The MRI

After returning from St. George, I underwent an MRI at Alta View Hospital, at the request of Dr. Hales. I was only able to complete two of three parts of the procedure because lying on my back made it hurt so bad I was twitching uncontrollably. I returned the next morning to complete the last procedure.

Meanwhile, a curious thing happened. Sometime during my stay in St. George the center of pain moved slightly but definitely from my back to my side. And then later on the day of the MRI, the pain subsided substantially on its own, to the extent I was able to stop taking pain medication. Whether it has helped or not, I have been taking it REALLY easy--lifting nothing and avoiding any kind of strain or effort. Sadly, I am getting very little done--some reading and working at my computer--and it's really frustrating. I have so many projects to get done, and so little time. You know how it is. I'm also not exercising, so I have a put on some weight, a lot in fact, and quickly!

Wednesday nights Laraine usually goes to as stake Relief Society presidency meeting (she is second counselor). To make it easier on her, and because it's as good an excuse as any, we go out to dinner on that night, usually for sushi. So for now, Wednesday night is sushi night. Woohoo!

Emily and I read the MRI report when it showed up on my IHC website, but we couldn't make much of it. When Dr. Hales called me on Thursday, he told me the MRI had shown a mass impinging on my spine that was likely caused by the myeloma and was likely causing the pain. He had already talked to Dr. Nibley and they had agreed that I should undergo radiation to try to shrink the mass in order to reduce the pain.

Laraine and I picked up a copy of the lab reports Dr. Nibley had ordered last week. The M-spike cancer marker was 0.3, lower than the 0.4 on the previous report but up from 0.2, where it had been since my transplant last November. The IgA marker was 742, up dramatically from the 416 measured in July. Anything above 400 is abnormal. It appears the myeloma is definitely coming back.

Friday one of Dr. Nibley's assistants called and referred me to the Radiation Oncology group of IHC, located downstairs from Utah Cancer Specialists at Intermountain Medical Center. At my request, she was also able to get my next appointment with Dr. Nibley moved up from the end of October to this Monday (today), in order to act quickly on my rising cancer markers.

Saturday I decided that since I apparently didn't have muscular damage or bone fractures, I would resume normal activities. I worked in the yard and went on a bike ride, both without any ill effects.