My Story

August 29, 2016

This blog is created to keep my family and friends up to date on my health as I have been recently diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma.  Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer related to lymphoma and leukemia. Though it can’t usually be cured, there are treatments that slow down its spread.

I would enjoy talking personally with each one of you but I really don’t want to “tell my story” so many times.  I love to hear about what is going on in your life so if you want to call or write, “my story” is out of the way and we can enjoy a visit catching up!  A couple friends have called to talk after hearing through the grapevine that I have cancer, and those conversations have been priceless.  Just so you know, cancer is not a taboo subject for me.

            Before I start with my recent background story I want you all to know my feelings about my cancer.  God has given me so much peace about my cancer.  I have anxious feelings at times but they are quickly replaced by His peace, which truly surpasses all understanding.  I know that my life is in God’s hands and I trust Him completely. I have seen in my own life how He has worked out impossible situations for good so it is easy for me to trust His promises.  I am not afraid of this cancer.  I am not being naive about treatment, I realize it will be brutal, I’m not looking forward to that but I am not afraid.  I am in God’s will and that is the safest place and most joyous place to be. 

            June 15^th this year, I woke up sick.   Kriz took me to the emergency room and later that day I was in the ICU diagnosed with pneumonia.   As it turns out, I was really sick.  Six days in the hospital and two weeks on my back.  It was bad but, God healed me, He always takes care of me.  My lungs were at full capacity and I felt great!  Except for the anemia of course, minor detail.  I saw how God was working in our family through this illness and I was thrilled.  It was a huge blessing.

      My discharge orders were to follow up with a Hematologist, Dr. Klein, for the anemia. That didn’t happen until Aug 10.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I had another issue going on.  When I started to move around again my right bum ache returned from an old injury I acquired in early April. I had difficulty walking, managing stairs, and bending forward.  Since my initial treatment didn’t do the trick, this time I had a steroid injection in the SI joint and PT.   It was my physical therapist that first noticed a hard mass just on the inside of my ilium bone. 

 Fast-forward now to Dr. Klein.  She ordered a CT scan, among many more invasive tests.  The scan showed a mass along the iliac bone with extensive destruction of the bone.  There are other lesions in the pelvis, spine and leg bones. After testing, Dr. Klein wanted to start treatment right away and encouraged us to choose one of 4 reputable hospitals in Chicago for the transplant therapy.  Kriz researched and asked around his colleagues and decided Dr. Mehta at Northwestern was a good choice.  I trust Kriz and agreed Dr. Mehta was a great option as he is really focused on Multiple Myeloma. 

September 1, 2016

Our trip to Chicago to meet Dr. Mehta was so amazing.  God had gone before us and choreographed our visit so beautifully.  We only had planned to see the doctor, but God had much more on our agenda that day than we imagined.  I am so thankful to be under Dr. Mehta care.  He had reviewed my case before he came into the examining room.  He spent considerable time with us explaining the tests, the cancer, treatment options, and answering questions.  He told us I was stage III out of 3 stages.  The mass was a plasmacytoma attached to the bone with extensive destruction to the bone.  Multiple Myeloma is inoperable because it is found all over the body.  Radiation is not appropriate to use for the pelvic site because the chemotherapy will act faster and will not retard healing of the bones like radiation can.  Most importantly, the second part of treatment is stem cell transplant and radiation would deplete the stem cell reserve from the pelvis, which is the largest reservoir of stem cells. 

1st Chemotherapy

Dr. Mehta wanted me to see an Oncologist/Orthopedist for my hip.  We walked across the street and was seen right away.  Dr. Attar felt no surgical intervention was needed, and suggested using a cane to take weight off the bone.

I had blood work done and “things”; test results, insurance approval, treatment room space, and various other logistics came together like magic.  I was able to get my first treatment that day! Our appointment was at 1pm so all this happened in one afternoon.  It was amazing to see everything flow smoothly, our time was maximized to get a great deal accomplished.  God has blessed me so much.  I am so happy for His provisions everyday.