Call from eldest 46 yr old son

Before he went off to Sochi Olympics, he chose to have a very thorough health exam. The only thing that came back negative was high protein level in his urine test. His doctors don't know why this is so. What does it mean?

I'm not a physician, but a high protein level might be a symptom of diabetes.

Elevated levels of protein in the urine can happen temporarily for some pretty normal reasons - like exercise, exposure to both heat and cold, fever and even just plain emotional stress.

This was a single urine test? None of the other tests indicated anything that would corroborate a condition that would cause elevated urinary protein? He needs to have at least another test (and maybe some others besides urinalysis) to see if it is persistent.

Only then can you start worrying about the 20 some odd things that would cause chronic proteinuria. Well, except for maybe pregnancy. He's a little old for that.

Hah. I thought pregnant too! :-D he first had it tested last Dec and is continuing to follow through with specialists. They are puzzled. His call to me tonight was to get family history. My oldest brother had multiple myeloma and died at 53. Brother Chas died of herthle cancer at 67. No diabetes in our family. I guess I just wait and see.

My thought is temporary stress induced what with his huge responsibility in Russia. While he was away his wife handled a a hernia operation on her own. I think his having 4 kids ages 1-12 would alone trigger some goofy response in his body.

Docs are looking at his kidneys. No Lyme disease, no aids, they are coming up empty.

Thanks sweet snuggles, bikefixed and Scully for jumping in with brainstorming. It is so comforting to have MOL to turn to before I start panicking alone with my own scary thoughts.

Well here it is a month later after seeing multiple specialists to narrow down the cause, it seems he now has been diagnosed. He has multiple myeloma. The same desease my brother Bill died with yet they say it's not genetic. They don't know how he contracted it but they say today it is treatable with radiation, drugs and cultivating his own bone marrow withou stem cells and then replacing his good bone marrow with the bad.

Or there is a new medicine he could just take for the rest of his life.

I guess he has choices. That seems to be a good thing. They caught it early.

Wow! That is tough news. How is he (and you) handling it?

He has options: that's good. Myeloma can be hard to catch, it seems like so many other things at first - if indeed you do catch it. So it should be OK, now everyone knows.

Sending PVs from here; keep positive.

We are keeping positive. He has no symptoms. And a month of specialists to recognize it might be bad news and then it was. His wife's family is very supportive as is mine. I've been on the phone with my children and three of my sisters all day. We are in shock. He goes Monday for a full body scan to see what affects if any have occurred to date. He then was told if he does break a bone to go the hospital immediately and receive radiation.

Thanks for your PVS and positive vibes. Prayers are okay too. ;-)

both of these apply! The second is 'don't worry'! It's usually followed by more of the first.

Aww thanks. They put a smile on my face.. :-D he's 46 years old and still playing in his baseball league with the dr's blessings. So if he and his docs aren't worried yet, neither am I.

Just read through the Mayo's notes on all this (because it resonates with some of FIL's stuff), and your son should have no worries at all if he follows the instructions they've given him. oh oh

My dad had multiple myeloma. Because of this I have a particular interest in this cancer. They've come out with a bunch of new treatments in the last few years. I'm sending PV's to you and your family.

Thanks Joanne and njBornandBred.

MOL offers an incredably virtual support system. We are ALL here for you. Sending major PVs your way.

Thanks LL. MOL has been very good to me. Thanks for you PVs.

I will keep all of you in my prayers. Our neighbor was diagnosed 10 or more years ago, and he found it because it actually broke bones, so it must have been pretty advanced, and he is fine now!

This bites, no way around it, and the family is likely to have a shi&&y year. However, most people end up living a daily life that is just about what they had before the diagnosis. That is a huge blessing.

There are a lot of options for treatment, which is another blessing.

I can't recommend counseling enough, in addition to medical treatments.

Oh, my goodness. I'm sorry to hear there was actually something to be addressed, but it does sound like there are good treatment options. Apparently, they also found it early, since there are no symptoms yet, and I hope that means he will sail through with no problems and come out clean on the other side.

Wishing you and your family all the best. My thoughts will be with you...

Thanks everyone. As far as counseling goes, we've been through this 3 times already with brothers Bill, Chas and sister Sue and it is really amazing how us siblings and their spouses support us all. And then we reach out to our churches and friends and in my case MOL. Cousin Gail as well is my rock.

Sister Sue is the only Long time survivor of 7 years now. Hope Sean beats her with many blessed years to come.

On second thought, I might recommend counseling for my son, his wife and 4 kids. That is a good suggestion.

So now today I have spoken with 5 of my blessed sisters all in support of my son. Wonderful support. The surprise came when my baby sister who is only 5 years older than my son, tells me to send him to a nutritionist who knows how to advise someone dealing with cancer. Something about juicing asparagus? Cancer fighting nutrition? I thought that was brilliant. And also to check out his environment for chemicals he may not be aware of that are affecting him. She has her degree in chemistry. Gawd I love my sisters. :X

Baby sis also told me about Tom Brokaw having this same disease.

Tom Brokaw Says Cancer Treatment Will Be 'Successful,' He Has 'Big Life' Ahead Of Him
| by DAVID BAUDER
Posted: 04/29/2014 8:21 am EDT Updated: 04/29/2014 8:59 am EDT Print Article


MORE: Tom Brokaw Treatment Tom Brokaw Cancer Tom Brokaw Nbc Tom Brokaw Tom Brokaw Nbc Center AP
NEW YORK (AP) — NBC's Tom Brokaw, about to be honored with his name atop the network's West Coast news center, says that cancer has slowed him but not stopped him from working.

NBC on Tuesday is dedicating its new broadcast facility in Universal City, Calif., as the "Brokaw News Center." It will host the West Coast operations of NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, Telemundo and local Los Angeles news programs.

"It has become a larger deal in my life than I anticipated," said Brokaw, the former "Nightly News" anchor who began his NBC career in Los Angeles.

Brokaw, 74, has been undergoing chemotherapy for multiple myeloma, a cancer affecting blood cells in the bone marrow. He was diagnosed last summer.

"The physicians all think it's going to be successful," he said. "There are no guarantees in this business. I cannot say it has not affected my life. It has taken over my life in many ways. But I'm still able to write and work and do the things I like to do. I'm just not able to do them at the same pace."

Since stepping down as "Nightly News" anchor in 2004, Brokaw has kept active as a commentator, filled in as "Meet the Press" moderator after Tim Russert died and has done several documentaries, many with an historical bent.

The author of "The Greatest Generation" is working on projects related to the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, and a story on Hollywood filmmakers in World War II. Brokaw said he and Rick Atkinson, author of a World War II trilogy, will give lectures on a boat ride from England that is set to land in Normandy, France, on the anniversary of D-Day in June. The veteran newsman said he finds the work therapeutic.

It's not all work: Brokaw said he's sent his doctor tapes of fishing techniques with the question, "I should be able to do this by now, right?

"Am I going to beat this and beat this on my own terms?" he said. "That's probably not possible but I'm going to have a big life going on from here. I'm not someone who's over there picking out caskets."

___


prayers and pv.s, sent with luv

In order to add a comment – you must Join this community – Click here to do so.