[NancySchif]

My ride so far

by NancySchif on Fri Nov 14, 2014 9:51 am

I have always had a very physical job so aches, pains, and tiredness have always just been a way of life. August 2013, 2 weeks after my bachelorette party, I started having extreme pain in my rib area. The doctor diagnosed it as muscle strain, put me on pain killers, and sent me on my way. Four days later, I rolled over in bed, and that's when my rib broke! After that, it seemed like every 2-3 weeks, another rib would break out of the blue. I could not even fully enjoy my wedding day because of a broken rib. I had numerous doctor visits, tests, and had to convince people that my husband was NOT beating me.

February 2014, I rolled over in my sleep and heard the crack immediately followed by extreme pain in my neck. My husband rushed me to the ER, but since I hadn't been involved in any kind of accident, I was left waiting. The pain eventually became so great, I started screaming.... that got their attention. I was finally administered some pain meds, and a CT scan was ordered. The big reveal: compression fracture of my C3. Because of the circumstances of my break, I was admitted and a barrage of tests ordered. Three days later, I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

My treatment began immediately and aggressively. I had a stem cell transplant in August and feel relatively good. I'm still in a neck brace. Lesions were found in every vertebrae of my C spine, so surgery to correct the fracture is not an option until the bones build back up.

I have felt so helpless! I can't drive because of the fracture, can't work, and will probably have to change careers anyway. Through all of this, my husband has been by my side, taking care of me, and being my rock!

[NStewart]

Re: My ride so far

by NStewart on Fri Nov 14, 2014 3:52 pm

What a way to start a marriage, but it sounds like you married a person who really cares for you and supports you. Have you been evaluated by an orthopedic oncologist for the cervical fractures. I would suggest that because there may be some treatment for your neck that no one has mentioned. Are you on bisphosphonate infusions, Zometa or Aredia, for your bones? If you aren't, you should be, especially with your history of fractures.

I wish you well with your treatment. There are a number of people on this forum who are as young as you are now, or were as young as you when they were diagnosed. Hopefully a few of them will respond to you. Please continue to read this forum. You will learn lots and hear from many people who will answer your questions, offer support and cheer you on. There may also be a separate section for caregivers in the near future that your husband may find helpful. If you haven't considered joining a support group in your area, I would suggest that you look for one. The IMF, myeloma.org, can help you find one. The one I go to has been wonderful for me. We have guest speakers on Myeloma related topics for 8 of the 11 meetings per year.

All the best to you and your husband as you travel the Myeloma journey,
Nancy in Phila