[mikeb]

Re: Why me??

by mikeb on Thu Aug 15, 2013 4:57 am

In the mid-1980's I lived for a couple of years in the Houston area. That indirectly led to two things that I wonder about. First, I sprayed our yard with Diaxinon and Malathion in an on-going battle with fire ants. Second, we lived downwind from a refinery.

But who knows? And as others have said, I don't spend much time wondering why me. I try to move forward one step at a time. By now multiple myeloma is as big a part of my identity as my red hair is. Or maybe I should as much as my red hair WAS. I'm still waiting for it to come back after my ASCT 90 days ago.

[Stann]

Re: Why me??

by Stann on Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:33 pm

Unless you work or live in a confined working space with toxic fumes, I assume it's just random chance.
I'm a farmer and I can remember different times when I've been exposed to pesticides and petroleum products.
But at the same time, I am not exposed to gas fumes from traffic, fumes of new carpeting, indoor air pollution, cosmetics, asphalt fumes etc, etc.
If I thought my lifestyle contributed to my problem, I'd have to take a hard look at where I'm raising my children. And I'm comfortable we're in a safe place. But you can't help but wonder!

[KWV]

Re: Why me??

by KWV on Sun Aug 18, 2013 8:45 am

My father contracted multiple myeloma in 1993
My brother contracted multiple myeloma in 2002
Now I have SMM
We all worked and grew up on farms growing vegetables, etc. My father was a combat WWII
veteran and the army routinely sprayed the troops with DDT. We grew burley tobacco and sprayed a chemical called MH-30 produced by Monsanto, like companies, on the tobacco in the growing process..
There are many possible causes for this disease, but as yet they do not know.
Philosophically I think this way.

Remember what the character William Money said in the movie "Unforgiven" "We all got it comin' kid."

I know this may be appear at first blush dark, and unfeeling but, it has helped me to realize,
I did nothing to deserve this and that in the above phrase is fatalistic realization of that fact.

Hope this gives people another perspective.

[KenDick]

Re: Why me??

by KenDick on Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:32 pm

I spent two years working in pest control back in the early 80's. I got that crap all over me alot !

[darnold]

Re: Why me??

by darnold on Fri Aug 23, 2013 5:18 pm

I don't ask Why Me because I don't think it is a helpful question. When I was diagnosed in 2009, my mother thought I should curl up in bed and be depressed, but I told her that wasn't going to get me into remission. I feel the same way about Why Me. Instead, I was angry and determined to beat it.

That said, I grew up in a heavily industrial part of New Jersey. My uncle had lymphoma, my father has had bladder cancer twice, my sister has auto-immune diseases, a childhood friend has lymphoma, etc. Was it the chemicals in our air and water or in the ocean we visited every summer? I don't know, but I suspect that they had an impact on us.

I devoted my working career to regulating the management of hazardous waste and then to creating markets for green products. Kind of ironic that I ended up with myeloma, huh?

Dana