[Veno1971]

Veno in South Africa - it's more than a humerus story

by Veno1971 on Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:37 pm

Good day, everyone.

I'm honoured to join this group of and get more enlightenment on this condition.

My name is Veno Govender. I'm from South Africa in the city of Cape Town. A plasmacytoma was found in my right humerus in December 2016. Since then I have had a humerus replacement and am still recovering.

Further to that upon all the tests and two biopsies pre-op and post-op, it was found that my bone marrow had 60% malignant cells. I also went for 5 treatments of radiation on my humerus. I am on my 2nd cycle of induction therapy. My regimen is Velcade, cyclophosphamide, and dexa­metha­sone. I have an excellent specialist.

In South Africa we don't have excess to social grants to assist us in leaving work and dealing with our illness. So as a 45-year-old single mum, it's impacting my stay away from work as well as quality of life. I'm anemic and the fatigue and lack of energy is challenging. I have changed my lifestyle to eat a bit more fresh fruit and veggies. Sometimes I just can't get anything in to eat. I also take a daily vitamin D, iron supplement, and vitamin B tablets.

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Veno in South Africa - it's more than a humerus story

by Nancy Shamanna on Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:14 am

Hello Veno,

I am sorry to hear that you are struggling not only with myeloma, but being a single Mom and coping with that too. I hope you can find some help with this, perhaps from family or from the cancer centre?

At our cancer centre, there is a social work department which can help people who are having financial problems due to having cancer treatments. Hope that helps, and that the anemia can be reversed also.

It sounds like you are eating well and taking vitamins and supplements that would help with that, but of course, myeloma can cause anemia. If the myeloma can be controlled, that may help you too.

Good luck, and keep us posted as to how things are going for you.