Myeloma Awareness Month

     The International Myeloma Foundation designates the month of March for their Myeloma Awareness campaign. Myeloma is not a common cancer when you consider all the cancers we hear about but it is the second most common blood cancer. It is not always easy to diagnose as symptoms, such as bone pain, anemia, fatigue, can be vague and attributed to other illnesses or even just stress. I am grateful to the IMF for the things they do: advocate for the needs of myeloma patients, encourage collaborative research, provide education and support for patients and families.  Their involvement in raising funds for ongoing research and the collaboration of doctors worldwide, has made it possible for new drugs to be available just when I have needed them.  There have been approximately eight new drugs developed since my diagnosis in 2007 and other chemo drugs made available that research has shown work for myeloma as well as the cancer for which they were developed.   
     Good news continues as my free light chain numbers (how my cancer is measured) continue to go down even though they have already been in normal range now for a couple months.  I have had two full cycles of Velcade shots now and they have not been pleasant.  The shots are given in the abdomen and they hurt!  Then they leave a red patch that eventually turns light brown and I wonder if they will ever go away completely.  However, I know from past experience they will - eventually. Now that I'm no longer taking the high dose steroids with my treatment, I have been feeling kind of yucky the day after the shot.  The 1st cycle was 4 weeks long, with a shot once a week. I had diarrhea the next day after each of those shots.  Now my cycle is 3 weeks with a shot once a week and the 4th week off.  My stomach has settled down now but I am also careful what I eat for 24 hours after my shot.  The Velcade is also making my white blood count and platelets go down, so am glad we altered the weeks in each cycle to allow for some recovery.  My red blood count is staying very close to normal which greatly helps my energy level.  We all need oxygen circulating in our bodies!
     The Venetoclax is the oral chemo I take everyday - no days off.  I really don't seem to have any side effects from it other than some mild fatigue.  I do have the challenge of swallowing 8 pretty good sized tablets every day, along with all the other prescriptions and supplements I take.  Probably about 30 pills a day!  It's a challenge not to swallow too much air and then have gas sitting in my stomach.  But, there is a pill for that, too!!
     I had my first Aredia infusion (IV bisphosphonate) at the beginning of February.  And, I finally got started at Physical Therapy this week.  It will be slow as I still have a lot of discomfort and muscle spasms in my back and upper abdomen.  Last time I had fractures, I had 4 repaired, wore a back brace for 9 months, had monthly Aredia infusions, and PT didn't begin for about 6 months after I had fractured a 5th vertebra.  I am getting started a lot sooner this time.  He is taking it slow and sent a request to the Ortho PA at UCSF for approval for 20 visits instead of 15.
     Even with the low cancer numbers, the immune system is still impaired from the cancer. You never get completely free of the effects of this cancer
     Once you have a cancer diagnosis, the big "C" hangs over you like a cloud for the rest of your life.  That cloud is dark when the the numbers are high and is lighter when the numbers are lower, but it never completely goes away.  Another reminder that we are to live one day at a time and to place our trust in the Lord daily.  However, I am enjoying living under a lighter cloud these days!