My story begins just about eight years ago now, which all depends on when you count my full diagnosis, the second go around. My life, just as any vibrant young woman on the move and focused on her career, took me through many positive and rewarding avenues and was full of many opportunities. Well, you know the old mantra…when things are looking too good, the obstacles are not too far behind, and unfortunately for me, it was my health that was to be my test.
I’ve always been diligent in meeting doctors’ appointments for preventive measures from as early as I can remember. I had my first mammogram before the age of 40, as my grandmother succumbed to breast cancer. I, being the eldest grandchild, was concerned, and my thinking was that it never hurts to be proactive. My doctor agreed.
This is the story of my life being proactive…and you know what? Sometimes that doesn’t stop you from going through things. The blow of hearing the news “cancer” does not soften, no matter how healthy or together you think you are.
You May Also Like
Red Flags
A routine checkup with my primary doctor, as I normally schedule once a year, was the clue that something may be wrong. The blood work doctors constantly seem to take actually does make sense, and the callout for me was that my protein levels were a huge red flag.
My numbers were around 3000+, and the normal range is about 6-8 Gms, which I can’t recall the specifics, but I believe 200-300 readings were normal… and not 3000. My husband and I were about to travel to Mexico when I received a follow-up call with concern.
I was told to seek a hematologist…. A who??? This all came out of left field for me because I didn’t understand what the numbers really meant or what type of doctor a hematologist is. My doctor called me again the following week to check if I had found a physician to review the matter further, and his stern voice and even more concerned tone told me this was, indeed, serious.
You May Also Like
Did I feel a certain way prior? I don’t recall, but I think sometimes any ache or slight oddities we give a reason for feeling that way. I did notice a clicking of my bone when I walked up or down the steps, and a craving for starch. I don’t believe this meant anything at the time.
RELATED: 5 Lessons On Living Life Fully With Multiple Myeloma
Learning About Multiple Myeloma Firsthand
I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a bone/blood cancer. My prognosis was at an early stage, and I was listed as asymptomatic myeloma. This specific cancer takes place in the plasma cells; basically, this is where white blood cells are formed within the plasma cells in bone marrow, which help combat infection.
Myeloma forms when these abnormal cells begin to divide, over and over again. This leads to crowding of the normal cells and then causes low white blood cell counts. This disease can cause havoc to the bones (lytic lesions) and kidneys (failed renal system) over time.
No one in my family has had this disease. Better yet, I’d never heard of it until then. If you can imagine, it was hard to grasp it all, and yes, I went through mentally and emotionally. I was proactive in learning more about this disease and was amazed when it was referenced that many Black people are diagnosed with this disease and may not realize it.
Multiple myeloma represents about 1.6 percent of new cancer cases in the United States, and highly (28 percent) affects those between the ages of 64-75. It affects 15 percent of Black males and 11 percent of Black females. These numbers are significant, as other races with this disease are under five percent reported.
Life After Diagnosis
Here you have it, my true test, and in my case, it was unique as I was under 40 at the time, which was three percent of those diagnosed. Here I was ducking other possible issues, and this myeloma thing, which no one ever heard of captured me…. literally. After seeking a myeloma specialist experienced in this disease, the plan was to hold off on treatment.
I would see my doctor twice a year, and my blood labs would be checked every month and closely watched. I was happy that things were steady and stable for so long, up until last year (2014), when my body totally took a 360-degree turn for the worse with another health issue that only elevated my myeloma. I was now looking at a huge spike to 7000. It was time to start treatment and quickly!
I’m now in my seventh month of treatment (involves a lot of needles and pills), and my myeloma IGA numbers have dropped significantly. I’m now at 450 versus 7000. I’ve had my cells harvested just in case, as time goes along, this disease acts up.
I’m not interested at this time in a stem cell transplant, which at this stage would be my favorable option. You know, just writing this, I get a chill of how things continue to play out, as treatment has not even been a year, and my body is reacting so well. But mentally, I can’t go through a transplant, and what goes with that, so I’ve made the executive decision to continue my two years remaining on my treatment cocktail and see if we can erase this huge burden.
I know so well that cancer is a funny thing. It can’t totally be erased, and at any time, things can act up yet again; However, I’m now at a point in my life where I have adapted to this journey God has placed upon me with courage and dignity.
I still maintain my day-to-day by working full time in the fashion industry, and I’m thankful I can continue to do things some of my fellow myeloma survivors can’t. My life was active and exciting with my multiple businesses, and as of today, it’s still that way, but with me just being more mindful of when it’s time to rest. I totally listen more to my body now than ever before. My career stems in fashion, film, and media, and though it’s highly stressful, I have a strong support system that reminds me when it’s time to regroup.
I’ve written a book about my journey titled Another Face of Multiple Myeloma, and I share my full experience on this new journey for those affected with the disease or for those who wish to learn more from a young woman going through it. It was cathartic for me to write my story and, more so, share my journey in case I’m no longer here to share true experiences from a person of color’s view. The myeloma movement I’ve started sheds light on the disease through a popular blog, publishing, and social media.
Well, my parting words are once the gloom of myeloma passes one’s ear, dust yourself up and research! I think it’s most necessary to get a second opinion and don’t feel intimidated to take and do things you’re not ready to do. The body will tell you and guide you on your walk. Stay in prayer and lean on your faith.
The BlackDoctor.org ‘My Story’ series features real stories of health triumphs written by and about our readers. Do you have a health and wellness testimony to share? Inspire others and send your story to [email protected].
