No Abnormal Protein Bands Detected

My local oncologist is out of town; the next available appointment is the end of May. Last week, I realized there was no way I could wait until then to know if I'm really in remission or not. So I demanded a blood test and urine analysis be done anyway. The results came in Monday. It's taken me until today to absorb the good news.

In the "Interpretation" section at the end of the results it states: "No abnormal protein bands (Bence-Jones Proteinuria) detected." What is "Bence-Jones Proteinuria"? I googled it; and, in several places, it says:

Bence Jones Protein:

"An abnormal protein with unusual thermosolubility characteristics that is found in the urine of patients with MULTIPLE MYELOMA."

I went back to look at the results from previous tests.

At the end of September, this abnormal protein was 3.7.
At the end of October, with MD Anderson, it was 5.5.
Beginning of December, (MDA) it was 1.6.
Early January 2007, (MDA) it was .8.

The lowest this protein got before the transplant was .5.

Now, it's nonexistent. I stared at the section where these proteins are reported. None of the usual numbers were there. Just a whole new set of numbers without the usual ABNORMAL or H (for high) or L (for low) beside it.

In fact, on this analysis, NOTHING is abnormal except two cryptic things. Something called AST, and something called ALT. I wish I knew what these were. However, my doctor's nurse said they have something to do with my liver, which makes sense because of the high dose chemo from the transplant.

Of course, in the second analysis, my white blood, red blood, and hemoglobin are still not normal. But that is what my friends at MDA said would happen. That it would take a while for all these counts to rise to normal. I need 1-2 more points on all these counts to be in normal range.

I think all I need now is for my oncologist to say, "You're in remission." That may not happen until the end of May. we'll see.

But I'll take "No abnormal protein bands detected" for now and say PRAISE GOD!!!!

(Photo: sunlit monument over our campsite at Zion Natl. Park last summer.)