My mother right now is hospitalized at Northwestern in Chicago, Illinois. She has been battling multiple myeloma for 2+ years now at stage 3. She is 50 years old. A year ago it had gone into remission after 2 stem cell treatments. But just recently it started coming back. But not like the first. This time the myeloma came in a more aggressive form.
Just a week ago she was hospitalized and brought to the Northwestern Memorial Hospital on the north side of Chicago's emergency room because she had been experiencing excessive pain and a burning sensation in her body. At first they wanted to move her to the Womens Prentice side of the hospital to treat her cancer. Then the doctors decided to move her to the ICU because she was having a hard time "breathing" and may be experiencing and "infection".
So they moved her up there. She has been here already for a week and the hospital has yet to find where the infection is or even if there ever was an infection. They now have her hooked up to a ventilator with a breathing tube in to help her breathing, but it seems like it's not really doing her any good. Then the doctors are coming in the room now saying she doesn't have that many options and it just seems like there giving up on her.
My family and I feel like Northwestern really isn't giving us that many options and they are giving up on our mother. We're willing to do anything for her. Money isn't a problem. We're willing to do anything.
Can you please helps us out -- refer us to anyone, give us a better opinion?
We're willing to fly her out there for you guys to treat her.
Can you please? I'm begging you for the sake of our mother. Tell us what to do. If you have any prior experience or advice, please. We need our mother of 8. We are refusing to give up, as we promised her we would never give up the battle and raise the white flag. She is a winner.
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Re: Mother in intensive care - looking for options
Hi hassanfamily8,
I don't have any answers, unfortunately. I just want you to know that I read your post and am thinking of you, your mother, and your family. I've been in a similar position to your mother - in the ICU with a myeloma-related infection - and I came out if it ok. I hope that gives you some hope.
Good luck,
Mike
I don't have any answers, unfortunately. I just want you to know that I read your post and am thinking of you, your mother, and your family. I've been in a similar position to your mother - in the ICU with a myeloma-related infection - and I came out if it ok. I hope that gives you some hope.
Good luck,
Mike
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mikeb - Name: mikeb
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009 (MGUS at that time)
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Mother in intensive care - looking for options
Dear Hassan Family,
First I'm truly sorry to hear about your Mom.
It's tough to really discern on a forum if there are other options available for your Mom.
But given your Mom's young age and the family's financial ability, I might suggest seeking out a second opinion from a top notch institution in the eastern half of the US that has a lot of multiple myeloma experience. Places like the Mayo, Dana Farber, Memorial Sloan Kettering and University of Arkansas come to mind. You could contact these institutions and discuss what your options would be for a consult between one of these institutions and your Mom's current doctors under these circumstances. You can find their contact information here:
https://myelomabeacon.org/resources/treatment-centers/
Please also note that none of the doctors I work with would be in the least bit offended if I were to pull in an outside doctor or institution for a second opinion. In general, you will find this to be the case when it comes to medical professionals that deal with multiple myeloma.
First I'm truly sorry to hear about your Mom.
It's tough to really discern on a forum if there are other options available for your Mom.
But given your Mom's young age and the family's financial ability, I might suggest seeking out a second opinion from a top notch institution in the eastern half of the US that has a lot of multiple myeloma experience. Places like the Mayo, Dana Farber, Memorial Sloan Kettering and University of Arkansas come to mind. You could contact these institutions and discuss what your options would be for a consult between one of these institutions and your Mom's current doctors under these circumstances. You can find their contact information here:
https://myelomabeacon.org/resources/treatment-centers/
Please also note that none of the doctors I work with would be in the least bit offended if I were to pull in an outside doctor or institution for a second opinion. In general, you will find this to be the case when it comes to medical professionals that deal with multiple myeloma.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Mother in intensive care - looking for options
Dear Hassam Family, I am also sorry to hear of the awful struggle that your mother is having with myeloma. You don't mention what sorts of myeloma medications she is on, such as Pomalyst, Revlimid, etc. There is a whole gamut of treatments available now. Probably myeloma specialists would be trying new treatments for her . Best wishes to you.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Mother in intensive care - looking for options
My mom having breathing issues as well. She's been through stem cell transplant and chemo no longer working. They found tumors around her esophagus and lungs which are basically choking her. They thought it was an infection at first too. She'll be getting radiation to shrink the tumors and they also drained water off her lungs which helped a little. I've been searching online for help for my mom, too. I'll keep yours in my prayers.
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Mlk
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