Hello everyone:
This posting may be premature, but it looks as if my 81 year old father-in-law may have multiple myeloma. His doctors said their is a 75% likelihood but they won't be 100% sure until they get the biopsy results back. He is in the hospital and getting dialysis after two weeks of back pain and general malaise and, finally, renal failure. He has a cracked vertebra and had so much calcium in his blood he was incoherent. Hard to believe he was playing tennis just a few months ago.
Needless to say, we are panicking. I am trying to educate myself. I actually found this site after looking up Peter Boyle and I'm relieved to have this resource. I am trying to plan ahead and am reaching out to others for advice: He lives in Albuquerque, and I note that no myeloma treatment centers are listed on this site for New Mexico.
Does anyone have any specialist recommendations? My husband and I live in Dallas. I note that Baylor treats myeloma at their cancer center here. Perhaps he could come here for a second opinion and possible treatment? Any recommendations here in Dallas?
Thank you for your help.
Nan
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Re: Myeloma treatment in Albuquerque or Dallas?
Hi Nan,
I'm in the northeast so hopefully someone in your area will have more knowledge than I do about specialist centers. However, I did some online searching and found that Baylor, like you said seems to have some myeloma specialists. MD Anderson in Houston is well respected but Houston is really far from you. In New Mexico, it looks like UNM in Santa Fe treats myeloma. I guess that would be about an hour away. What many people do is see a specialist but then get their day to day treatment at a local oncologist willing to work under advice of the specialist. For example, I live 100 miles from Boston, but I go to my specialist there at Dana Farber. He consults with my local oncologist who administers my treatment. That might be a possibility if your father -in-law can get transportation to UNM. The advantage of a specialist is longer survival times (generally). Best of luck in your search and good wishes for your father-in-law's health.
I'm in the northeast so hopefully someone in your area will have more knowledge than I do about specialist centers. However, I did some online searching and found that Baylor, like you said seems to have some myeloma specialists. MD Anderson in Houston is well respected but Houston is really far from you. In New Mexico, it looks like UNM in Santa Fe treats myeloma. I guess that would be about an hour away. What many people do is see a specialist but then get their day to day treatment at a local oncologist willing to work under advice of the specialist. For example, I live 100 miles from Boston, but I go to my specialist there at Dana Farber. He consults with my local oncologist who administers my treatment. That might be a possibility if your father -in-law can get transportation to UNM. The advantage of a specialist is longer survival times (generally). Best of luck in your search and good wishes for your father-in-law's health.
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Joy - Name: Joy
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Myeloma treatment in Albuquerque or Dallas?
In Dallas, The MD Anderson Cancer Center at UT Southwest has a highly regarded Myeloma and lymphoma subsection. That is in addition to Baylor downtown as you mentioned.
I am not familiar with Albuquerque.
Ron
I am not familiar with Albuquerque.
Ron
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Myeloma treatment in Albuquerque or Dallas?
I am sorry MD Anderson is in Houston. I meant the Simmons Cancer Center which is part of the UT Southwest Medical Center near Parkland in Dallas.
Ron
Ron
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
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