by elizabethmwm on Tue Sep 13, 2016 10:22 am
When I saw your post, I thought to myself, "this could have been my daughter writing this." Like your Mom, I was also diagnosed at age 56 (two daughters 27 and 29 at the time). My main symptom was extreme anemia, so the first matter of business was hospitalization with transfusions and lots of tests. Three days later, I had a multiple myeloma diagnosis. That was just over four years ago. After the initial flurry of activity (lots of reading about multiple myeloma), I knew I needed to be treated by a myeloma specialist. My husband and I decided to seek a second opinion from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, where I continue to be treated. It's a 10-hour drive and we drove it quite a few times the first year (now it's twice a year). I had a stem cell transplant in February 2013. I have an at-home oncologist who works with the specialist.
Even though I have not received a complete remission, I have great quality of life. The Myeloma Beacon is a great site to ask questions and get to know others who are in the same "fight." Believe it or not, there have been many "silver linings" to my diagnosis. Best wishes.
