Governor Bill Haslam has proclaimed March 2018 Myeloma Action Month. According to the International Myeloma Foundation, Myeloma, also referred to as multiple myeloma, is an incurable cancer of cells in the bone marrow. Myeloma currently affects more than 100,000 people in the United States, with an estimated 30,330 new cases diagnosed in 2016. Myeloma is increasing in numbers and is becoming more common in younger patients, with possible links to environmental toxins.
I’ve yet to meet a patient who’d heard of multiple myeloma before their diagnosis which is why increasing awareness among the public and general practitioners is so important.
In my case, I ignored my back pain thinking “everyone has back trouble”. As a result I am now over 5 inches shorter than before I had myeloma. I still suffer some back pain but exercise daily to strengthen my core to better support my back. In addition, I didn’t fit into any of the most common categories of patients: I was 46 years old, female and Caucasian. So no one is immune from myeloma and shouldn’t ignore any persistent health issues.
I encourage everyone to share the symptoms with as many as you can. I will be mailing letters to over 100 primary care physicians in my area and having March declared as Myeloma Awareness Month in my state and local area. A prompt diagnosis is very beneficial so help spread the word!
– Linda
My father and brother both had MM. My father contracted it in 1993 and passed away after 13 months. Those were the “bad old” days of treatment. My brother contracted it in 2002 and had 5 good years with good treatment at the Myeloma Institute in Little Rock. I now have “progressing mgus” and have had Bone Marrow biopsy results above 10 {662f9154478519430121bf9cce4d6b9f8ccf730187d765d88c6c0fa44a9f95f5} twice. I am being treated with Zometa infusions for my low bone density. I am very optimistic that great doctors at Little Rock and the Mayo clinic will make this a chronic condition someday!
— Keith V.
My story can be found under Veterans Against Myeloma (VAM). I was diagnosed at age 41 with Stage IIIA Multiple Myeloma in January 2003. I had 2-stem cell transplants in 2003 at Walter Reed Army Hospital.
I take no medicine and run Marathons in the qualifying time of 3-hours and 30-minutes or an 8-minute mile pace. I accomplished this in 2008 and went to Boston in 2009 and 2010. I am currently training for a Marathon later this month and another one in early May.
This past weekend I did a half-marathon (13.1 miles) trail race and actually led the entire field through the first hour and 11-minutes and ended up finishing 3rd overall. In November 2013, I ran the Memphis Miles for Myeloma and finished 3rd overall and ran the majority of the race in 2nd place. In 2013, I also won my age-group in the Memphis 10-race road series covering distances between 3.1 miles (5K) and 13.1 miles (one-half marathon).
I try to work out for an hour or so everyday in aerobics and core training. I currently log 200+ miles per month and have averaged about 1500 miles per year (since 2006) as it took me about 3-years to recover muscle strength and getting the stamina to run in competition with the Tidewater Striders in Virginia Beach. In 2008, I was able to win 2nd place in age-group in their Grand Prix which consisted of 12 races ranging from one-mile to 26.2 miles. In 2009, 2010, and 2011 I won 1st place in age-group before moving to Memphis. Prior to
the last several years, I suffered from severe shin splints and repeated stress fractures (which I contributed to the chemo), but have since been free of this pain.
I was told at Walter Reed to continue to exercise and I contribute exercise to keeping me possibly in better physical condition now than I was when I was first diagnosed. I also find that being around other active folks helps me to stay positive in much the same way I felt in the confidence shown in fellow patients during or two of follow on maintenance chemo at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital.