waited for the lab results in Dr. Padavanija’s exam room.

My labs are difficult to interpret today.

My platelets were 15, which is fine and Dr. Padavanija said she wasn’t too concerned about that anymore, especially since I’m not bleeding anywhere.

My white blood cell count was up a tad to 2.1 from last week’s 1.6, but that was not high enough to continue with the Cycle 2 carfilzomb/Pomalyst.

However, my ANC (Absolute Neutrophil Count) is OF CONCERN right now. Last week was a planned rest week off ALL chemo, both intravenous carfilzomib and pomalidolide (Pomalyst 4 mg capsules) orally taken from 1/21 days between Cycle 1 and Cylce 2. However, I continue to take 10 mg Dex every other day.

I was to begin Cycle 2 of the carfilzomib/Pomalyst today, 8 Aug 2013. However, the recommendations with this tandem chemo plan is NOT to give unless the ANC count is at least 1.00. My ANC (absolute neutrophil count) today had gone up from last week’s 0.4 to 0.86, but not to 1.00.

This could be due to a one of a couple of issues.  Perhaps the Cycle 1 carfilzomib/Pomalyst is holding the ANC down OR the plasma cells (my myeloma cancer cells) are just continuing to grow in my bone marrow despite the tandem chemo plan. My scheduled 29 Aug 2013 bone marrow biopsy will also be delayed at least one week until 5 Sept 2013.

I’ve been a tad out of breath and was expecting my hemoglobin to be less than 9.0. However, it was fine at 9.6 and I did not need a blood transfusion today.

We decided to hold the beginning of Cycle 2 carfilzomib/Pomalyst) for another week. So, we left St. Luke’s Hospital without ANY CHEMO today.

Jani and I went to Walmart and as long as I held on to the basket, I was pretty good in the energy department.

My left leg has really been hurting me, especially in my left groin to toes areas. I finally broke down and took an oxy 5 mg Immediate Release tablet and had ALMOST INSTANT RELIEF! I always think pain pills are going to interfere with my sleep, but not today in Bart.

I waited in Bart while Jani did a few more errands and we were off home to Mackay. We had take-out bean burritos from Taco Bell. Half of my burrito ended up on my t-shirt and we had to stop in Shoshone so I could change my t-shirt – remembering my University of Northern Colorado Days when EVERYTHING I OWNED had burrito juice on it! Then, I slept from Shoshone to Arco – nice to have such a good driver!