Q: If you experience symptoms of multiple myeloma or feel unwell, make an appointment with your doctor to get tested for this condition. Your doctor may also suggest you come in for testing if they suspect you may have multiple myeloma. Your blood and urine sample will be used to test your liver and kidney function, as well as other factors. To avoid skewing the results, do not drink alcohol or caffeine, and abstain from eating any food if your doctor instructs you to fast before the test. Sip water if you are thirsty. You can resume your normal eating and drinking habits after you have had the test. Your doctor or nurse will choose a spot on the inside of your arm, above a vein. They will wipe the area clean with a sterilizing cloth and then insert a needle in the vein to draw blood, allowing it to collect in a syringe. The needle will leave a small prick that should scab over within a few days. The area may be sore for a little bit as it heals. Your doctor will be checking your blood for a variety of factors, including:  Your blood calcium and electrolyte levels. Your liver and kidney function. The presence or absence of abnormal antibodies in your blood associated with cancerous plasma cells (the serum protein electrophoresis test, or SPEP). Whether you have abnormally high or low levels of other antibodies (quantitative immunoglobulin test). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and plasma viscosity (PV) of your blood. ESR and PV are usually elevated in people with multiple myeloma. They will also take a full blood count (FBC) to check for unusually low levels of red blood cells and platelets. You will need collect your urine in small amounts over a 24 hour period in sample cups. The sample will be tested for abnormal proteins caused by cancerous plasma cells, called monoclonal light chains or Bence Jones protein. Collecting the urine over 24 hours will allow your doctor to look at how many proteins are being produced in your body and how well your kidneys are functioning. It may help to drink a lot of water over a 24 hour period so you can urinate regularly.
A: Make an appointment with your doctor for tests. Do not eat or drink anything except water 8-10 hours before the tests. Allow your doctor to draw blood for testing. Provide a urine sample for testing.

Q: Friendship is an important part of your adolescent years. Oftentimes the friends you make in high school end up being lifelong friends. It's very important that you choose your friends carefully and spend your time with people who care about you and have your best interests in mind.  A good friend wants you to be happy and will support and encourage you, no matter what. Real friends share your joys when you're happy and apologize when they've said or done something to hurt your feelings. A true friend cares about what you think and feel, and will listen to what you have to say. Friends will accept you for who you are and will not pressure you to do anything you're not comfortable with. Just as important as making good friends is recognizing unhealthy or abusive friendships and partnerships. These types of relationships can be very damaging to you mentally, emotionally, and physically. Learning how to recognize a bad friendship or relationship is only the first step, though. After that you'll need to reduce how much time you spend with that individual or cut him/her out of your life altogether.  If someone manipulates you or lies to you, that person is not being a good friend or romantic partner. Jealousy, blame, and a generally negative attitude are all signs of a destructive relationship. If anyone threatens you with violence, inflicts violence on you or others, or forces you to do things that you don't want to do (including sexual activities), that person is abusive and dangerous. Talk to a parent or counselor about the friendship or relationship and sever all ties with that person immediately. If you ever feel like your safety is threatened, do not hesitate to call the police. Having a good role model is important during your teen years. You may not realize it, but you're at an impressionable age. While your friends and peers are important, they're still figuring things out as well. This is where having a mature, responsible role model can be of great importance.  A role model should act as a mentor. He or she should listen to the teen, care about his or her wellbeing, offer guidance, and live a positive, healthy lifestyle. Role models should exhibit healthy, model communication skills, manners, cooperation/teamwork abilities, trustworthiness, honesty, and sincerity. They should treat others well and be generally respectable and upstanding. Not all role models are celebrities. In fact, many celebrities would make very bad role models. Parents can be great role models, as well as teachers, aunts and uncles, counselors, older siblings, and even neighbors. Anyone who is responsible, trustworthy, and caring can be a good role model.
A: Develop good, healthy friendships. Recognize and avoid destructive, unhealthy friendships and relationships. Find a healthy, positive role model.

Q: Since incorrect turnout can damage muscles and lead to knee problems, it's important that you work on your turnout with a professional ballet dancer. Try to find a pre-professional ballet school that is associated with a professional ballet company. This way, an instructor can give you individual attention, helping you achieve the perfect turnout. Since the muscles of young ballet dancers are still developing, it's easier to improve flexibility when you're young (before age 12). Before you turnout, stand in front of a mirror with your feet touching and facing forward in a parallel position. Keep your muscles flexible and make sure your tailbone is pointed down, not pushed out and back. Stand firmly on your feet. If you're too tense when you begin to turnout, you're more likely to cause muscle strain and injury. Spend at least 10 minutes stretching your leg and hip muscles before dancing. Once you're in the correct position, lift your toes up and away from each other (in opposite 90 degree angles). It is critical that you do not simply twist your feet away by using your knees and lower legs. Instead, shift your weight to your hips so that your feet naturally move apart. Make sure you're not putting all your weight on your big toes, instead of distributing it throughout your feet.  The ideal turnout is 180 degrees. Don't worry if you can't turnout that much. Stretching can improve your flexibility by a few degrees. Good turnout also means that you're honest about what your natural turnout is and don't try to force it.  Make sure your weight is evenly distributed throughout your foot. Poor turnout puts strain on just your big toes and rolls your feet in. Instead, your feet should be level with the ground. While it may seem easy to use your knees in order to spread your feet farther apart, do not do it. This will strain your knees and legs. Research shows that this causes poor alignment and can lead to injury. Turnout should feel like a natural stance. You shouldn't feel any strain in holding it while in any position. If you continue to practice poor turnout, you'll begin to feel knee pain and muscle ache. It's easiest to force your feet when you're in the 5th position. But, you should always be on guard against improperly rotating out your feet.
A:
Find a professional. Get ready to turnout. Get in position. Avoid forcing your turnout.