Kick in the Gut

I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in March of 2016. It all started with severe back pain, that started in January. I waited to see an orthopedic doctor. When the doctor took x-rays and reviewed them, he told me I needed to see an oncologist right away. That was the first kick in the gut moment.

Diagnosed with multiple myeloma

When I did see the oncologist, later the same week, we started with testing. There was a PET scan; a biopsy of a mass on my left lung; an aspirate from my hip. After the biopsy, I got the call that I had MM. This was the second kick in the gut. I was told that before the biopsy, they were afraid I had stage 4 lung cancer. But the mass was a plasmacytoma.

Incurable

The doctor told me that was good news because although the cancer is incurable, it's treatable. Incurable...that was the third kick in the gut. I had a stem cell transplant in November of 2016. I'm almost at the 5-year mark for remission.

I'm not letting this disease control me. Since my SCT, I have been to Italy twice; I'm walking 3.5 miles a day; I ride my bike as much as I can; I try and spend as much time as I can with friends and family enjoying life.