Let me explain.
Two years ago, or so, I complained to my wife about numbness in my feet. Given the fact that my dad had type 2 diabetes I figured that this was what I had, so I went to the doctor to find out for sure. Blood and urine tests were ordered and the urine test indicated a very high protein level, which prompted a referral to a nephrologist. He also ordered some blood tests, which were inconclusive, so he ordered a second set which included a test for elevated light chains. This, along with a kidney biopsy, confirmed his suspicions of light chain deposition disease.
My wife and I thought, "Well, at least it isn't cancer". Of course, we were in for a rude awakening once he referred me to an oncologist/hematologist. My first appointment with this doctor was in February of 2013.
So, given all of this, why am I lucky?
Through all of the above goings on, I was also in the process of changing jobs. I had accepted a position at The Toledo Clinic and was starting there in February. It just so happens that my new oncologist/hematologist works out of that clinic. How lucky for me! He ordered some more comprehensive blood tests as well as a bone marrow biopsy all of which confirmed that I had light chain multiple myeloma. I was soon put on a Velcade/dex regimen that was initially to last through August to lead up to a stem cell transplant in September.
Some more "luck" - due to my neuropathy, I was to receive the Velcade subcutaneously, which doesn't aggravate the neuropathy as much. To me, this was a better alternative overall than sitting and waiting for a bag of fluid to enter my bloodstream. But the best part of it was the fact that I just had to walk down the hall from where I now work to receive my treatment. Basically, get a shot and go back to work! Couldn't be much easier!
My treatment with dex and Velcade was to go from April through August of 2013 with a SCT scheduled in September. During that time I went through all of the normal testing that is associated with preparation for a SCT plus some extra kidney related tests due to the fact that I only have one kidney. I had donated the other one to my brother back in 1988. The doctor at U of M medical center was concerned that my kidney may be over stressed from the high dose chemo. Fortunately the U of M nephrologist gave the green light and we proceeded as normal.
In September I received some disheartening news. My counts weren't as low as the my doctor at U of M would like (optimally he would like them to be normal) so I was put back on the Velcade/dex regimen plus 20 mg Revlimid and my SCT was postponed until November.
That doesn't sound too lucky, does it?
It didn't to me, either, until October when I developed this really bad pain in my abdomen. Somehow, for some reason, my appendix decided that it was time for it to give up the ghost. It landed me in the local hospital for 3 days primarily because it ruptured on me. I was lucky again because the rupture was contained. The real luck with this one, however, was the fact that I was originally scheduled for the SCT in September and I would've been right in the middle of my recovery when this occurred. With literally no immune system to speak of, it could've been a bad situation. Is someone watching out for me?
On top of all of this, I was at a new job and I clearly didn't have enough paid time off available to get through everything. Short term disability helps, but I was trying to avoid too much of that if at all possible. My boss then told me that time off could be donated from others within the clinic and he would put the word out. As LUCK would have it, 5 weeks were donated! I ended up only needing less than 2 weeks of short term disability.
After all of that, my SCT was pretty much textbook. The only thing that I needed was a platelet transfusion the whole time that I was in the hospital. I had no issues with any infections and was able to work from home within a month of my procedure. In January I was cleared to return to work with no restrictions.
One other piece of luck that I've had is that the way this manifested itself in me, I've had no sign of any bone lesions whatsoever.
I have a wonderful wife, family, and friends who have stood by me through this whole process and have given me the encouragement that I needed to keep on keeping on.
My name is Rick. I have multiple myeloma, I'm in complete remission, and I'm a lucky guy.
