We walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
According to Wikipedia, in medicine, amyloidosis refers to a variety of conditions in which amyloid proteins are abnormally deposited in organs and/or tissues. A protein is described as being amyloid if, due to an alteration in its secondary structure, it takes on a particular aggregated insoluble form similar to the beta-pleated sheet. A LIGHT CHAIN is the small polypeptide subunit of an antibody (or immunoglobulin). A typical antibody is composed of two immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chains and two Ig light chains.
Late Friday afternoon we learned from a nurse on the Oncology Ward at UCSF that Irene’s September 3, 2009 Kappa LIGHT CHAIN value was elevated:
Kappa: 122.8, 3 months ago it was 51
Lambda: 41.8, 3 months ago it was 42
Ratio: 2.9
* KAPPA LT CHAIN, FREE 51.9
* LAMBDA LT CHAIN, FREE 42.3
Ratio: 1.23
Three months earlier the values were the following:
* KAPPA LT CHAIN 44.1
* LAMBDA LT CHAIN 34.9
Ratio: 1.26
Following are the historical Kappa Light Chain values:
June 2007, 652 (stem cell transplant date)
July 2007, 78.5
October 2007, 33.1
February 2008, 56.7
March 2008, 39.4
May 2008, 39.4
December 2008, 37.2
Today, Dr. Lloyd Damon of UCSF informed us that occasionally a blood test may indicate a reading beyond the acceptable tolerance so he wants Irene to be re-tested in October rather than waiting until December for her next regularly scheduled checkup. The test in a few weeks will determine whether the September 3rd test results were an outlier or relapse of Amyloid.
Shirley Churchill met Irene at Satellite Dialysis Center and worked with her for 2+ hours on physiology techniques designed to foster body function. She did this while Irene was undergoing treatment. Shirley never ceases to amaze us …. she drives from her home in Menlo Park to Watsonville (one hour+), spends 2+ hours with Irene then drives home …. THANKS SHIRLEY!!!
The emotional pendulum on Irene’s Journey of Faith continues to swing as far as the EAST is from the WEST and the last I checked, eastbound never meets westbound, and westbound never meets eastbound.
We walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
Caminando con Fé
Dave
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