[cboots]

My Dad's multiple myeloma story

by cboots on Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:47 pm

In the Fall of 2009, at the age of 69 my dad was told he had a plasmacytoma in his hip. At the time the Dr. said he did not have multiple myeloma. The tumor was treated with radiation. Dr. orderd blood work every month, then every 3 month. Dr. said blood work looked great. In September of 2010, my dad began to have back pain. Same dr ran test and said blood work great but told my dad he had a fracture in his spine. Still the dr said not multiple myeloma. ( While I guess you know where this is going) After much pain and many drs and pain management treaments later, my dad could no longer stand or walk. After another visit to the ER, he was told this was a life threating problem and was transported to another hospital where they removed a vertebra along with a large tumor and placed rods and screws in his spine. 2 months later he was releaed from the hospital. He had no feeling below his chest, confined to a wheelchair, and with a multiple myeloma diagnosis.
When he left the hospital he was unable to return to his home because he could not use the stairs. He went to live 100 miles away with my sister who had a handicap accesible home. While with her, he started Revlimid and Dex. He devoloped blood clots in his lungs right away. He was again admitted to the hospital where they had to give him blood. After a weeks stay he went back to my sisters. He stayed there another 3 weeks. During this time, my mom, his wife, had a bathroom add in the basment of their house and he went back home.
With in a month of being home, my mom abused my wheelchair bound father. He wheeled his self out of the home to a payphone a mile away and called me. He has been living with me since.
During the 6 month he has been here, he regained feeling, through exercise and PT, he starting using a walker and now a quad cain. Things were looking up. Each month his blood work was looking wonderful. The new dr. even lowerd the amount of Revlimid and Dex he was taking. Last week he devoloped third nerve palsy. And started feeling poor. MRI found tumors in his brain. Blood work still looks good so Dr wants to do radiation and up the Dex. He will start this week.

[nadia]

Re: My Dad's multiple myeloma story

by nadia on Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:45 am

You are both very strong human beings and together will pull through. God bless and good luck.

[Charlie WV]

Re: My Dad's multiple myeloma story

by Charlie WV on Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:33 pm

He is very lucky to have you, I know that with out the support of my family and friends, I would have probably given up. But they wouldn't even let me think about, I feel you are doing the same for him. God bless you both and give him a healing touch