My Multiple Myeloma Journey

 Around January of 2020, they started my childhood vaccinations, that took about 4 months, I believe. The doctors started me back on Revlimid but only 10mg (21 days on, 7 days off) in March of 2020. In July of 2020 I started getting shots of Xgeva every 4 weeks

After about a week in the hospital the doctors started talking Stem Cell Transplant. I had no idea exactly what it was, but if it could help me, I'm all for it. It took awhile to get my numbers down to give the transplant a fighting chance also, a Pulmonary Test & a MUGA Test ( checks how heart is pumping), it was time to set a date. I had to have a catheter installed for Stem Cell Collection, which was done at Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick and to be used for transplant. The collection process was relatively uneventful. Started with shots of Granix to stimulate the cells about a week before, then it was collection day. Back to New Brunswick for roughly a day & a half of collecting. Unfortunately, there's a lot I don't remember about what was going on, perhaps because it's been about 5 years or perhaps I was just oblivious to what was going on, it was a whirlwind. Wednesday Oct. 16, 2019 - I checked into Robert Wood Johnson. We had a late start due to them...

 Before my Stem Cell Transplant (SCT), I was put on 25 mg of Revlimid. I don't remember when I started it, but I do know that at some point shortly after I got a rash and had some stomach issues, vomiting all day, that I wound up back in the hospital. They had me stop the Revlimid and the rash went away. They also gave me a bunch of fluids which helped alot. Not too long after getting out of the hospital I came down with Pneumonia. Back to the hospital again, for about a week. At least I came out of that all good. All of this before the SCT. 

 For the next couple of weeks I was in the hospital. They started me on Velcade and they started Radiation on my back. I was told by some friends that I looked so pale they thought for sure I wasn't coming out of the hospital. I was also told I was very belligerent, I can can only assume because 1 - I just got told I have cancer & 2 - I couldn't smoke. I just quit cold turkey after 40 years of smoking. Neither are an excuse for hurting the people that care the most for me, but I have since apologized several times. I really don't remember if I was on any other chemo drugs but I do know that after awhile the Velcade was starting the dreaded neuropathy. I didn't know it was the Velcade at the time, so I never said anything. When I did get released from the hospital, the tingling was so bad it was hard to sleep at night. I wouldn't fall asleep til maybe 4AM and cry myself to sleep because the pain in my legs was so bad from the Velcade. I didn't know it was the...

 The journey started probably around the beginning of May 2019. I had very bad lower back pain, at times I could barely move. I continued to work but it was painful. I went to a chiropractor because I really thought I had hurt my back doing something stupid. When the pain wouldn't go away or get any better my chiropractor said I should go to see a doctor, he even had me get x-rays. The pain was so bad at night I couldn't sleep in my bed. Fortunately, my mom had a motorized recliner, so I slept in that, it still hurt, but at least I could get up. Right after Memorial Day weekend, May 29th to be exact, I couldn't take it anymore, so I called a friend and went to the emergency room. After some bloodwork and a CT Scan, they finally admitted me. I believe it was the next day they told me it was cancer. On the 31st, they did a Bone Marrow Biopsy, I had no clue what to expect. The doctor performed it, came into the room, had me move over to something solid, had my friend help hold...