Northern Lights: How I Am Dealing With COVID‑19 As A Multiple Myeloma Patient
Coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID‑19, has been all over the news here in Canada lately as the virus spreads to North America.
Fortunately, so far in Canada, the rate of infected and diagnosed patients is still at a low level. In order to prevent the spread of COVID‑19, however, large gatherings have been cancelled.
The Juno's, Canada's annual music award ceremony, were cancelled this month, and the National Hockey League (NHL) has suspended its season early. Even the Toronto Raptors, a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA), have suspended play along with the rest of their league. Many conferences, schools, and any gatherings of over 250 people have been cancelled.
In addition, people returning to Canada after being in any other country are being asked to "self-isolate" at home to check if they develop symptoms of the coronavirus infection.
Hopefully, these Herculean and drastic measures will help to slow the spread of this virus in our population. In our country, we are worried about a sudden spike in serious illness that could overwhelm our health care system. The buzzword for avoiding this "Flatten the Curve."
What am I doing to protect myself, and thus my family, against this new health threat?
As a myeloma patient under active treatment, I know that my immunity is lower than I would like and that I need to be very cautious.
As a result, I first and foremost resolved to self-isolate as much as possible until this pandemic dies down. This is not as easy as it sounds, since I have been involved with some local organizations for quite a while, and I thoroughly enjoy socializing with the members of the various clubs and groups.
In addition, I have implemented the precautions that are being recommended for everyone: hand washing, and staying a safe distance away from other people. I wear a face mask if out in public. We have stocked up on some staples and frozen food. We also bought fresh food, such as carrots, potatoes, squash, eggs, that keep well, and sundries such as liquid hand soap, toothpaste, and the like. I think we have enough supplies to get through two weeks, and we are told that Canada's supply chain is working well so we don't need to worry about re-stocking when necessary. I also keep current on recent developments from our local health authority.
I realize that travel is not currently recommended for anybody, since it can expose you to the disease. Also, international travel raises the possibility of illness in a foreign country, where one is not as the health care system.
I was particularly disappointed about the no-travel advisory since I just finished up my sixteenth treatment of Darzalex (daratumumab). My first eight treatments were one week apart, and the following eight treatments were two weeks apart. Going forward, my treatments are to be four weeks apart. I thought I could do a bit of travelling in between the treatments. It seems that is not to be happening for a while yet as I continue with my self-isolation. Seeing the spring flowers in bloom on Vancouver Island will just have to wait!
If I were to be diagnosed with COVID‑19 despite all my efforts, I would have to be quarantined for at least 14 days, and so would anyone who had been in contact with me. That would include my husband, my grown daughters and their families, and even my 93-year-old father, who has been in hospital for a while.
As much as possible, however, I want to avoid infection, as people with cancer and/or suppressed immune systems are at the highest risk for infections that become particularly serious. In the worst case, an infection could develop into life threatening condition that could stretch my capacity to fight it.
That said, after thinking about this turn of events, I remembered that I have been down this road before. We were caught up in H1N1 epidemic in 2009 / 2010. That was when I was having my stem cell transplant, and my immunities were very low then. I was frightened to undergo the transplant at that time, but I went ahead with it anyways. Apart from the actual infusion of my stem cells and a two-night stay in the hospital, I was treated as an outpatient. During that time, my dear husband, a stellar caregiver for me and our whole family, cared for and protected me at home, and I didn’t go out much for a few months. So in a way, self-isolation is nothing new to me.
I truly hope that everyone implements the recommended precautions as seriously as I do, and that together we can "Flatten the Curve."
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The quotation for this month is from Margaret Chan (1947 – ), a Chinese-Canadian physician and previous Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), who said: "After all, it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic."
Nancy Shamanna is a multiple myeloma patient and a columnist at The Myeloma Beacon. You can view a list of her columns here.
If you are interested in writing a regular column to be published by The Myeloma Beacon, please contact the Beacon team at .
Not cancelled:
Getting Outdoors: Not Cancelled
Music: Not Cancelled
Family: Not Cancelled
Reading: Not Cancelled
Singing: Not Cancelled
Laughing: Not Cancelled
Hope: Not Cancelled
Yes, we need to take all necessary precautions, but not get caught up in the panic.
Thanks Albert. That is so true. We can still be cautious but enjoy the good things in life!
Hi Nancy. Over here on the mainland of British Columbia, Squamish has its first case of COVID-19. A community member set up a web page for info within the community, and the young woman kindly self-reported her plight. That made it easier for me to decide. I’ll continue to walk my dog out in the wide open spaces we have around, but all other contact is out for the next two weeks. I have a new grandson and this breaks my heart. But it also gives me a strong sense of wanting to be around. Thanks for your article.
Dear Nancy,
When I first read your column, I thought you might have contracted the coronavirus (COVID-19). I was pleasantly relieved to read that you had not contracted the virus but were taking the precautions that many are taking. We had a train trip planned from Southern California to Seattle which we were able to cancel without penalty. We did receive a notice from our medical center that treatment infusions would continue.
Like you we worry about our elderly parents and other family members and pray that all of them are taking precautions. We continue to walk everyday, but are not going out to eat.
And thanks to Albert for those wonderful reminders.
Great comment, Albert! Yes, there are so many things we CAN enjoy while being quarantined. I just can't wait for the pollen to die down here in South Carolina so I can enjoy some fresh air, LOL. Great article, Nancy. Stay well and safe!
Thanks for the comments, and I hope that everyone stays well! Compared to most people, I think we are more aware of trying to avoid infections. Since it is also cough and cold and allergy season, it would take a while to determine whether a person had the COVID-19 virus or a different virus or allergen. Our public health authority has an '811' number to call. The nurses there will use an algorithm to determine if a person should be tested for COVID-19. So if in doubt, call '811' if it is available to you.
I am also missing playing with the grandkids right now, but they get sick from daycare too and I catch what they have sometimes. I found that if I am in a public space and sneeze or cough, people just jump back so that's not too good either. Let's hope we can all check back in a month or so and the pandemic will be under control. As I mentioned about my stem cell transplant a decade ago, during the H1N1 pandemic, I had to 'self isolate' for quite a while! Best wishes to all!
Thanks for your column, Nancy, and thank you for the positive reminders, Albert! We’ve all been in isolation with our multiple myeloma, so we’ve got this. Be diligent in washing your hands and avoiding crowds. It might be hard, but we can do hard. Right? Be safe, everyone!
Thank you, Patty! Here the schools, after-school care, and daycares are closed as of today. That will keep the young people safer too from contracting COVID-19. People coming back into Canada are being asked to self isolate for 14 days even if they do not have signs of illness. So it is pretty quiet here now.
Nancy, thank you so much for your column this month. The threat of the coronavirus has even more weight for those with multiple myeloma and other high risk factors. Just today, the city planners where I live closed many public places where people gather, including schools, restaurants (for dine-in service), clubs, bars, etc. I think that it's a prudent decision to do so. Countries like China and Italy are testament to how quickly this pandemic can get out of hand. We are self-quarantining, and only getting out for my husband's treatment. The stakes are too high!
Thanks, Tabitha. I hope that you and Daniel can take all the precautions to avoid this virus! I am still coughing a bit from a cold, so I cancelled an appointment and treatment at the cancer center this week. I think that by next week I will be better and my immunity would have jumped up a bit too. I am walking outdoors and keeping a distance from passersby. It seems a bit anti-social, but everyone has the same concerns I am sure.
Hi Nancy. Thanks for your article on this huge event in all of our lives. We must all do what we can to flatten the curve. I am scheduled for my next Darzalex treatment on Monday, and the clinic has advised me that they are not allowing any visitors. My wife Joann will drop me off and pick me up afterwards. There are a limited but growing number of cases on Vancouver Island and no real data about the distribution of these cases, but regardless the social distancing and self isolation are critical to success in limiting the spread. I will expect to have interruptions in my myeloma treatment when my immunity is low or even if it becomes too risky due to COVID-19 to receive them.
Nice to hear from you, Colin! I hope that your Darzalex treatments do not have to be interrupted, but if they are, that you are doing well enough to take a break.
I took a break from my treatment, with the permission of my oncologist, this week. I used to do that sometimes when Revlimid drove down my neutrophils and platelets, many years ago! Next week I will be back to that routine, though. Best wishes to you and Joann.
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