The bone marrow is the best way to evaluate my kind of cancer because it is a cancer of the bone marrow. We do other (blood) tests that give us a general indication how we are doing. Those blood tests have been stable since my transplant one year ago. The reason we don’t do bone marrow tests every month or so is because they hurt like hell.
In my case, the blood tests told us that the cancer was still there. I would have to have been one of the really lucky people to have the cancer disappear after a stem cell transplant (complete or stringent remission).
I had asked you to pray that the percentage of my bone marrow being cancer as under 10%. The one (before my transplant) was 12%. The one 90 days after my transplant was 8-10%. If this one was 10% or higher, it would mean that I would have to change course in treatment. Another bone marrow transplant? Perhaps.
My test came back at “3.5-5%,” which is very good news. It means that I’m in good remission and I don’t need any other changes in my treatment, just continuing on my present chemo, which is working out well. This could change on a dime and I could get into trouble, but for now, it seems so stable that the oncologist is going to start seeing me every three months. It was weekly for a long time.
![Figure, Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy...] - PDQ Cancer ...](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK65753/bin/CDR0000554337.jpg)
The cancer itself does not cause symptoms. I have a plethora of symptoms related to kidney failure and the mild side effects from the chemo. I keep praying that my kidneys will heal.
But thanks so much for your prayers. It would have been really bad news if the bone marrow results were worse.
Mike
J. Michael Jones 
18 responses to “Update: Bone Marrow”
GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED ALL AROUND.
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Good news indeed!
Great Mike.
Ann
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Fantastic!
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Does this mean actual improvement, or that you’ve stabilized into a maintenance mode?
(And if you want to get back in contact with me, I have to enter my email address when doing this comment. Don’t know if it’s visible to you.)
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Good question. I think stabilization is the best term. The bone marrow transplant was the only action that can treat the cancer directly. Chemo only holds it at bay. So, the progress is from the stem cell transplant a year ago, but it has stabilized and is being held in that place. I’m not Word Press savoy. Others have asked if I could see their e-mail address and I haven’t found it. I will look. There must be a place where the administrator can see who is following them, and their e-mail addresses.
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Your good news brighten my day. Thanks for sharing. By the way, I did order a book from Amazon and will be starting it shortly.
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This is fantastic news Mike!
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Mike, This is great news! You are in my daily prayers.
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Wonderful news Mike. Just received my copy of Ristretto Rain 👍🙏🏻
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Michael:
This is really good news! Finally, after such a long, difficult and discouraging struggle, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I’m so glad for you and Denise.
Cindy
On Thu, Jul 23, 2020 at 1:31 PM J. Michael Jones wrote:
> J. Michael Jones posted: ” The bone marrow is the best way to evaluate my > kind of cancer because it is a cancer of the bone marrow. We do other > (blood) tests that give us a general indication how we are doing. Those > blood tests have been stable since my transplant one year ago. Th” >
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Praise and much joy!! Hi and 6′ hugs to all the family.
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body{font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:9pt;background-color: #ffffff;color: black;}that is good news indeed.i was one of those who prayed for this.doug
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I am really excited to hear you have have such good bone marrow numbers. Glad this perhaps can give you some peace and help you know the chemo is working. So happy for you to get this great news friend! DK
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So very glad for low numbers on bone marrow test! My backside aches just looking at that diagram! Whew! I had a piece of bone removed from my hip for neck surgery. But was asleep! Thank goodness! Continued prayers for remission and kidney healing! Hugs!
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Such happy news!!! Can you see me smiling?!! It is definitely a bright spot in all that you are enduring. Continued prayers for you and your family Mike! 🙂
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Good news indeed!! I’m praying you continue on this course indefinitely and it will become a chronic issue if not cured completely.
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Of course I pray the same for you. I hope your side effects are at least as soft as mine are right now.
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That is indeed good news and I’m so happy that you are able to continue on the current treatment course since your quality of life has been much better on this. I will echo what someone else said above in that this news really brightened my day. I think of you often.
Kristi
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