J. Michael Jones

So, as I was saying, I repeated my labs at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance on Monday. The results came back and my lambda light chains, the protein my cancer makes, did come back 20 points lower than my Anacortes labs, however, that was not enough. It still shows an increase of 60 points in 90 days, thus meets the criteria of my previous partial-remission cancer, now being “relapsed.”

I just got off the phone with my Seattle oncologists. I will go back for a “staging” exam, which includes a new PET scan and bone marrow biopsy. Oh, how I love bone marrow biopsy’s, it’s like giving birth to porcupine through your nose. No, its worse than that and I bet many of you have had them. Then I will start an aggressive three-drug chemotherapy for at least two months. If and when the numbers come down, I can end up on a single chemo. (if you are interested the “three prong-approach” will be sub q daratumumab weekly, lenalidomide oral daily, and dexamethasone 40 mg weekly).

Yeah, I’m disappointed. All the drugs have terrible side effects and wear on your quality of life. But what’s my choice?

The other bummer is that my sudden improvement of my kidney function was not seen on my Seattle labs, thus now thought to be a fluke. Depressing. But we must solider on with God’s help. I do have much to stay alive for.

I have a rather timely podcast that looks, philosophically and theologically, at the false notion of, “All Things Happen for Reason.” You can hear it here.

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Mike