Pat's Place: Things I'm Thankful For As A Multiple Myeloma Patient
I wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of my fellow multiple myeloma patients, their friends, families, and caregivers a happy Thanksgiving!
If you think about it, Thanksgiving is an ideal holiday. Rich or poor, young or old, healthy or sick with cancer, everyone has something to be thankful for. And it is a relatively non-denominational holiday.
But it isn't perfect. It is a difficult day to be alone. And yet large family gatherings can be overwhelming, stressful, or disappointing.
When I first sat down to write this column, I was going to generalize, listing things all multiple myeloma patients could be thankful for. Sadly, it didn't take me long to figure out that wasn't going to work. We’re all so different.
A number of multiple myeloma patients from around the world will lose their battle with myeloma today. Many more will be forced to endure deeply rooted bone pain—or face another day of dialysis and chemotherapy side effects.
But even with our struggles, most of us have much to be thankful for.
So here is my list of things I'm thankful for this year:
- For my loving wife and caregiver, Pattie
- For my house full of rescued animals—even when my dog, Finnegan, sheds his white fur like snow and the cats say hello by scratching on the corner of the couch
- I'm thankful that the chemotherapy I have used for almost four years, Revlimid (lenalidomide), is still working—and that it hasn't caused me to loose my hair!
- That my M-Spike only rose slightly over the past three months
- That I haven't been on dexamethasone for several years
- That I haven't needed a stem cell transplant—yet
- For the friendships I have developed with members of my support group in Stillwater, Minnesota and Hernando County, Florida
- That Tylenol and oxycodone are still able to numb my pain
- For the practically painless “stick” from my oncology nurse last week as she prepared my bisphosphonate IV
- That my insurance company continues to pay for my medical care as promised
- Ditto for Social Security Disability
- That my peripheral neuropathy is only inconvenient and not painful—and that my neuropathy drugs help with that, too
- For my all my readers, who—whether they know it or not—help me at least as much as I help them.
Have a safe, healthy Thanksgiving! Feel good and keep smiling! Pat
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Excellent column. I am in my 4th cycle of treatment. I am on Velcade,Revlimid and Decadron. I have an appointment with my oncologist on Monday. We shall go over my latest blood and urine lab results at that time. She has talked about sending me for a stem cell transplantation consultation after the results. He will then determine if I need more cycles of chemo or go straight for transplant. How long have you been living with this disease? Is there any information you can pass on to me that might be of use.
Thanks
Nelson
Pat, thanks for another great article. I'm sure we can all find things to be thankful for -- my list would also include this web site, the folks who make it possible (editor, staff, etc), contributing authors like yourself, and each and everyone who shares their experiences. Rex is 28 days out from transplant - so I am most thankful for his continued recovery. Happy Thanksgiving to all. Kay
Pat, thanks for all!
Great beatifull post!
I'am a multiple myeloma survivor:So I find a lot of things to be thankful!
MM IgA;I'am in RC I feel realy good, since my stem cell transplantation (1996:14º years ago)..
Happy Thanksgiving to all from Madrid!(Spain)
Hi Nelson-
Where to start? Carefully weight the options of waiting to transplant until after first relapse. I was diagnosed almost four years ago and waited. So far so good! Not the right choice for everyone, but if the induction drugs worked well, something to consider--going on maintenance for now instead of SCT. Good luck! Pat
Thanks..I will bring this up with my Doctor on Monday. Can you tell me what pain you experience that you have to use Tylenol and oxycodone. I currently just take Tylenol for headaches after treatment of velcade when I have to. I am dealing with some neuropathy pain in my calf's and feet and recently my finger tips. So far it is tolerable but something I will bring up on Monday..
Thanks,
Nelson
Stage II IgG 3/3/10. 7 broken ribs, 6 compressed vertebrae.
In remission. Choosing not to do stem cell transplant. Use many alternative methods as well as revlimid.
Oops wanted to say that kyphoplasty is am important procedure and really works for pain and breathing. Don't overlook it even if your doctor does. Inquire after first compression.
Mary Ann-
I am also going the "try other things before I transplant" route. Good luck! Pat
What does it mean or indicate when your IGG levels go from 1783 to 1852 after 5 cycles of treatment (RVD)
Nelson-
Maybe nothing. Click-on the Myeloma Beacon Forum button at the top of homepage and ask you question in the Forum section. One of the guest myeloma docs should answer your question there. All I know is it doesn't look like your numbers have gone up much, so at least you seem to be relatively stable. Good luck- Pat
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