My Mom Was Just Diagnosed

As I was in the hospital fixing to give birth to my mother's first grand baby she was on the floor above me finding out the most devistating news of her life. She just thought she had the flu or a cold she couldn't shake. But no, CANCER. And even worse, we had never even heard of it. MULTIPLE MYELOMA. What the hell is that!  In most families this cancer word is scary, and understandably. But in ours, it's all to familiar. From her dad (my grandpa) losing the battle to lung cancer, to her sister(my aunt) beating ovarian cancer, it's been a hellacious ride. But she is full of piss and vinegar. She's determined and will not let this get her down. She's already had to have her right hip replaced (thanks decadron). The myeloma is already starting to attach itself to the new ball of the metal hip.. So they need to radiate it, but she also has to have a stem cell transplant. She did the collection last week and she had enough in one collection for 5 transplants! She keeps her head high, even though she's walking with a walker or a cane and has an awful limp.  My mom is only 41. She has a brand new beautiful grandson that she wants to watch grow up. She has tons of family that want to surround her in love and give her support.  She's very leary of taking her meds around me (thalidomide).  I really don't know what kind of point i was trying to make with all of this.. I just had to write something down... Thanks

 

 

On 7/22/2008 shanaw wrote:

As I was in the hospital fixing to give birth to my mother's first grand baby she was on the floor above me finding out the most devistating news of her life. She just thought she had the flu or a cold she couldn't shake. But no, CANCER. And even worse, we had never even heard of it. MULTIPLE MYELOMA. What the hell is that!  In most families this cancer word is scary, and understandably. But in ours, it's all to familiar. From her dad (my grandpa) losing the battle to lung cancer, to her sister(my aunt) beating ovarian cancer, it's been a hellacious ride. But she is full of piss and vinegar. She's determined and will not let this get her down. She's already had to have her right hip replaced (thanks decadron). The myeloma is already starting to attach itself to the new ball of the metal hip.. So they need to radiate it, but she also has to have a stem cell transplant. She did the collection last week and she had enough in one collection for 5 transplants! She keeps her head high, even though she's walking with a walker or a cane and has an awful limp.  My mom is only 41. She has a brand new beautiful grandson that she wants to watch grow up. She has tons of family that want to surround her in love and give her support.  She's very leary of taking her meds around me (thalidomide).  I really don't know what kind of point i was trying to make with all of this.. I just had to write something down... Thanks

 

Hi Shanaw,

My prayers go out to your mother and your family.  My father was diagnosed, stage 3 this January.  He has been on Revl/Dex for 5 months. 

I don't usually respond much but I am on this website at three times a week.  Everyone here is full a helpful information. 

Sue 

 

shanaw - I have been through everything your mother is going through. I have been fighting Multiple Myloma for about eight years now. I have had radiation on my sholder and back, as well as two stemcell transplants and chemo. This is a cancer that affects the bone marrow in several locations. It actually is a blood disorder that affects the plasma cells. The cancer eats the bone from the inside out and depleats the immune system. There is no cure at the present time and the goal is to get you into remission and stay there as long as possible. I am presently on numerous medications to help keep me there. It is very difficult to say everything I would like to. If you or your Mother would like to talk to me, I would be open to doing so.  I pay the same amount for long distance every month, so I could call you. My phone

--Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, phone number removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html--

. My thought's and Prayers are with Your Family.

Good Luck & God Bless

Jeff

Hi Shanaw~~  I'm a mom who has a daughter just like you who was going through not one but two pregnancies during my biggest battle with myeloma.  I totally understand how this tears you apart, but you've watched your aunt and know that it is possible to 'live' with myeloma!  Your moms age is in her favour for with the transplants, the new drugs like thalid, velcade and revlimid she has great hope.  If one had to be diagnosed with this awful disease, NOW is the time,  for scientific research has been moving remarkably fast and new things are coming up every month!  I was told that I had 2 years and that was 5 years ago.  With my current treatment I feel better than when I was first diagnosed and you will read of many on this board who have been dealing with this for over 10 years.  I'm not missing my grandchildren, and in a way I'm actually seeing more of them than I probably would have because my daughter either comes here to visit us or buys plane tickets for us to visit her every 2 months (she lives over 1000 km away) but she is more focused on this 'terminal' idea than I am and wants to ensure that the kids 'know' their grandma!  In ordinary circumstances we would have been lucky to have seen them 4 times a year, so there is a bounty in myeloma, strange though it may seem!  Your mom certainly sounds like a strong detdermined fighter so go for it!  If you have questions and want some first hand experience on treatments or side effects and how people have managed them always remember this site -- it is a wealth of knowledge full of people who will help!!  Best wishes to you all -- Cath

From Anna,

Hi Shanaw, There is hope.  My Dad has had MM for 10 years.  Possibly 12-15.  We know of 10.  If you need links about MM I have several or just type in Multiple Myeloma in a search engine.  Email if you want the links I have.  Dad had 2 stem cell transplants years ago.  They got enough with him to for 5 transplants.  Keep us up on how your Mom is doing. We're here if you have questions or just need to talk.

Your friend,

Anna