Thankful Thursday - Results from my Procedures!

In preparation for my upcoming appointment with the Duke Adult Bone Marrow Clinic, I underwent a myriad of tests to establish a one-year benchmark from my Stem Cell Transplant. The results are back and we again are so very thankful:

• Complete Blood Count: Hemoglobin 12.6, Platelets 180K, M-Spike 0, Immunofixation 0
• 24 Hour Urine Analysis: Normal protein levels
• Bone Biopsy: No plasma cells in marrow
• Skeletal X-RAY Survey: No new lesions.  Marginal bone growth in existing lesions, mild anterior compression deformity of L5 - age indeterminate
• MRI: No new lesions or tumors, marginal bone growth

Some bone regrowth in the sacral area would have been icing on the cake, but even without that, my current regime of 10MG Revlimid every night seems to be keeping the myeloma cells under control. I have an appointment with Dr. Gasparetto at Duke on September 29th to go over all of the reports in more detail.

I thank the Lord daily for:

•    the wonderful folks that pray continually for me
•    the good results from my one year post transplant reports
•    my doctors at the Cancer Center of North Carolina and at the Duke Adult Bone Marrow Clinic
•    my body's acceptance of the treatments with minimal side effects
•    my loving family, especially my beautiful wife who sacrificially takes care of me
•    each day that He gives me to enjoy life, my children, and especially my grand kids
•    and the saving grace of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I close with the following, that each of us knows by heart:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want........"

EZ