icky dx (3,326 views)

Thanks Wallycat. I'm sure you are right....if we don't look for things, we don't find them. Mine was found years ago when my doctor was running some tests for something else and apparently that is often how this entity is found. Believe me, this was upsetting to me, too. However, I do think I am in a better place this time because I know there is nothing I did to cause it nor can I do anything to control it so it's best to just roll with the punches. Have a good weekend.

Karren

I've been thinking about you and I appreciate your updates, more than you know.
Interestingly, I was reading that if the whole population 50 and older were scanned, 1% would show up MGUS. Of those, only 1% PER year, develop the ugly stuff. Here's hoping we are average and NOT in the 1% ugly stuff.
In some ways, being monitored protects us in case it goes south. And science progresses!!

My new labs will be in May and she said I can skip the 24 hour pee since whatever showed up before is no longer there. Honestly, I still think my issues showed up right after my Shingrix shot (horrible reaction). DH just had his monthly onco visit; his hematocrit was low and she said.."wait at least 2 months before we decide anything; the covid booster is doing stuff to labs..." so who knows what is causing what. I had my booster last week Monday and I switched to Pfizer ...I was so hopeful I would not have a reaction. Nothing like the first two, but still...quite the reaction. Strong immune systems are highly over-rated, LOL.

Had my recheck this month (talk about anxiety!). I'm still waiting for one more result, I think...not sure if she ordered it and once you do any labs, myChart removes all the orders.
So far, all is stable. The lab result (serum protein) that was elevated, which started this mess, was normal this time. Which means, if I had done my annual physical stuff, I'd never know I had this. MGUS is often diagnosed incidentally. So I sit here, stable and watching/waiting. I see my onco next week and she'll let me know if I am at the every year checking or whatever.

Thanks Patti. I just started 16 years from breast cancer dx. Congrats on your 19 years!

Glad to see things on an even keel here. I don't have anything to add other than my hopes good news continues for all.

Great news, Wallycat! I'm expecting to have another annual check added to my list next week. Hope that's about the extent of it for me too.

Thanks, Wallycat. I hope you are continuing to do well. I am not certain if the concern I was having then was a spot on my arm that looked a lot like a melanoma but started fading before my appointment -- apparently as some bleeding under the skin, so I must have banged my arm when moving some furniture. We also were watching our senior dog for declining health. Her appetite changed and then we started having some other issues, which we had been told to expect. We said goodbye to her in June, just days before our older son came home. We lost our lab a year earlier. I'm still not used to not having them here. Until last month, I'd had 2-3 months out of the last 30+ years with no furry ones about. Our son and his GF will be staying with us for the coming 6 months to a year and I fully expect to be finding a new 4-paw or two after they get here and we get things settled. Those little paws will have some big shoes to fill, but some ready arms and laps waiting.

We are surviving the heat, but the lack of rain is about to get really ugly. We are hoping to save most of the trees but have lost one. The grass will be what the grass will be - or won't be. The landscape plants are hanging in there for the most part. We have one bed of salvias that we didn't get to thinning out this spring, and they are suffering the most. Perhaps they will thin themselves. As long as the grid holds, we don't have fires (more of them anyway) and we don't see a hurricane or flooding tropical storm, we will be okay. Is that too many maybes?
I do miss the dogs -- and the loss of the second one has me missing the first one all over again. I doubt we will be without a pet for long. We have been fortunate that out last 2 dogs and 2 cats have had such long lives, but it means they are a bigger piece that is gone. Wouldn't change it though.

Quick update...still waiting for one more result but so far, I am stable with what's come in.
As an aside, I may need an endoscopy (food stuck once)...not sure if something sinister or my esophagus was spasm-ing with all the stress I'm going through. DH is going to need new treatment and it will mean a schlep to Seattle, provided his labs show he can tolerate the treatment. It is the newest Radioligand therapy (Pluvicto) and hospital indicated that Novartis is eeking out more production of the drug. Crossing fingers he gets quality of life with this.

Good luck, Catbatty. Your "why be there" made me laugh out loud. I need that so much!!