[Thomas]

Shock

by Thomas on Fri Mar 07, 2014 11:44 am

That's a shock! How can we (or experts) talk (sometimes) about myeloma as a "chronic disease", if an educated women and mother of 49 dies 3 years after the first symptoms?!?

I know, I know: Myeloma has many faces. But 3 years ... and 49 ... that's the opposite of chronic:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/facts-and-arguments/lives-lived-stacey-ann-schwartz-49/article17281295/

I and my myeloma group in Germany are deeply saddened about such tragic cases.

Thomas

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Shock

by Nancy Shamanna on Fri Mar 07, 2014 11:57 am

I agree with you Thomas and the tragic deaths of patients such as Stacey Schwartz is a motivation to keep searching for better treatments, and getting them available to patients also.

'Chronic' is quite a subjective term actually, and I am not sure that any cancers should be labelled that way. People are either in a remission or taking treatments. Cancer treatments tend to have side effects that wouldn't be in the average person's understanding of being treated for a chronic disease, such as diabetes, or high blood pressure.

[Anonymous]

Re: Shock

by Anonymous on Fri Mar 07, 2014 1:04 pm

I agree chronic is a very subjective term and is not a term my doctors or I use to describe my Myeloma. My illness has been one of intense treatment, and remission.

For me, I think of Chronic to describe something like my autoimune thyroid disease which I manage by taking one pill a day, with little side effects or impact on my quality of life!