[mobri65]

Road leading to a stem cell transplant

by mobri65 on Mon Mar 24, 2014 2:33 pm

I am new to this site and am appreciative to have found it.

I am 56 years old and my story began actively on June 29th, when I hurt my left shoulder at the health club. It was very painful and I waited over the weekend to see if it would improve. It did not, so I went to the local acute care. After x-rays and an exam, the doctor told me I had a bad case of arthritis. Not surprising, as I had dislocated the shoulder a number of times in my youth. I went to an orthopedic who concurred with arthritis and gave me a cortisone injection.

After a couple of weeks with little relief, I went back to the ortho and he requested an MRI. My primary care doc called me the same day as the MRI and advised that there was a mass growing on the outside of the collar bone.

I went through a number of tests and was referred to an ortho that specialized in tumors. Although I was in pain, the earliest he could see me was in three weeks. I figured he had seen my records and it could not be too serious. Shortly thereafter, I developed a stiff neck. Figuring it was the result of changes in sleeping positions from the pain in my shoulder, I treated it as just a stiff neck that would not go away.

About a week later, I lost partial usage of my right arm and had extreme pain radiate down my right shoulder and into my arm. I contacted my doctor and he ordered an MRI of my neck. He contacted me the very same day and advised that there was another tumor in my 5th cervical vertebrae and he had set an appointment with a spine/tumor expert for the next day.

X-rays showed a complete fracture of the 5th cervical vertebrae and that I needed surgery right away. They slapped a cervical collar around my neck and told me not to go back to work. The surgeon advised me that I most likely had multiple myeloma and would confirm it with a biopsy. I was advised that, due to the injury to my neck and the location of the tumor, I had four possible outcomes: recovery, stroke, paralysis, or death.

The surgeon was unable to remove the tumor as it was too vascular and very close to my spinal cord, but was able to stabilize my spine by fusing the 2nd thru 6th vertebrae’s of my neck. Shortly after surgery I was able to use my right arm again.

After four weeks I was cleared to start radiation on my tumor. That went well with the exception of a severe sore throat that made Thanksgiving a challenge. On December 19th I started chemotherapy: Velcade/Revlimid/dexamethasone. After 17 weeks of medical leave, I returned to work on Jan 14th.

I am a very positive person and took on the chemo side effects as a challenge. Taking each one separately, and through exercise and nutrition, I was able to maintain a positive attitude, making it look easier to my loved ones than it truly was. I recently completed my fourth cycle and am now preparing for a stem cell transplant. I am scheduled to enter the hospital as an inpatient on 04/11/14.

I would like to say I am looking forward to the challenge, but that would be somewhat disingenuous. I am taking it on as a challenge but am not looking forward to it.

What is most comforting is that I have a wonderfully loving and devoted wife, two fantastic children and many brothers, sisters and friends that have rallied around me and provide fantastic support. I am comfortable with my medical team and trust them fully. If I can survive the spine surgery I can take on the challenge of the transplant.

[JBarnes]

Re: Road leading to a stem cell transplant

by JBarnes on Mon Mar 24, 2014 3:02 pm

Having a great family makes a world of difference. Although you will face more challenges as you go through the transplant, the fact that you have a caregiver to help you will make the challenges easier to overcome. I know it made a world of difference for me. As I told her, for better or worse, you got screwed!

Good luck to you! Jerry.